---
title: "Loja vs Vilcabamba for digital nomads"
url: https://nostos.navoy.io/compare/loja-vs-vilcabamba
description: "Under balanced weights Vilcabamba edges it, 58 to 58, winning 1 of the 9 factors. Loja is stronger on nothing outright; Vilcabamba on nothing outright. Change the weights in the ranker to see which one wins for you."
dataset: 2026.10.7 (2026-10-13)
license: CC BY 4.0
---

# Loja vs Vilcabamba for digital nomads

Under balanced weights Vilcabamba edges it, 58 to 58, winning 1 of the 9 factors. Loja is stronger on nothing outright; Vilcabamba on nothing outright. Change the weights in the ranker to see which one wins for you.

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

| Metric | Loja | Vilcabamba | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Cost of living | 48 | 48 | tie |
| Safety | 23 | 23 | tie |
| Healthcare | 71 | 71 | tie |
| Internet | 59 | 59 | tie |
| Visa ease | 78 | 78 | tie |
| Getting there & around | 15 | 15 | tie |
| Climate | 100 | 100 | tie |
| Air quality | 72 | 73 | Vilcabamba |
| Quality of life | 52 | 52 | tie |

## Cost

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

## Safety and health (country-level)

| Metric | Loja | Vilcabamba | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Homicides per 100k | 38.94 | 38.94 | tie |
| Political stability (0–100) | 54.4 | 54.4 | tie |
| UHC service coverage (0–100) | 78 | 78 | tie |
| Life expectancy | 74 yrs | 74 yrs | tie |

## Internet (M-Lab measured medians)

| Metric | Loja | Vilcabamba | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Download | 18.8 Mbps | 18.8 Mbps | tie |
| Upload | 15.8 Mbps | 15.8 Mbps | tie |

## Visa

| Metric | Loja | Vilcabamba | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Nomad visa | Digital nomad temporary residence visa (rentista for remote work) | Digital nomad temporary residence visa (rentista for remote work) | tie |
| Minimum income for the visa | $1,446/mo | $1,446/mo | tie |
| Entry, US passport | 90 days | 90 days | tie |
| Entry, EU passport | 90 days | 90 days | tie |
| Entry, UK passport | 90 days | 90 days | tie |

## Getting there and around

| Metric | Loja | Vilcabamba | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Non-stop airport destinations | 1 | 1 | tie |
| Walkability (1–5, editorial) | 3 | 4 | Vilcabamba |
| Transit (1–5, editorial) | 2 | 1 | Loja |

## Climate and air

| Metric | Loja | Vilcabamba | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Comfortable months per year | 12 | 12 | tie |
| Annual mean PM2.5 | 17.5 µg/m³ | 17.1 µg/m³ | Vilcabamba |

## FAQ

### Which is cheaper, Loja or Vilcabamba?

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

### Is Loja or Vilcabamba safer?

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

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

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

City pages: [Loja](https://nostos.navoy.io/cities/loja) · [Vilcabamba](https://nostos.navoy.io/cities/vilcabamba). 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/loja-vs-vilcabamba