Koh SamuivsEl Nido
💰
El Nido saves you $300/month
21% cheaper on rent, food & transport
📶
Koh Samui has 2x faster internet
80 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 Samui
El Nido
Total Budget
$1,400/mo
$1,100/mo ✓
Rent (1BR)
$450/mo
$400/mo ✓
Coworking
$190/mo
$120/mo ✓
Meal Out
$2 ✓
$4
Coffee
$3
$2 ✓
El Nido is $300/mo cheaper (27% savings)
💻 Remote Work Essentials
Internet, timezone, and language comparison
🇹🇭 Koh Samui
📶 Internet80 Mbps
🕐 TimezoneUTC+7
🗣️ Englishmedium
🛂 Nomad VisaAvailable
Working hours overlap:
🇺🇸 US West0h
🇺🇸 US East0h
🇬🇧 London4h
🇩🇪 Berlin5h
🇵🇭 El Nido
📶 Internet50 Mbps
🕐 TimezoneUTC+8
🗣️ Englishhigh
🛂 Nomad VisaNot available
Working hours overlap:
🇺🇸 US West0h
🇺🇸 US East0h
🇬🇧 London3h
🇩🇪 Berlin4h
🌡️ Climate Comparison
Weather patterns and best times to visit
Koh Samui
ClimateTropical Wet
Avg Temp25°C
Rainy Days218/year
Best months: February, March, April
El Nido
ClimateTropical Wet
Avg Temp27°C
Rainy Days245/year
Best months: February, March, April
Quarterly Temperatures
Jan
24°26°
Apr
27°28°
Jul
26°27°
Oct
25°27°
Koh SamuiEl Nido
📊 Full Comparison
Category
🇹🇭Koh Samui
🇵🇭El Nido
💰
Monthly Budget
$1,400
$1,100
Winner📶
Internet Speed
80 Mbps
Winner50 Mbps
🛡️
Safety
3.8/5
4.3/5
Winner⭐
Nomad Score
4.1/10
4.2/10
🍽️
Food Scene
8/10
7/10
🎉
Nightlife
7/10
6/10
🚶
Walkability
3/10
6/10
Winner👥
Community
medium
Winnersmall
2
Koh Samui wins
vs
3
El Nido wins
Which City is Right for You?
Recommendations based on your nomad style
💵Budget Nomad
El Nido
$300/mo cheaper with similar quality of life
💻Developer
Either works
Both have adequate internet for development work
🦋Social Butterfly
Koh Samui
Larger nomad community for networking
🛡️Safety-First
El Nido
Significantly higher safety rating
🍜Foodie
Either works
Both have great food scenes
🎉Party Person
Either works
Both have great nightlife
🇹🇭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
🇵🇭El Nido
Pros
- +World-class island hopping with stunning lagoons and beaches
- +Incredibly beautiful limestone cliffs and turquoise waters
- +Excellent diving and snorkeling with vibrant marine life
- +Growing coworking scene with fast fiber internet options
Cons
- −Internet can be unreliable outside coworking spaces
- −Remote location - 5-6 hour drive from Puerto Princesa airport
- −Limited healthcare - serious issues require evacuation
- −Power outages still occur occasionally
