La Paz (Baja California Sur) vs Puerto Vallarta
for digital nomads
Under balanced weights La Paz (Baja California Sur) edges it, 60 to 58, winning 2 of the 9 factors. La Paz (Baja California Sur) is stronger on getting there & around; Puerto Vallarta on nothing outright. Change the weights in the ranker to see which one wins for you.
Sea of Cortez town with whale sharks and empty beaches
Full La Paz (Baja California Sur) profile →Factor scores (0–100, balanced weights)
| Metric | La Paz (Baja California Sur) | Puerto Vallarta |
|---|---|---|
| Cost of living | 52 | 52 |
| Safety | 23 | 23 |
| Healthcare | 65 | 65 |
| Internet | 57 | 57 ✓ |
| Visa ease | 90 | 90 |
| Getting there & around | 42 ✓ | 27 |
| Climate | 75 ✓ | 67 |
| Air quality | 79 | 85 ✓ |
| Quality of life | 54 | 54 |
Cost
| Metric | La Paz (Baja California Sur) | Puerto Vallarta |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly cost, one personcountry-level estimate for at least one city | $1,400 | $1,400 |
| Central one-bedroom rent | no data | no data |
Safety and health (country-level)
| Metric | La Paz (Baja California Sur) | Puerto Vallarta |
|---|---|---|
| Homicides per 100k | 28.2 | 28.2 |
| Political stability (0–100) | 53.7 | 53.7 |
| UHC service coverage (0–100) | 79 | 79 |
| Life expectancy | 70.8 yrs | 70.8 yrs |
Internet (M-Lab measured medians)
| Metric | La Paz (Baja California Sur) | Puerto Vallarta |
|---|---|---|
| Download | 26 Mbps | 28.6 Mbps ✓ |
| Upload | 12.6 Mbps ✓ | 9.5 Mbps |
Visa
| Metric | La Paz (Baja California Sur) | Puerto Vallarta |
|---|---|---|
| Nomad visa | none listed | none listed |
| Minimum income for the visa | no data | no data |
| Visa-free days, US passport | 180 days | 180 days |
| Visa-free days, EU passport | 180 days | 180 days |
| Visa-free days, UK passport | 180 days | 180 days |
Getting there and around
| Metric | La Paz (Baja California Sur) | Puerto Vallarta |
|---|---|---|
| Non-stop airport destinations | 227 ✓ | 50 |
| Walkability (1–5, editorial) | 3 | 4 ✓ |
| Transit (1–5, editorial) | 1 | 2 ✓ |
Climate and air
| Metric | La Paz (Baja California Sur) | Puerto Vallarta |
|---|---|---|
| Comfortable months per year | 9 ✓ | 8 |
| Annual mean PM2.5 | 14.4 µg/m³ | 11.9 µg/m³ ✓ |
✓ marks the better value in each row; ties and missing data are left unmarked.
Frequently asked
- Which is cheaper, La Paz (Baja California Sur) or Puerto Vallarta?
- Puerto Vallarta is cheaper: about $1,400 per month versus $1,400 for one person.
- Is La Paz (Baja California Sur) or Puerto Vallarta safer?
- La Paz (Baja California Sur) scores higher on safety (23 vs 23), based on national homicide rates and World Bank political-stability scores.
- Where is the internet faster, La Paz (Baja California Sur) or Puerto Vallarta?
- Puerto Vallarta: a measured median of 28.6 Mbps versus 26 Mbps (M-Lab, 2024).
More comparisons
- La Paz (Baja California Sur) vs Tulum
- La Paz (Baja California Sur) vs San Miguel de Allende
- Puerto Vallarta vs San Miguel de Allende
- Puerto Vallarta vs Cancún
- All 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); Passport Index dataset (visa requirements, 199 passports × 199 destinations). Dataset 2026.09.4. See each city page for per-metric footnotes and the methodology.