---
title: "Montego Bay vs Paraty for digital nomads"
url: https://nostos.navoy.io/compare/montego-bay-vs-paraty
description: "Under balanced weights Paraty edges it, 61 to 57, winning 6 of the 9 factors. Montego Bay is stronger on nothing outright; Paraty on visa ease. 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
---

# Montego Bay vs Paraty for digital nomads

Under balanced weights Paraty edges it, 61 to 57, winning 6 of the 9 factors. Montego Bay is stronger on nothing outright; Paraty on visa ease. Change the weights in the ranker to see which one wins for you.

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

| Metric | Montego Bay | Paraty | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Cost of living | 41 | 50 | Paraty |
| Safety | 37 | 35 | Montego Bay |
| Healthcare | 63 | 72 | Paraty |
| Internet | 64 | 72 | Paraty |
| Visa ease | 61 | 77 | Paraty |
| Getting there & around | 49 | 56 | Paraty |
| Climate | 50 | 50 | tie |
| Air quality | 80 | 83 | Paraty |
| Quality of life | 64 | 54 | Montego Bay |

## Cost

| Metric | Montego Bay | Paraty | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly cost, one person | $1,639 | $1,300 | Paraty |
| Central one-bedroom rent | no data | no data | — |

## Safety and health (country-level)

| Metric | Montego Bay | Paraty | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Homicides per 100k | 40.36 | 18.69 | Paraty |
| Political stability (0–100) | 75.1 | 58.9 | Montego Bay |
| UHC service coverage (0–100) | 74 | 84 | Paraty |
| Life expectancy | 70.1 yrs | 72.4 yrs | Paraty |

## Internet (M-Lab measured medians)

| Metric | Montego Bay | Paraty | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Download | 26.8 Mbps | 36.2 Mbps | Paraty |
| Upload | 14 Mbps | 29.4 Mbps | Paraty |

## Visa

| Metric | Montego Bay | Paraty | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Nomad visa | none listed | Digital nomad temporary visa (VITEM XIV) | Paraty |
| Minimum income for the visa | no data | $1,500/mo | — |
| Entry, US passport | 180 days | 90 days | Montego Bay |
| Entry, EU passport | 90 days | 90 days | tie |
| Entry, UK passport | 90 days | 90 days | tie |

## Getting there and around

| Metric | Montego Bay | Paraty | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Non-stop airport destinations | 49 | 59 | Paraty |
| Walkability (1–5, editorial) | 2 | 4 | Paraty |
| Transit (1–5, editorial) | 2 | 1 | Montego Bay |

## Climate and air

| Metric | Montego Bay | Paraty | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Comfortable months per year | 6 | 6 | tie |
| Annual mean PM2.5 | 13.8 µg/m³ | 12.8 µg/m³ | Paraty |

## FAQ

### Which is cheaper, Montego Bay or Paraty?

Paraty is cheaper: about $1,300 per month versus $1,639 for one person.

### Is Montego Bay or Paraty safer?

Montego Bay scores higher on safety (37 vs 35), based on national homicide rates and World Bank political-stability scores.

### Where is the internet faster, Montego Bay or Paraty?

Paraty: a measured median of 36.2 Mbps versus 26.8 Mbps (M-Lab, 2024).

City pages: [Montego Bay](https://nostos.navoy.io/cities/montego-bay) · [Paraty](https://nostos.navoy.io/cities/paraty). 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); 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); 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/montego-bay-vs-paraty