---
title: "Hobart vs Wānaka for digital nomads"
url: https://nostos.navoy.io/compare/hobart-vs-wanaka
description: "Under balanced weights Hobart edges it, 62 to 60, winning 4 of the 9 factors. Hobart is stronger on climate; Wānaka on internet. Change the weights in the ranker to see which one wins for you."
dataset: 2026.10.7 (2026-10-13)
license: CC BY 4.0
---

# Hobart vs Wānaka for digital nomads

Under balanced weights Hobart edges it, 62 to 60, winning 4 of the 9 factors. Hobart is stronger on climate; Wānaka on internet. Change the weights in the ranker to see which one wins for you.

## Factor scores (0–100, balanced weights)

| Metric | Hobart | Wānaka | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Cost of living | 13 | 18 | Wānaka |
| Safety | 82 | 84 | Wānaka |
| Healthcare | 91 | 90 | Hobart |
| Internet | 69 | 80 | Wānaka |
| Visa ease | 42 | 42 | tie |
| Getting there & around | 37 | 37 | tie |
| Climate | 25 | 0 | Hobart |
| Air quality | 100 | 95 | Hobart |
| Quality of life | 98 | 95 | Hobart |

## Cost

| Metric | Hobart | Wānaka | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly cost, one person | $3,350 | $2,950 | Wānaka |
| Central one-bedroom rent | no data | no data | — |

## Safety and health (country-level)

| Metric | Hobart | Wānaka | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Homicides per 100k | 0.94 | 1.46 | Hobart |
| Political stability (0–100) | 79.3 | 86.3 | Wānaka |
| UHC service coverage (0–100) | 89 | 89 | tie |
| Life expectancy | 83.1 yrs | 82.2 yrs | Hobart |

## Internet (M-Lab measured medians)

| Metric | Hobart | Wānaka | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Download | 38.9 Mbps | 56.1 Mbps | Wānaka |
| Upload | 10.7 Mbps | 50.9 Mbps | Wānaka |

## Visa

| Metric | Hobart | Wānaka | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Nomad visa | none listed | none listed | tie |
| Minimum income for the visa | no data | no data | — |
| Entry, US passport | eTA required (online, before travel) | eTA required (online, before travel) | tie |
| Entry, EU passport | eTA required (online, before travel) | eTA required (online, before travel) | tie |
| Entry, UK passport | eTA required (online, before travel) | eTA required (online, before travel) | tie |

## Getting there and around

| Metric | Hobart | Wānaka | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Non-stop airport destinations | 9 | 9 | tie |
| Walkability (1–5, editorial) | 3 | 4 | Wānaka |
| Transit (1–5, editorial) | 2 | 1 | Hobart |

## Climate and air

| Metric | Hobart | Wānaka | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Comfortable months per year | 3 | 0 | Hobart |
| Annual mean PM2.5 | 4.9 µg/m³ | 7.3 µg/m³ | Hobart |

## FAQ

### Which is cheaper, Hobart or Wānaka?

Wānaka is cheaper: about $2,950 per month versus $3,350 for one person.

### Is Hobart or Wānaka safer?

Wānaka scores higher on safety (84 vs 82), based on national homicide rates and World Bank political-stability scores.

### Where is the internet faster, Hobart or Wānaka?

Wānaka: a measured median of 56.1 Mbps versus 38.9 Mbps (M-Lab, 2024).

City pages: [Hobart](https://nostos.navoy.io/cities/hobart) · [Wānaka](https://nostos.navoy.io/cities/wanaka). Sources: Cost of Living Global 2026 (city rows); 2026 Cost of Living Index (country level); Digital Nomad Visas 2026; 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); WHO Ambient Air Quality Database, June 2026 update (V8); 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); OpenStreetMap restaurants (Overpass API); Starlink availability map.

HTML page: https://nostos.navoy.io/compare/hobart-vs-wanaka