I think node can beat out php in regards of ease of hosting. I've simply never worked with a version or package manager that works as well as nvm and npm. Trying to do the same thing with Ruby or Python is like pulling teeth. Even compared to PHP it's a breeze. I know it isn't on all hosting solutions like PHP, but Heroku and Nodejitsu are free for small or open source projects respectively.

But you're right, PHP assuming HTML output by default is a huge boon. With node you have to set up your own server and routes, and more... That's a lot more work than installing WAMP, running it, and putting your php files in the right folder.