---
title: "Piedras Negras vs São Luís for digital nomads"
url: https://nostos.navoy.io/compare/piedras-negras-vs-sao-luis
description: "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."
dataset: 2026.11.2 (2026-11-09)
license: CC BY 4.0
---

# 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.

## 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 | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Cost of living | 58 | 61 | São Luís |
| Safety | 28 | 35 | São Luís |
| Healthcare | 75 | 79 | São Luís |
| Internet | 68 | 70 | São Luís |
| Visa ease | 90 | 77 | Piedras Negras |
| Getting there & around | 18 | 17 | Piedras Negras |
| Climate | 50 | 33 | Piedras Negras |
| Air quality | 88 | 97 | São Luís |
| Quality of life | 57 | 56 | Piedras Negras |

## Cost

| Metric | Piedras Negras | São Luís | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly cost, one person | $1,400 | $1,300 | São Luís |
| Central one-bedroom rent | no data | no data | — |

## Safety and health (country-level)

| Metric | Piedras Negras | São Luís | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Homicides per 100k | 25.64 | 18.69 | São Luís |
| Political stability (0–100) | 55 | 58.9 | São Luís |
| UHC service coverage (0–100) | 79 | 84 | São Luís |
| Life expectancy | 75.3 yrs | 75.9 yrs | São Luís |

## Internet (M-Lab measured medians)

| Metric | Piedras Negras | São Luís | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Download | 33.2 Mbps | 35 Mbps | São Luís |
| Upload | 15.4 Mbps | 21.1 Mbps | São Luís |

## Visa

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

## Getting there and around

| Metric | Piedras Negras | São Luís | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Non-stop airport destinations | 91 | 12 | Piedras Negras |
| Walkability (1–5, editorial) | 2 | 3 | São Luís |
| Transit (1–5, editorial) | 1 | 2 | São Luís |

## Climate and air

| Metric | Piedras Negras | São Luís | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Comfortable months per year | 6 | 4 | Piedras Negras |
| Annual mean PM2.5 | 10.5 µg/m³ | 6.3 µg/m³ | São Luís |

## FAQ

### 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).

City pages: [Piedras Negras](https://nostos.navoy.io/cities/piedras-negras) · [São Luís](https://nostos.navoy.io/cities/sao-luis). 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.

HTML page: https://nostos.navoy.io/compare/piedras-negras-vs-sao-luis