Ibiza Town vs Marbella
for digital nomads
Under balanced weights Ibiza Town edges it, 74 to 72, winning 3 of the 9 factors. Ibiza Town is stronger on nothing outright; Marbella on nothing outright. Change the weights in the ranker to see which one wins for you.
Island capital with winter calm and summer excess
Full Ibiza Town profile →Where to stay in Ibiza Town →Costa del Sol resort with an old town, a marina and year-round sun
Full Marbella profile →Where to stay in Marbella →Factor scores (0–100, balanced weights)
| Metric | Ibiza Town | Marbella |
|---|---|---|
| Cost of living | 29 ✓ | 28 |
| Safety | 76 | 76 |
| Healthcare | 88 | 88 |
| Internet | 87 | 89 ✓ |
| Visa ease | 80 | 80 |
| Getting there & around | 64 | 66 ✓ |
| Climate | 67 ✓ | 58 |
| Air quality | 93 ✓ | 83 |
| Quality of life | 80 | 80 |
Cost
| Metric | Ibiza Town | Marbella |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly cost, one personcountry-level estimate for at least one city | $2,200 ✓ | $2,254 |
| Central one-bedroom rent | no data | $972 |
Safety and health (country-level)
| Metric | Ibiza Town | Marbella |
|---|---|---|
| Homicides per 100k | 0.73 | 0.73 |
| Political stability (0–100) | 68.7 | 68.7 |
| UHC service coverage (0–100) | 84 | 84 |
| Life expectancy | 82.7 yrs | 82.7 yrs |
Internet (M-Lab measured medians)
| Metric | Ibiza Town | Marbella |
|---|---|---|
| Download | 77.2 Mbps | 89.8 Mbps ✓ |
| Upload | 88 Mbps ✓ | 80.6 Mbps |
Visa
| Metric | Ibiza Town | Marbella |
|---|---|---|
| Nomad visa | International teleworking visa (digital nomad visa) | International teleworking visa (digital nomad visa) |
| Minimum income for the visa | $2,741/mo | $2,741/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 | Ibiza Town | Marbella |
|---|---|---|
| Non-stop airport destinations | 87 | 163 ✓ |
| Walkability (1–5, editorial) | 4 ✓ | 3 |
| Transit (1–5, editorial) | 2 | 2 |
Climate and air
| Metric | Ibiza Town | Marbella |
|---|---|---|
| Comfortable months per year | 8 ✓ | 7 |
| Annual mean PM2.5 | 8.3 µg/m³ ✓ | 12.6 µg/m³ |
✓ marks the better value in each row; ties and missing data are left unmarked.
Frequently asked
- Which is cheaper, Ibiza Town or Marbella?
- Ibiza Town is cheaper: about $2,200 per month versus $2,254 for one person.
- Is Ibiza Town or Marbella safer?
- Ibiza Town scores higher on safety (76 vs 76), based on national homicide rates and World Bank political-stability scores.
- Where is the internet faster, Ibiza Town or Marbella?
- Marbella: a measured median of 89.8 Mbps versus 77.2 Mbps (M-Lab, 2024).
More comparisons
- Ibiza Town vs Cádiz
- Ibiza Town vs Jerez de la Frontera
- Marbella vs Toledo
- Marbella vs Murcia
- 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); 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); 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.