Koh Samui vs Phuket
💰
Koh Samui saves you $400/month
💰 Cost of Living Breakdown
Monthly expenses comparison in USD
Expense
Koh Samui
Phuket
Total Budget
$1,400/mo ✓
$1,800/mo
Rent (1BR)
$450/mo ✓
$550/mo
Coworking
$190/mo
$100/mo ✓
Meal Out
$2
$2
Coffee
$3
$3
Koh Samui is $400/mo cheaper (22% 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
🇹🇭 Phuket
📶 Internet100 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 Samui
ClimateTropical Wet
Avg Temp25°C
Rainy Days218/year
Best months: February, March, April
Phuket
ClimateTropical Wet
Avg Temp28°C
Rainy Days225/year
Best months: February, January, March
Quarterly Temperatures
Jan
24°27°
Apr
27°29°
Jul
26°28°
Oct
25°27°
Koh SamuiPhuket
📊 Full Comparison
Category
🇹🇭Koh Samui
🇹🇭Phuket
💰
Monthly Budget
$1,400
Winner$1,800
📶
Internet Speed
80 Mbps
100 Mbps
Winner🛡️
Safety
3.8/5
3.8/5
⭐
Nomad Score
4.1/10
4/10
🍽️
Food Scene
8/10
9/10
🎉
Nightlife
7/10
8/10
🚶
Walkability
3/10
4/10
👥
Community
medium
large
Winner1
Koh Samui wins
vs
2
Phuket wins
Which City is Right for You?
Recommendations based on your nomad style
💵Budget Nomad
Koh Samui
$400/mo cheaper with similar quality of life
💻Developer
Either works
Both have adequate internet for development work
🦋Social Butterfly
Phuket
Larger nomad community for networking
🛡️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 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
🇹🇭Phuket
Pros
- +Beautiful beaches with crystal-clear waters
- +Excellent Thai food at affordable prices
- +Fast fiber internet and 5G coverage
- +Destination Thailand Visa for long-term stays
Cons
- −Scams common in tourist areas
- −Transportation difficult without scooter
- −Taxi mafia with inflated prices
- −Tourist areas very crowded