---
title: "Nairobi vs Port Louis for digital nomads"
url: https://nostos.navoy.io/compare/nairobi-vs-port-louis
description: "Under balanced weights Port Louis edges it, 71 to 58, winning 7 of the 9 factors. Nairobi is stronger on nothing outright; Port Louis on safety, internet, quality of life. 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
---

# Nairobi vs Port Louis for digital nomads

Under balanced weights Port Louis edges it, 71 to 58, winning 7 of the 9 factors. Nairobi is stronger on nothing outright; Port Louis on safety, internet, quality of life. Change the weights in the ranker to see which one wins for you.

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

| Metric | Nairobi | Port Louis | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Cost of living | 55 | 52 | Nairobi |
| Safety | 43 | 75 | Port Louis |
| Healthcare | 48 | 68 | Port Louis |
| Internet | 43 | 65 | Port Louis |
| Visa ease | 63 | 77 | Port Louis |
| Getting there & around | 45 | 49 | Port Louis |
| Climate | 100 | 100 | tie |
| Air quality | 82 | 90 | Port Louis |
| Quality of life | 44 | 66 | Port Louis |

## Cost

| Metric | Nairobi | Port Louis | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly cost, one person | $1,127 | $1,230 | Nairobi |
| Central one-bedroom rent | $541 | no data | — |

## Safety and health (country-level)

| Metric | Nairobi | Port Louis | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Homicides per 100k | 4.65 | 2.67 | Port Louis |
| Political stability (0–100) | 46 | 81.9 | Port Louis |
| UHC service coverage (0–100) | 57 | 75 | Port Louis |
| Life expectancy | 66.8 yrs | 73.4 yrs | Port Louis |

## Internet (M-Lab measured medians)

| Metric | Nairobi | Port Louis | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Download | 8.9 Mbps | 30.1 Mbps | Port Louis |
| Upload | 4.1 Mbps | 9.8 Mbps | Port Louis |

## Visa

| Metric | Nairobi | Port Louis | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Nomad visa | Digital nomad work permit (Class N) | Premium Visa (long-stay remote work visa) | tie |
| Minimum income for the visa | $4,583/mo | $1,500/mo | Port Louis |
| Entry, US passport | eTA required (online, before travel) | 90 days | Port Louis |
| Entry, EU passport | eTA required (online, before travel) | 90 days | Port Louis |
| Entry, UK passport | eTA required (online, before travel) | 90 days | Port Louis |

## Getting there and around

| Metric | Nairobi | Port Louis | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Non-stop airport destinations | 58 | 31 | Nairobi |
| Walkability (1–5, editorial) | 1 | 3 | Port Louis |
| Transit (1–5, editorial) | 2 | 2 | tie |

## Climate and air

| Metric | Nairobi | Port Louis | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Comfortable months per year | 12 | 12 | tie |
| Annual mean PM2.5 | 13.1 µg/m³ | 9.4 µg/m³ | Port Louis |

## FAQ

### Which is cheaper, Nairobi or Port Louis?

Nairobi is cheaper: about $1,127 per month versus $1,230 for one person.

### Is Nairobi or Port Louis safer?

Port Louis scores higher on safety (75 vs 43), based on national homicide rates and World Bank political-stability scores.

### Where is the internet faster, Nairobi or Port Louis?

Port Louis: a measured median of 30.1 Mbps versus 8.9 Mbps (M-Lab, 2024).

City pages: [Nairobi](https://nostos.navoy.io/cities/nairobi) · [Port Louis](https://nostos.navoy.io/cities/port-louis). 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/nairobi-vs-port-louis