Heraklion (Crete) vs Larnaca
for digital nomads
Under balanced weights Heraklion (Crete) edges it, 70 to 69, winning 4 of the 9 factors. Heraklion (Crete) is stronger on nothing outright; Larnaca on nothing outright. Change the weights in the ranker to see which one wins for you.
Crete's main city with history and a long season
Full Heraklion (Crete) profile →Where to stay in Heraklion (Crete) →Seafront Cyprus town next to the main airport
Full Larnaca profile →Where to stay in Larnaca →Factor scores (0–100, balanced weights)
| Metric | Heraklion (Crete) | Larnaca |
|---|---|---|
| Cost of living | 34 ✓ | 30 |
| Safety | 76 | 77 ✓ |
| Healthcare | 79 | 82 ✓ |
| Internet | 64 | 67 ✓ |
| Visa ease | 76 | 76 |
| Getting there & around | 67 ✓ | 60 |
| Climate | 67 | 67 |
| Air quality | 80 ✓ | 78 |
| Quality of life | 89 ✓ | 86 |
Cost
| Metric | Heraklion (Crete) | Larnaca |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly cost, one person | $1,947 ✓ | $2,152 |
| Central one-bedroom rent | no data | no data |
Safety and health (country-level)
| Metric | Heraklion (Crete) | Larnaca |
|---|---|---|
| Homicides per 100k | 0.85 ✓ | 0.96 |
| Political stability (0–100) | 70.5 | 73.3 ✓ |
| UHC service coverage (0–100) | 77 ✓ | 76 |
| Life expectancy | 79.6 yrs | 81.9 yrs ✓ |
Internet (M-Lab measured medians)
| Metric | Heraklion (Crete) | Larnaca |
|---|---|---|
| Download | 34.1 Mbps | 35 Mbps ✓ |
| Upload | 5.4 Mbps | 10.6 Mbps ✓ |
Visa
| Metric | Heraklion (Crete) | Larnaca |
|---|---|---|
| Nomad visa | Digital Nomad Visa (Z.1) | Digital nomad visa |
| Minimum income for the visa | $3,929/mo | $3,929/mo |
| Entry, US passport | 90 days | 90 days |
| Entry, EU passport | unlimited | unlimited |
| Entry, UK passport | 90 days | 90 days |
Getting there and around
| Metric | Heraklion (Crete) | Larnaca |
|---|---|---|
| Non-stop airport destinations | 116 ✓ | 90 |
| Walkability (1–5, editorial) | 3 | 3 |
| Transit (1–5, editorial) | 3 ✓ | 2 |
Climate and air
| Metric | Heraklion (Crete) | Larnaca |
|---|---|---|
| Comfortable months per year | 8 | 8 |
| Annual mean PM2.5 | 13.8 µg/m³ ✓ | 14.7 µg/m³ |
✓ marks the better value in each row; ties and missing data are left unmarked.
Frequently asked
- Which is cheaper, Heraklion (Crete) or Larnaca?
- Heraklion (Crete) is cheaper: about $1,947 per month versus $2,152 for one person.
- Is Heraklion (Crete) or Larnaca safer?
- Larnaca scores higher on safety (77 vs 76), based on national homicide rates and World Bank political-stability scores.
- Where is the internet faster, Heraklion (Crete) or Larnaca?
- Larnaca: a measured median of 35 Mbps versus 34.1 Mbps (M-Lab, 2024).
More comparisons
- Heraklion (Crete) vs Paros (Parikia)
- Heraklion (Crete) vs Naxos
- Larnaca vs Paphos
- Larnaca vs Limassol
- All comparisons
Sources: Cost of Living Global 2026 (city rows); 2026 Cost of Living Index (country level); Worldwide Governance Indicators — Political Stability and Absence of Violence (score 0–100); Victims of intentional homicide per 100,000 population (national data, latest year); UHC service coverage index; Life expectancy at birth (years), both sexes; M-Lab NDT statistics (city aggregates, 2024); Airport destinations (Wikipedia airline and destination tables); NASA POWER climatology (2001–2020 monthly means); SatPM2.5 satellite-derived annual PM2.5 (V6.GL.02.04); Human Development Index (HDR 2025, HDI 2023); EF English Proficiency Index 2024 (band); Walkability and transit ratings (editorial); Passport Index dataset (visa requirements, 199 passports × 199 destinations); WhereNext city cost estimates 2026 (city pages); OpenStreetMap restaurants (Overpass API); Nostos long-stay visa guides; Starlink availability map. Dataset 2026.10.7. See each city page for per-metric footnotes and the methodology.