La Paz (Baja California Sur) vs Zihuatanejo
for digital nomads
Under balanced weights Zihuatanejo edges it, 61 to 60, winning 3 of the 9 factors. La Paz (Baja California Sur) is stronger on nothing outright; Zihuatanejo 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 →Where to stay in La Paz (Baja California Sur) →Fishing-town bay beside the Ixtapa resort strip
Full Zihuatanejo profile →Where to stay in Zihuatanejo →Factor scores (0–100, balanced weights)
| Metric | La Paz (Baja California Sur) | Zihuatanejo |
|---|---|---|
| Cost of living | 47 | 47 |
| Safety | 28 | 28 |
| Healthcare | 67 | 67 |
| Internet | 64 | 65 ✓ |
| Visa ease | 90 | 90 |
| Getting there & around | 37 | 43 ✓ |
| Climate | 75 ✓ | 67 |
| Air quality | 79 | 86 ✓ |
| Quality of life | 54 | 54 |
Cost
| Metric | La Paz (Baja California Sur) | Zihuatanejo |
|---|---|---|
| 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) | Zihuatanejo |
|---|---|---|
| Homicides per 100k | 25.64 | 25.64 |
| Political stability (0–100) | 55 | 55 |
| 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) | Zihuatanejo |
|---|---|---|
| Download | 26 Mbps | 32.1 Mbps ✓ |
| Upload | 12.6 Mbps ✓ | 7.9 Mbps |
Visa
| Metric | La Paz (Baja California Sur) | Zihuatanejo |
|---|---|---|
| Nomad visa | none listed | none listed |
| Minimum income for the visa | no data | no data |
| Entry, US passport | 180 days | 180 days |
| Entry, EU passport | 180 days | 180 days |
| Entry, UK passport | 180 days | 180 days |
Getting there and around
| Metric | La Paz (Baja California Sur) | Zihuatanejo |
|---|---|---|
| Non-stop airport destinations | 15 | 17 ✓ |
| Walkability (1–5, editorial) | 3 | 3 |
| Transit (1–5, editorial) | 1 | 2 ✓ |
Climate and air
| Metric | La Paz (Baja California Sur) | Zihuatanejo |
|---|---|---|
| Comfortable months per year | 9 ✓ | 8 |
| Annual mean PM2.5 | 14.4 µg/m³ | 11.4 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 Zihuatanejo?
- Zihuatanejo is cheaper: about $1,400 per month versus $1,400 for one person.
- Is La Paz (Baja California Sur) or Zihuatanejo safer?
- La Paz (Baja California Sur) scores higher on safety (28 vs 28), based on national homicide rates and World Bank political-stability scores.
- Where is the internet faster, La Paz (Baja California Sur) or Zihuatanejo?
- Zihuatanejo: a measured median of 32.1 Mbps versus 26 Mbps (M-Lab, 2024).
More comparisons
- La Paz (Baja California Sur) vs Huatulco
- La Paz (Baja California Sur) vs Mazatlán
- Zihuatanejo vs Mazatlán
- Zihuatanejo vs Ensenada
- 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); 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.