Koh LantavsSurat Thani
💰
Surat Thani saves you $1,400/month
68% cheaper on rent, food & transport
📶
Koh Lanta has 3x 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
Surat Thani
Total Budget
$2,050/mo
$650/mo ✓
Rent (1BR)
$900/mo
$190/mo ✓
Coworking
$220/mo
$55/mo ✓
Meal Out
$3
$2 ✓
Coffee
$2.5
$1.8 ✓
Surat Thani is $1,400/mo cheaper (215% 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
🇹🇭 Surat Thani
📶 Internet50-100 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
Surat Thani
ClimateTropical Wet
Avg Temp27°C
Rainy Days228/year
Best months: January, February, March
Quarterly Temperatures
Jan
27°26°
Apr
28°29°
Jul
28°27°
Oct
27°26°
Koh LantaSurat Thani
📊 Full Comparison
Category
🇹🇭Koh Lanta
🇹🇭Surat Thani
💰
Monthly Budget
$2,050
$650
Winner📶
Internet Speed
150 Mbps
Winner50 Mbps
🛡️
Safety
3.8/5
3.8/5
⭐
Nomad Score
4/10
Winner3.5/10
🍽️
Food Scene
8/10
8/10
🎉
Nightlife
6/10
Winner4/10
🚶
Walkability
5/10
5/10
👥
Community
medium
Winnersmall
4
Koh Lanta wins
vs
1
Surat Thani wins
Which City is Right for You?
Recommendations based on your nomad style
💵Budget Nomad
Surat Thani
$1400/mo cheaper with similar quality of life
💻Developer
Koh Lanta
150 Mbps is essential for video calls & uploads
🦋Social Butterfly
Koh Lanta
Larger nomad community for networking
🛡️Safety-First
Either works
Both cities are similarly safe
🍜Foodie
Either works
Both have great food scenes
🎉Party Person
Koh Lanta
World-famous nightlife scene
🇹🇭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
🇹🇭Surat Thani
Pros
- +Extremely affordable cost of living
- +Gateway to Koh Samui, Koh Phangan, and Koh Tao islands
- +Khao Sok National Park nearby
- +Authentic Thai culture without tourist crowds
Cons
- −Small digital nomad community
- −Limited coworking space options
- −Hot and humid year-round climate
- −Heavy monsoon rains May-November
