---
title: "Lima vs Quito for digital nomads"
url: https://nostos.navoy.io/compare/lima-vs-quito
description: "Under balanced weights Quito edges it, 58 to 58, winning 6 of the 9 factors. Lima is stronger on climate; Quito on visa ease. Change the weights in the ranker to see which one wins for you."
dataset: 2026.09.4 (2026-09-26)
license: CC BY 4.0
---

# Lima vs Quito for digital nomads

Under balanced weights Quito edges it, 58 to 58, winning 6 of the 9 factors. Lima is stronger on climate; Quito on visa ease. Change the weights in the ranker to see which one wins for you.

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

| Metric | Lima | Quito | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Cost of living | 59 | 61 | Quito |
| Safety | 44 | 43 | Lima |
| Healthcare | 60 | 69 | Quito |
| Internet | 61 | 63 | Quito |
| Visa ease | 59 | 77 | Quito |
| Getting there & around | 20 | 23 | Quito |
| Climate | 100 | 67 | Lima |
| Air quality | 62 | 67 | Quito |
| Quality of life | 54 | 52 | Lima |

## Cost

| Metric | Lima | Quito | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly cost, one person | $1,198 | $1,146 | Quito |
| Central one-bedroom rent | no data | no data | — |

## Safety and health (country-level)

| Metric | Lima | Quito | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Homicides per 100k | 6.2 | 6.6 | Lima |
| Political stability (0–100) | 54.7 | 53.6 | Lima |
| UHC service coverage (0–100) | 68 | 78 | Quito |
| Life expectancy | 71.7 yrs | 74 yrs | Quito |

## Internet (M-Lab measured medians)

| Metric | Lima | Quito | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Download | 29.4 Mbps | 31.8 Mbps | Quito |
| Upload | 20 Mbps | 24.1 Mbps | Quito |

## Visa

| Metric | Lima | Quito | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Nomad visa | none listed | Residencia Temporal de Nómada Digital | Quito |
| Minimum income for the visa | no data | $1,445/mo | — |
| Visa-free days, US passport | 180 days | 90 days | Lima |
| Visa-free days, EU passport | 90 days | 90 days | tie |
| Visa-free days, UK passport | 180 days | 90 days | Lima |

## Getting there and around

| Metric | Lima | Quito | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Non-stop airport destinations | 68 | 24 | Lima |
| Walkability (1–5, editorial) | 2 | 3 | Quito |
| Transit (1–5, editorial) | 2 | 3 | Quito |

## Climate and air

| Metric | Lima | Quito | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Comfortable months per year | 12 | 8 | Lima |
| Annual mean PM2.5 | 22.2 µg/m³ | 19.8 µg/m³ | Quito |

## FAQ

### Which is cheaper, Lima or Quito?

Quito is cheaper: about $1,146 per month versus $1,198 for one person.

### Is Lima or Quito safer?

Lima scores higher on safety (44 vs 43), based on national homicide rates and World Bank political-stability scores.

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

Quito: a measured median of 31.8 Mbps versus 29.4 Mbps (M-Lab, 2024).

City pages: [Lima](https://nostos.navoy.io/cities/lima) · [Quito](https://nostos.navoy.io/cities/quito). 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); 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).

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