New Providence vs Los Ángeles: Which City Wins for Expats in 2026?

Los Ángeles costs roughly 98% less than New Providence. New Providence has significantly faster average internet speeds (75 Mbps vs 40 Mbps). Use our tool below to personalize the estimate based on your income and lifestyle.

Household
Lifestyle
Schooling

New Providence is approximately 5.4x more expensive than Los Ángeles based on cost of living including rent. This makes Los Ángeles a more budget-friendly option for expats considering a move.

Los Ángeles has a FIRE Score of 78/100, indicating its suitability for financial independence and early retirement. The city's safety index is 72, which is relatively safe.

Recommended profile: Los Ángeles is ideal for GeoArbitragers and remote workers looking to maximize savings.

Nomad74

About New Providence

New Providence is a brutally expensive place to live, with a one-bedroom in the city center costing $1,490/mo and a mid-range restaurant meal for two hitting $200. The average monthly net salary of $3,356/mo barely covers the comfortable tier total of $3,571/mo, making it a tough sell for anyone not on a fat expat package. While the large and active expat community and widely spoken English are draws, the sky-high cost of living index of 95/100 and mediocre internet speed of 75 Mbps mean you are paying a premium for a tropical lifestyle that does not deliver much value. Skip it unless you have a remote salary from a high-cost city or a retirement visa through the Permanent Residence program.

About Bahamas

Best for retirees via the Permanent Residence pathway, anchored by no language requirement and direct flights. Living costs are high—$1,752 monthly plus $1,196 rent—but its Safety Index of 42.6 and medium expat safety rating are solid for the region. Main trade-off: no minimum income requirement and no personal income tax could complicate budgeting.

MONTHLY DEFICIT

$-631/mo

Nomad Viability
Moderate Suitability

Cost of Living (Without Rent)

Single Person$1,479/mo
Family of Four$5,342/mo

Rent Per Month

1 Bedroom (City Centre)
$1,490
1 Bedroom (Outside Centre)
$2,000
3 Bedroom (City Centre)
$4,750
3 Bedroom (Outside Centre)
$3,920

Attractiveness

FIRE Score
52/100
Retiree Score
53/100
Nomad Score
48/100



City Details
Overall Winner
FIRE78

About Los Ángeles

Los Ángeles is a cheap place to live, with a 1-bedroom in the centre at $276/mo and a cost of living index of 48/100, but the $2,235/mo budget tier total for a single adult shows that daily costs add up fast. The expat score of 76/100 and FIRE score of 78/100 are strong, yet the retiree score of 61/100 and digital nomad score of 63/100, plus limited English and a small expat community, mean it suits self-sufficient types rather than those needing a ready-made social scene. Safety is a real plus with a crime index of 28/100, though fair healthcare and an air quality index of 58 are trade-offs. Come for the low rent and Mediterranean climate, not for convenience or a large international crowd.

About Chile

Safety is a real concern here, with a 39.5 safety index. Retirees on fixed incomes should look past that given the low bar for entry: just $1,000/mo qualifies for the Rentista visa, and a 1BR outside the center runs $370.82/mo. A digital nomad visa exists, so remote workers face more friction than retirees.

MONTHLY DEFICIT

$-495/mo

Nomad Viability
Moderate Suitability

Cost of Living (Without Rent)

Single Person$747/mo
Family of Four$2,699/mo

Rent Per Month

1 Bedroom (City Centre)
$276
1 Bedroom (Outside Centre)
$225
3 Bedroom (City Centre)
$445
3 Bedroom (Outside Centre)
$343

Attractiveness

FIRE Score
83/100
Retiree Score
59/100
Nomad Score
48/100



City Details

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Battle of Lifestyles

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MetricNew ProvidenceLos Ángeles
1BR Apartment (Center)$1490$276.28
1BR Apartment (Outside)$2000$225.11
3BR Apartment (Center)$4750$445.11
3BR Apartment (Outside)$3920$342.79
Safety Index7372
Internet Speed75Mbps39.8Mbps
Walkability ScoreN/AN/A

Monthly cost by categoryOne person, computed from each city's own average prices

CategoryNew ProvidenceLos Ángeles
Total (rent included)N/A$1,010/mo
Excluding rentN/A$785/mo
RentN/A$225/mo
GroceriesN/A$227/mo
Dining outN/A$123/mo
Entertainment & lifestyleN/A$114/mo
Utilities & connectivityN/A$216/mo
TransportN/A$105/mo

Usage-based estimates from this city's own average prices. A row marked N/A means that city is missing data, so no figure is shown instead of a stale one.

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New Providence vs Los Ángeles -- Frequently Asked Questions

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The Rewire Abroad city comparison tool lets you compare any two cities side by side across metrics that matter most for expats: cost of living, rent, safety, internet speed, and unique attractiveness scores like FIRE and Nomad scores.

The FIRE Score is a financial runway index based on your specific income relative to the local cost of living and rent in that city.

The Retiree Score is a holistic measure of healthcare quality, safety, and general pace of life.

The Nomad Score measures suitability for remote workers, prioritizing average internet speeds, coworking density, and the size of the local expat community.

The monthly cost includes rent and living expenses adjusted using country-level cost of living averages and lifestyle multipliers.

The Savings Rate is the percentage of your income left over after covering all estimated monthly costs in that city.

The tool compares exactly two cities at a time for a clean head-to-head breakdown.

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We aggregate data from private and official international sources, adjusted by country-level data for accuracy.