---
title: "Lagos (Algarve) vs Mahón (Menorca) for digital nomads"
url: https://nostos.navoy.io/compare/lagos-portugal-vs-mahon
description: "Under balanced weights Lagos (Algarve) edges it, 72 to 70, winning 5 of the 9 factors. Neither leads on any factor by 10 points or more. Change the weights in the ranker to see which one wins for you."
dataset: 2026.11.2 (2026-11-09)
license: CC BY 4.0
---

# Lagos (Algarve) vs Mahón (Menorca) for digital nomads

Under balanced weights Lagos (Algarve) edges it, 72 to 70, winning 5 of the 9 factors. Neither leads on any factor by 10 points or more. Change the weights in the ranker to see which one wins for you.

## Where they differ

- **Internet.** Mahón (Menorca) leads on internet, 82 to 75, against Lagos (Algarve). Measured download: 47.6 Mbps vs 61 Mbps.
- **Safety.** Lagos (Algarve) leads on safety, 83 to 76, against Mahón (Menorca). Homicides per 100,000: 0.71 vs 0.73.
- **Quality of life.** Lagos (Algarve) leads on quality of life, 88 to 81, against Mahón (Menorca).

Where they are close: within five points on visa ease, cost of living, air quality, getting there & around, healthcare, climate.

**Pick Lagos (Algarve) if you want** to spend about $200 less a month; the safer country figures.

**Pick Mahón (Menorca) if you want** faster internet (61 Mbps measured).

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

| Metric | Lagos (Algarve) | Mahón (Menorca) | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Cost of living | 40 | 36 | Lagos (Algarve) |
| Safety | 83 | 76 | Lagos (Algarve) |
| Healthcare | 87 | 90 | Mahón (Menorca) |
| Internet | 75 | 82 | Mahón (Menorca) |
| Visa ease | 75 | 80 | Mahón (Menorca) |
| Getting there & around | 33 | 30 | Lagos (Algarve) |
| Climate | 67 | 67 | tie |
| Air quality | 98 | 93 | Lagos (Algarve) |
| Quality of life | 88 | 81 | Lagos (Algarve) |

## Cost

| Metric | Lagos (Algarve) | Mahón (Menorca) | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly cost, one person | $2,000 | $2,200 | Lagos (Algarve) |
| Central one-bedroom rent | no data | no data | — |

## Safety and health (country-level)

| Metric | Lagos (Algarve) | Mahón (Menorca) | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Homicides per 100k | 0.71 | 0.73 | Lagos (Algarve) |
| Political stability (0–100) | 77.9 | 68.7 | Lagos (Algarve) |
| UHC service coverage (0–100) | 83 | 84 | Mahón (Menorca) |
| Life expectancy | 81.9 yrs | 83.3 yrs | Mahón (Menorca) |

## Internet (M-Lab measured medians)

| Metric | Lagos (Algarve) | Mahón (Menorca) | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Download | 47.6 Mbps | 61 Mbps | Mahón (Menorca) |
| Upload | 23.4 Mbps | 59.1 Mbps | Mahón (Menorca) |

## Visa

| Metric | Lagos (Algarve) | Mahón (Menorca) | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Nomad visa | Digital nomad residence visa (D8) | International teleworking visa (digital nomad visa) | tie |
| Minimum income for the visa | $4,131/mo | $2,741/mo | Mahón (Menorca) |
| Entry, US passport | 90 days | 90 days | tie |
| Entry, EU passport | unlimited | unlimited | tie |
| Entry, UK passport | 90 days | 90 days | tie |

## Getting there and around

| Metric | Lagos (Algarve) | Mahón (Menorca) | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Non-stop airport destinations | 90 | 71 | Lagos (Algarve) |
| Walkability (1–5, editorial) | 4 | 4 | tie |
| Transit (1–5, editorial) | 2 | 2 | tie |

## Climate and air

| Metric | Lagos (Algarve) | Mahón (Menorca) | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Comfortable months per year | 8 | 8 | tie |
| Annual mean PM2.5 | 6.1 µg/m³ | 8.1 µg/m³ | Lagos (Algarve) |

## FAQ

### Which is cheaper, Lagos (Algarve) or Mahón (Menorca)?

Lagos (Algarve) is cheaper: about $2,000 per month versus $2,200 for one person.

### Is Lagos (Algarve) or Mahón (Menorca) safer?

Lagos (Algarve) scores higher on safety (83 vs 76), based on national homicide rates and World Bank political-stability scores.

### Where is the internet faster, Lagos (Algarve) or Mahón (Menorca)?

Mahón (Menorca): a measured median of 61 Mbps versus 47.6 Mbps (M-Lab, 2024).

City pages: [Lagos (Algarve)](https://nostos.navoy.io/cities/lagos-portugal) · [Mahón (Menorca)](https://nostos.navoy.io/cities/mahon). 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); 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.

HTML page: https://nostos.navoy.io/compare/lagos-portugal-vs-mahon