Koh LantavsKoh Samui
💰
Koh Samui saves you $650/month
32% cheaper on rent, food & transport
📶
Koh Lanta has 2x faster internet
150 Mbps avg download speed
🛂
Thailand offers a digital nomad visa
Long-stay visa for remote workers
💰 Cost of Living Breakdown
Monthly expenses comparison in USD
Expense
Koh Lanta
Koh Samui
Total Budget
$2,050/mo
$1,400/mo ✓
Rent (1BR)
$900/mo
$450/mo ✓
Coworking
$220/mo
$190/mo ✓
Meal Out
$3
$2 ✓
Coffee
$2.5 ✓
$3
Koh Samui is $650/mo cheaper (46% savings)
💻 Remote Work Essentials
Internet, timezone, and language comparison
🇹🇭 Koh Lanta
📶 Internet150 Mbps
🕐 TimezoneUTC+7
🗣️ Englishmedium
🛂 Nomad VisaNot available
Working hours overlap:
🇺🇸 US West0h
🇺🇸 US East0h
🇬🇧 London4h
🇩🇪 Berlin5h
🇹🇭 Koh Samui
📶 Internet80 Mbps
🕐 TimezoneUTC+7
🗣️ Englishmedium
🛂 Nomad VisaAvailable
Working hours overlap:
🇺🇸 US West0h
🇺🇸 US East0h
🇬🇧 London4h
🇩🇪 Berlin5h
🌡️ Climate Comparison
Weather patterns and best times to visit
Koh Lanta
ClimateTropical Wet
Avg Temp27°C
Rainy Days227/year
Best months: January, February, March, December
Koh Samui
ClimateTropical Wet
Avg Temp25°C
Rainy Days218/year
Best months: February, March, April
Quarterly Temperatures
Jan
27°24°
Apr
28°27°
Jul
28°26°
Oct
27°25°
Koh LantaKoh Samui
📊 Full Comparison
Category
🇹🇭Koh Lanta
🇹🇭Koh Samui
💰
Monthly Budget
$2,050
$1,400
Winner📶
Internet Speed
150 Mbps
Winner80 Mbps
🛡️
Safety
3.8/5
3.8/5
⭐
Nomad Score
4/10
4.1/10
🍽️
Food Scene
8/10
8/10
🎉
Nightlife
6/10
7/10
🚶
Walkability
5/10
Winner3/10
👥
Community
medium
medium
2
Koh Lanta wins
vs
1
Koh Samui wins
Which City is Right for You?
Recommendations based on your nomad style
💵Budget Nomad
Koh Samui
$650/mo cheaper with similar quality of life
💻Developer
Koh Lanta
150 Mbps is essential for video calls & uploads
🦋Social Butterfly
Either works
Similar social opportunities
🛡️Safety-First
Either works
Both cities are similarly safe
🍜Foodie
Either works
Both have great food scenes
🎉Party Person
Either works
Both have great nightlife
🇹🇭Koh Lanta
Pros
- +Tropical island lifestyle with long sandy beaches, sunsets and laid-back vibe
- +Lower cost of living than Western cities while still offering decent infrastructure and healthcare access
- +Established digital nomad community centred around KoHub, COWORX and other workspaces
- +Fast fibre internet available via Thai ISPs, with 1 Gbps at KoHub and strong 4G/5G coverage in popular areas
Cons
- −Rainy season from May to October can bring frequent showers, choppy seas and occasional power or internet hiccups
- −You usually need a scooter or tuk-tuk to get around as beaches and villages are spread out
- −Infrastructure is more limited than mainland hubs – fewer malls, hospitals and cultural venues
- −Some areas are very seasonal, with venues closing or running reduced hours in green season
🇹🇭Koh Samui
Pros
- +Beautiful tropical beaches crystal-clear waters year-round
- +More affordable than Phuket with similar island lifestyle
- +Reliable fiber internet across most areas
- +DTV visa available for long-term stays up to 5 years
Cons
- −Taxi mafia makes transport expensive without scooter
- −Smaller nomad community compared to Chiang Mai or Bali
- −Rainy season October-November can be intense
- −Limited walkability between areas need transport
