Piedras Negras vs São Luís
for digital nomads
Under balanced weights the two cities tie at 59. Piedras Negras is stronger on climate, visa ease; São Luís on nothing outright. Change the weights in the ranker to see which one wins for you.
Small Coahuila border city across from Eagle Pass, birthplace of nachos
Full Piedras Negras profile →Plan a trip to Piedras Negras →Island capital of tiled colonial houses, reggae and the Lençóis gateway
Full São Luís profile →Plan a trip to São Luís →Where they differ
- Climate. Piedras Negras leads on climate, 50 to 33, against São Luís. Comfortable months: 6 vs 4.
- Visa ease. Piedras Negras leads on visa ease, 90 to 77, against São Luís.
- Air quality. São Luís leads on air quality, 97 to 88, against Piedras Negras. PM2.5: 10.5 µg/m³ vs 6.3 µg/m³.
Where they are close. Within five points on healthcare, cost of living, internet, getting there & around, quality of life.
Pick Piedras Negras if you want
- a longer comfortable season (6 months against 4)
Pick São Luís if you want
- to spend about $100 less a month
- the safer country figures
- a dedicated digital-nomad visa
Factor scores (0–100, balanced weights)
| Metric | Piedras Negras | São Luís |
|---|---|---|
| Cost of living | 58 | 61 ✓ |
| Safety | 28 | 35 ✓ |
| Healthcare | 75 | 79 ✓ |
| Internet | 68 | 70 ✓ |
| Visa ease | 90 ✓ | 77 |
| Getting there & around | 18 ✓ | 17 |
| Climate | 50 ✓ | 33 |
| Air quality | 88 | 97 ✓ |
| Quality of life | 57 ✓ | 56 |
Cost
| Metric | Piedras Negras | São Luís |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly cost, one personcountry-level estimate for at least one city | $1,400 | $1,300 ✓ |
| Central one-bedroom rent | no data | no data |
Safety and health (country-level)
| Metric | Piedras Negras | São Luís |
|---|---|---|
| Homicides per 100k | 25.64 | 18.69 ✓ |
| Political stability (0–100) | 55 | 58.9 ✓ |
| UHC service coverage (0–100) | 79 | 84 ✓ |
| Life expectancy | 75.3 yrs | 75.9 yrs ✓ |
Internet (M-Lab measured medians)
| Metric | Piedras Negras | São Luís |
|---|---|---|
| Download | 33.2 Mbps | 35 Mbps ✓ |
| Upload | 15.4 Mbps | 21.1 Mbps ✓ |
Visa
| Metric | Piedras Negras | São Luís |
|---|---|---|
| Nomad visa | none listed | Digital nomad temporary visa (VITEM XIV) ✓ |
| Minimum income for the visa | no data | $1,500/mo |
| Entry, US passport | 180 days ✓ | 90 days |
| Entry, EU passport | 180 days ✓ | 90 days |
| Entry, UK passport | 180 days ✓ | 90 days |
Getting there and around
| Metric | Piedras Negras | São Luís |
|---|---|---|
| Non-stop airport destinations | 91 ✓ | 12 |
| Walkability (1–5, editorial) | 2 | 3 ✓ |
| Transit (1–5, editorial) | 1 | 2 ✓ |
Climate and air
| Metric | Piedras Negras | São Luís |
|---|---|---|
| Comfortable months per year | 6 ✓ | 4 |
| Annual mean PM2.5 | 10.5 µg/m³ | 6.3 µg/m³ ✓ |
✓ marks the better value in each row; ties and missing data are left unmarked.
Frequently asked
- Which is cheaper, Piedras Negras or São Luís?
- São Luís is cheaper: about $1,300 per month versus $1,400 for one person.
- Is Piedras Negras or São Luís safer?
- São Luís scores higher on safety (35 vs 28), based on national homicide rates and World Bank political-stability scores.
- Where is the internet faster, Piedras Negras or São Luís?
- São Luís: a measured median of 35 Mbps versus 33.2 Mbps (M-Lab, 2024).
More comparisons
- Piedras Negras vs Veracruz
- Piedras Negras vs Campeche
- São Luís vs Jericoacoara
- São Luís vs Bocas del Toro
- All comparisons
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); OpenStreetMap restaurants (Overpass API); Nostos long-stay visa guides; Starlink availability map. Dataset 2026.11.2. See each city page for per-metric footnotes and the methodology.