Lima vs Salvador

Side-by-side comparison for digital nomads

Lima 15% cheaper Lima +31 Mbps Low / Low
Nomad Cost

$1,284

Lima

$1,512

Salvador

Internet

219

Mbps

188

Mbps

Safety

Low

Lima

Low

Salvador

Air Quality

5/5

Lima

5/5

Salvador

Healthcare

High

Lima

Moderate

Salvador

Population

8.9m

Lima

2.7m

Salvador

Lima (Peru) and Salvador (Brazil) are both in Latin America, offering different takes on the nomad lifestyle. Here is how they compare across the metrics that matter most.

Cost of Living

Lima has a modest cost advantage at $1284/mo versus Salvador's $1512/mo, a 15% difference that adds up over a longer stay.

For families, Lima costs $2188.437491200074/mo compared to Salvador's $1517.862166581682/mo.

Internet & Infrastructure

Lima has a slight lead on internet at 219 Mbps (#26 globally) compared to Salvador's 188 Mbps (#0). Both support standard remote work.

Quality of Life

Both Lima and Salvador share the same safety rating — travelers can feel equally comfortable in either city.

Lima offers better healthcare infrastructure than Salvador — an important consideration for longer stays.

Monthly Weather Comparison

The best time to visit Lima is January (around 27 degrees, 0mm rain, score 454), while Salvador peaks in December (35 degrees, 1mm rain, score 373). Timing your stay around these months can make a big difference in your experience.

Cost of Living

LimaSalvador
Nomad$1,284/mo$1,512/mo
Expat$794/mo$832/mo
Local$625/mo$434/mo
Family$2,188/mo$1,518/mo

Internet & Infrastructure

LimaSalvador
City Speed
219 Mbps#26
188 Mbps
Country Speed200 Mbps188 Mbps

Environment & Health

LimaSalvador
Air Quality Score5/55/5
PollutionHighModerate
ClimateHighHigh
Humidity7071

Quality of Life

LimaSalvador
SafetyLowLow
HealthcareHighModerate

Monthly Weather Comparison

Lima
Salvador
Jan
27°
0mm454
36°
2mm363
Feb
29°
0mm454
35°
2mm332
Mar
28°
0mm454
37°
2mm352
Apr
25°
0mm434
34°
6mm201
May
21°
0mm414
32°
3mm255
Jun
18°
0mm414
30°
2mm271
Jul
17°
0mm414
29°
2mm271
Aug
17°
0mm414
29°
2mm255
Sep
18°
0mm414
30°
1mm368
Oct
19°
0mm414
34°
1mm352
Nov
23°
0mm434
34°
1mm358
Dec
25°
0mm434
35°
1mm373

Who Should Choose Lima?

  • Great for budget nomads — monthly costs around $1284
  • Excellent for video calls and large uploads with 219 Mbps
  • Clean air with a 5/5 air quality score
  • Family-friendly at $2188.437491200074/mo for families
  • Major city energy with 8.9m residents
  • Peak season in January — 27 degrees, score 454

Who Should Choose Salvador?

  • Excellent for video calls and large uploads with 188 Mbps
  • Clean air with a 5/5 air quality score
  • Family-friendly at $1517.862166581682/mo for families
  • Major city energy with 2.7m residents
  • Peak season in December — 35 degrees, score 373

Overall Verdict

Overall, Lima edges ahead for most digital nomads — at $1284/mo it runs 15% cheaper than Salvador's $1512/mo, with 219 Mbps internet for reliable remote work.

Granular Price Comparison

Lima Salvador
ItemLimaSalvadorDiff
🍽️Restaurants8 items
Meal, inexpensive restaurant$3.92$4.79
18%
Meal for 2, mid-range (3-course)$22.19$24.91
11%
McMeal or equivalent combo$5.22$5.75
9%
Cappuccino (regular)$2.66$1.5
44%
Domestic beer (0.5L draught)$2.09$1.53
27%
Imported beer (0.33L bottle)$3.92$2.87
27%
Coke/Pepsi (0.33L)$0.86$0.95
9%
Water (0.33L)$0.57$0.6
5%
🛒Markets19 items
Milk (1L)$1.22$1.1
10%
White bread (500g)$1.83$1.53
16%
White rice (1kg)$1.11$0.97
13%
Eggs (12)$1.81$1.73
4%
Chicken fillets (1kg)$4.99$3.66
27%
Beef round (1kg)$8.2$7.91
4%
Local cheese (1kg)$6.89$8.77
21%
Apples (1kg)$1.54$1.63
6%
Bananas (1kg)$1.02$0.89
13%
Oranges (1kg)$0.93$1.01
8%
Tomatoes (1kg)$0.98$1.46
33%
Potatoes (1kg)$0.74$1.04
29%
Onions (1kg)$0.89$0.97
8%
Lettuce (1 head)$0.72$0.65
10%
Water (1.5L bottle)$0.72$0.46
36%
Wine, mid-range bottle$7.83$6.71
14%
Domestic beer (0.5L bottle)$1.6$1.06
34%
Imported beer (0.33L bottle)$2.33$1.53
34%
Cigarettes (pack of 20)$5.22$2.3
56%
🚌Transport8 items
One-way local transport ticket$0.52$0.89
42%
Monthly transport pass$15.66$24.91
37%
Taxi start (normal tariff)$2.61$0.91
65%
Taxi per 1km$1.44$1.92
25%
Taxi 1hr waiting$6.27—
—
Gasoline (1L)$1.31$1.29
2%
Volkswagen Golf (new)$18,274.38$20,596.24
11%
Toyota Corolla (new)$21,697.31$28,751.07
25%
⚡Utilities3 items
Utilities, 85m² apartment/mo$71.32$76.54
7%
Internet 60+ Mbps/mo$30.91$16.92
45%
Mobile prepaid per minute$0.18$0.29
38%
🏋️Sport & Leisure3 items
Fitness club, monthly$37.19$19.88
47%
Tennis court rent (1hr weekend)$12.4—
—
Cinema, 1 ticket$5.48$7.66
28%
👶Childcare2 items
Preschool, full-day private/mo$213.5$268.23
20%
International primary school/yr$5,851.01$18,392.92
68%
👗Clothing4 items
Jeans (Levi's 501 or similar)$43.81$35.44
19%
Summer dress (chain store)$28.35$50.29
44%
Nike running shoes (mid-range)$71.57$78.07
8%
Men's leather business shoes$68.37$52.69
23%
🏠Rent4 items
1-bedroom apartment, city centre$511.24$354.45
31%
1-bedroom apartment, outside centre$349.69$191.59
45%
3-bedroom apartment, city centre$954.12$609.9
36%
3-bedroom apartment, outside centre$701.14$445.45
36%
🏗️Buy2 items
Price per m², city centre$1,962.17$1,417.79
28%
Price per m², outside centre$1,483.1$967.54
35%
💰Finance2 items
Average monthly net salary$489.76$227.1
54%
Mortgage interest rate (20yr fixed)$8.29$11.54
28%

Lower is better for all cost items.

Data from Open-Meteo (weather) and global internet speed rankings. Updated monthly.

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