Salvador vs Siargao
Real cost of living, rent, internet, safety and visa terms for both cities, side by side — then open the interactive tool to weight them against your own priorities.
Salvador
The Afro-Brazilian soul of Brazil — Salvador is all music, color, and coastline. The historic Pelourinho, year-round carnival energy, and city beaches are matched by strong value. The trade-offs are real: low safety, very low English, and adequate (not top-tier) healthcare.
Siargao
The Philippines' surf-island paradise — Cloud 9 waves, palm-fringed lagoons, and a tight island-nomad community with an easy 30-day visa.
The short answer
- Siargao scores higher overall, 66/100 vs 64/100
- Siargao is the safer of the two, 62/100 vs 35/100
- Salvador has faster internet, 80 Mbps vs 35 Mbps
Cost of living
Monthly figures for one person. Rent, meals and coworking are measured values, not shares of the total budget.
| Expense | Salvador | Siargao |
|---|---|---|
| Comfortable budgetper month, all in | $1,000 | $1,000 |
| Rent, 1BR city centre | $350 | $350 |
| Meal, mid-range | $8 | $7✓ |
| Coworking deskper month | n.a. | $190 |
| Cost of living indexlower is cheaper | 40.0 | 40.0 |
Quality of life
Scored 0–100 on the same attributes the match engine weights, so these agree with the interactive tool.
| Measure | Salvador | Siargao |
|---|---|---|
| Safety | ||
| Healthcare | ||
| Walkability | ||
| English spoken | ||
| Food & dining | ||
| Nightlife | ||
| Outdoors | ||
| Nomad community | ||
| Climate quality | ||
| Public transit |
Scores, connectivity and paperwork
| Measure | Salvador | Siargao |
|---|---|---|
| Freedom Score | 64/100 | 66/100✓ |
| Global rankof 100 cities | #70 | #62✓ |
| Internet | 80 Mbps✓ | 35 Mbps |
| Average temperature | 79°F | 82°F |
| Air quality | 42/100✓ | 30/100 |
| Airport connectivity | 55/100✓ | 32/100 |
| Nomad visa | 90 days | 30 days free |
| Headline tax rateon local income | 15% | 20% |
Which should you choose?
Choose Salvador if internet is faster at 80 Mbps, it is more walkable, the climate scores better and the headline tax rate is lower.
Choose Siargao if it scores higher on safety (62 vs 35), English is more widely spoken and the nomad community is larger.
What each city is known for
Salvador
- Afro-Brazilian culture, music, and cuisine unmatched in Brazil
- Year-round carnival energy and historic Pelourinho (UNESCO)
- Beautiful city beaches at a fraction of coastal-city prices
- Honest trade-off: low safety and very low English proficiency
Siargao
- Cloud 9: Philippines' surf capital
- Palm islands, lagoons, island-hopping
- Tight nomad and surfer community
- Laid-back island life