---
title: "Ponta Delgada (Azores) vs Santa Cruz de Tenerife for digital nomads"
url: https://nostos.navoy.io/compare/ponta-delgada-vs-santa-cruz-de-tenerife
description: "Under balanced weights Santa Cruz de Tenerife edges it, 77 to 77, winning 4 of the 9 factors. Ponta Delgada (Azores) is stronger on nothing outright; Santa Cruz de Tenerife on getting there & around. 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
---

# Ponta Delgada (Azores) vs Santa Cruz de Tenerife for digital nomads

Under balanced weights Santa Cruz de Tenerife edges it, 77 to 77, winning 4 of the 9 factors. Ponta Delgada (Azores) is stronger on nothing outright; Santa Cruz de Tenerife on getting there & around. Change the weights in the ranker to see which one wins for you.

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

| Metric | Ponta Delgada (Azores) | Santa Cruz de Tenerife | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Cost of living | 33 | 29 | Ponta Delgada (Azores) |
| Safety | 83 | 76 | Ponta Delgada (Azores) |
| Healthcare | 85 | 88 | Santa Cruz de Tenerife |
| Internet | 81 | 84 | Santa Cruz de Tenerife |
| Visa ease | 75 | 80 | Santa Cruz de Tenerife |
| Getting there & around | 53 | 73 | Santa Cruz de Tenerife |
| Climate | 100 | 100 | tie |
| Air quality | 95 | 86 | Ponta Delgada (Azores) |
| Quality of life | 87 | 80 | Ponta Delgada (Azores) |

## Cost

| Metric | Ponta Delgada (Azores) | Santa Cruz de Tenerife | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly cost, one person | $2,000 | $2,200 | Ponta Delgada (Azores) |
| Central one-bedroom rent | no data | no data | — |

## Safety and health (country-level)

| Metric | Ponta Delgada (Azores) | Santa Cruz de Tenerife | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Homicides per 100k | 0.71 | 0.73 | Ponta Delgada (Azores) |
| Political stability (0–100) | 77.9 | 68.7 | Ponta Delgada (Azores) |
| UHC service coverage (0–100) | 83 | 84 | Santa Cruz de Tenerife |
| Life expectancy | 81.2 yrs | 82.7 yrs | Santa Cruz de Tenerife |

## Internet (M-Lab measured medians)

| Metric | Ponta Delgada (Azores) | Santa Cruz de Tenerife | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Download | 64.8 Mbps | 69.6 Mbps | Santa Cruz de Tenerife |
| Upload | 33 Mbps | 54.5 Mbps | Santa Cruz de Tenerife |

## Visa

| Metric | Ponta Delgada (Azores) | Santa Cruz de Tenerife | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Nomad visa | Digital nomad residence visa (D8) | International teleworking visa (digital nomad visa) | tie |
| Minimum income for the visa | $4,131/mo | $2,741/mo | Santa Cruz de Tenerife |
| Entry, US passport | 90 days | 90 days | tie |
| Entry, EU passport | unlimited | unlimited | tie |
| Entry, UK passport | 90 days | 90 days | tie |

## Getting there and around

| Metric | Ponta Delgada (Azores) | Santa Cruz de Tenerife | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Non-stop airport destinations | 27 | 129 | Santa Cruz de Tenerife |
| Walkability (1–5, editorial) | 4 | 4 | tie |
| Transit (1–5, editorial) | 2 | 3 | Santa Cruz de Tenerife |

## Climate and air

| Metric | Ponta Delgada (Azores) | Santa Cruz de Tenerife | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Comfortable months per year | 12 | 12 | tie |
| Annual mean PM2.5 | 7.4 µg/m³ | 11.1 µg/m³ | Ponta Delgada (Azores) |

## FAQ

### Which is cheaper, Ponta Delgada (Azores) or Santa Cruz de Tenerife?

Ponta Delgada (Azores) is cheaper: about $2,000 per month versus $2,200 for one person.

### Is Ponta Delgada (Azores) or Santa Cruz de Tenerife safer?

Ponta Delgada (Azores) scores higher on safety (83 vs 76), based on national homicide rates and World Bank political-stability scores.

### Where is the internet faster, Ponta Delgada (Azores) or Santa Cruz de Tenerife?

Santa Cruz de Tenerife: a measured median of 69.6 Mbps versus 64.8 Mbps (M-Lab, 2024).

City pages: [Ponta Delgada (Azores)](https://nostos.navoy.io/cities/ponta-delgada) · [Santa Cruz de Tenerife](https://nostos.navoy.io/cities/santa-cruz-de-tenerife). 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); 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/ponta-delgada-vs-santa-cruz-de-tenerife