---
title: "Lima vs Loja for digital nomads"
url: https://nostos.navoy.io/compare/lima-vs-loja
description: "Under balanced weights Lima edges it, 62 to 60, winning 5 of the 9 factors. Lima is stronger on safety; Loja on air quality. 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
---

# Lima vs Loja for digital nomads

Under balanced weights Lima edges it, 62 to 60, winning 5 of the 9 factors. Lima is stronger on safety; Loja on air quality. Change the weights in the ranker to see which one wins for you.

## Where they differ

- **Safety.** Lima leads on safety, 44 to 23, against Loja. Homicides per 100,000: 8.6 vs 38.94.
- **Air quality.** Loja leads on air quality, 72 to 62, against Lima. PM2.5: 22.2 µg/m³ vs 17.5 µg/m³.
- **Internet.** Lima leads on internet, 67 to 59, against Loja. Measured download: 29.4 Mbps vs 18.8 Mbps.

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

**Pick Lima if you want** to spend about $84 less a month; faster internet (29.4 Mbps measured); the safer country figures.

**Pick Loja if you want** a dedicated digital-nomad visa; cleaner air.

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

| Metric | Lima | Loja | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Cost of living | 63 | 60 | Lima |
| Safety | 44 | 23 | Lima |
| Healthcare | 73 | 78 | Loja |
| Internet | 67 | 59 | Lima |
| Visa ease | 75 | 78 | Loja |
| Getting there & around | 20 | 15 | Lima |
| Climate | 100 | 100 | tie |
| Air quality | 62 | 72 | Loja |
| Quality of life | 57 | 55 | Lima |

## Cost

| Metric | Lima | Loja | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly cost, one person | $1,266 | $1,350 | Lima |
| Central one-bedroom rent | no data | no data | — |

## Safety and health (country-level)

| Metric | Lima | Loja | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Homicides per 100k | 8.6 | 38.94 | Lima |
| Political stability (0–100) | 56.9 | 54.4 | Lima |
| UHC service coverage (0–100) | 68 | 78 | Loja |
| Life expectancy | 78.4 yrs | 77.6 yrs | Lima |

## Internet (M-Lab measured medians)

| Metric | Lima | Loja | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Download | 29.4 Mbps | 18.8 Mbps | Lima |
| Upload | 20 Mbps | 15.8 Mbps | Lima |

## Visa

| Metric | Lima | Loja | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Nomad visa | none listed | Digital nomad temporary residence visa (rentista for remote work) | Loja |
| Minimum income for the visa | no data | $1,446/mo | — |
| Entry, US passport | 180 days | 90 days | Lima |
| Entry, EU passport | 90 days | 90 days | tie |
| Entry, UK passport | 180 days | 90 days | Lima |

## Getting there and around

| Metric | Lima | Loja | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Non-stop airport destinations | 68 | 1 | Lima |
| Walkability (1–5, editorial) | 2 | 3 | Loja |
| Transit (1–5, editorial) | 2 | 2 | tie |

## Climate and air

| Metric | Lima | Loja | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Comfortable months per year | 12 | 12 | tie |
| Annual mean PM2.5 | 22.2 µg/m³ | 17.5 µg/m³ | Loja |

## FAQ

### Which is cheaper, Lima or Loja?

Lima is cheaper: about $1,266 per month versus $1,350 for one person.

### Is Lima or Loja safer?

Lima scores higher on safety (44 vs 23), based on national homicide rates and World Bank political-stability scores.

### Where is the internet faster, Lima or Loja?

Lima: a measured median of 29.4 Mbps versus 18.8 Mbps (M-Lab, 2024).

City pages: [Lima](https://nostos.navoy.io/cities/lima) · [Loja](https://nostos.navoy.io/cities/loja). 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.

HTML page: https://nostos.navoy.io/compare/lima-vs-loja