Kaohsiung vs San José
for digital nomads
Under balanced weights Kaohsiung edges it, 63 to 58, winning 6 of the 9 factors. Kaohsiung is stronger on safety, climate, quality of life; San José on visa ease. Change the weights in the ranker to see which one wins for you.
Taiwan's southern port with warmer weather and lower rents
Full Kaohsiung profile →Factor scores (0–100, balanced weights)
| Metric | Kaohsiung | San José |
|---|---|---|
| Cost of living | 46 | 50 ✓ |
| Safety | 89 ✓ | 62 |
| Healthcare | 82 ✓ | 81 |
| Internet | 67 ✓ | 60 |
| Visa ease | 69 | 89 ✓ |
| Getting there & around | 30 ✓ | 22 |
| Climate | 58 ✓ | 42 |
| Air quality | 44 | 47 ✓ |
| Quality of life | 81 ✓ | 68 |
Cost
| Metric | Kaohsiung | San José |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly cost, one person | $1,615 | $1,479 ✓ |
| Central one-bedroom rent | no data | $738 |
Safety and health (country-level)
| Metric | Kaohsiung | San José |
|---|---|---|
| Homicides per 100k | 0.8 ✓ | 13.5 |
| Political stability (0–100) | 81.6 | 86 ✓ |
| UHC service coverage (0–100) | no data | 84 |
| Life expectancy | 80.2 yrs ✓ | 78.6 yrs |
Internet (M-Lab measured medians)
| Metric | Kaohsiung | San José |
|---|---|---|
| Download | 41.3 Mbps ✓ | 32.5 Mbps |
| Upload | 17.8 Mbps ✓ | 10.2 Mbps |
Visa
| Metric | Kaohsiung | San José |
|---|---|---|
| Nomad visa | Digital Nomad Visitor Visa | Estancia para Trabajador y Prestador Remoto de Servicios |
| Minimum income for the visa | $3,333/mo | $2,999/mo ✓ |
| Visa-free days, US passport | 90 days | 180 days ✓ |
| Visa-free days, EU passport | 90 days | 180 days ✓ |
| Visa-free days, UK passport | 90 days | 180 days ✓ |
Getting there and around
| Metric | Kaohsiung | San José |
|---|---|---|
| Non-stop airport destinations | 0 | 52 ✓ |
| Walkability (1–5, editorial) | 4 ✓ | 3 |
| Transit (1–5, editorial) | 4 ✓ | 2 |
Climate and air
| Metric | Kaohsiung | San José |
|---|---|---|
| Comfortable months per year | 7 ✓ | 5 |
| Annual mean PM2.5 | 30.3 µg/m³ | 29 µg/m³ ✓ |
✓ marks the better value in each row; ties and missing data are left unmarked.
Frequently asked
- Which is cheaper, Kaohsiung or San José?
- San José is cheaper: about $1,479 per month versus $1,615 for one person.
- Is Kaohsiung or San José safer?
- Kaohsiung scores higher on safety (89 vs 62), based on national homicide rates and World Bank political-stability scores.
- Where is the internet faster, Kaohsiung or San José?
- Kaohsiung: a measured median of 41.3 Mbps versus 32.5 Mbps (M-Lab, 2024).
More comparisons
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); Estimates of rates of homicides per 100 000 population; 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); Life expectancy at birth, Taiwan (Ministry of the Interior); Intentional homicide rate, Taiwan (National Police Agency via Wikipedia); Human Development Index, Taiwan (DGBAS calculation); Passport Index dataset (visa requirements, 199 passports × 199 destinations); Taiwan Digital Nomad Visitor Visa; WhereNext city cost estimates 2026 (city pages). Dataset 2026.09.4. See each city page for per-metric footnotes and the methodology.