KyotovsKoh Lanta
💰
Koh Lanta saves you $250/month
11% cheaper on rent, food & transport
📶
Kyoto has 1x faster internet
200 Mbps avg download speed
🌡️
Continental vs Tropical Wet climate
Different weather patterns year-round
🛂
Japan offers a digital nomad visa
Long-stay visa for remote workers
💰 Cost of Living Breakdown
Monthly expenses comparison in USD
Expense
Kyoto
Koh Lanta
Total Budget
$2,300/mo
$2,050/mo ✓
Rent (1BR)
$900/mo
$900/mo
Coworking
$260/mo
$220/mo ✓
Meal Out
$7
$3 ✓
Coffee
$3.5
$2.5 ✓
Koh Lanta is $250/mo cheaper (12% savings)
💻 Remote Work Essentials
Internet, timezone, and language comparison
🇯🇵 Kyoto
📶 Internet200 Mbps
🕐 TimezoneUTC+9
🗣️ Englishmedium
🛂 Nomad VisaAvailable
Working hours overlap:
🇺🇸 US West0h
🇺🇸 US East0h
🇬🇧 London2h
🇩🇪 Berlin3h
🇹🇭 Koh Lanta
📶 Internet150 Mbps
🕐 TimezoneUTC+7
🗣️ Englishmedium
🛂 Nomad VisaNot available
Working hours overlap:
🇺🇸 US West0h
🇺🇸 US East0h
🇬🇧 London4h
🇩🇪 Berlin5h
🌡️ Climate Comparison
Weather patterns and best times to visit
Kyoto
ClimateContinental
Avg Temp16°C
Rainy Days127/year
Best months: June, July, September
Koh Lanta
ClimateTropical Wet
Avg Temp27°C
Rainy Days227/year
Best months: January, February, March, December
Quarterly Temperatures
Jan
4°27°
Apr
14°28°
Jul
28°28°
Oct
18°27°
KyotoKoh Lanta
📊 Full Comparison
Category
🇯🇵Kyoto
🇹🇭Koh Lanta
💰
Monthly Budget
$2,300
$2,050
Winner📶
Internet Speed
200 Mbps
Winner150 Mbps
🛡️
Safety
4.6/5
Winner3.8/5
⭐
Nomad Score
4.2/10
4/10
🍽️
Food Scene
9/10
8/10
🎉
Nightlife
6/10
6/10
🚶
Walkability
8/10
Winner5/10
👥
Community
small
medium
Winner3
Kyoto wins
vs
2
Koh Lanta wins
Which City is Right for You?
Recommendations based on your nomad style
💵Budget Nomad
Koh Lanta
$250/mo cheaper with similar quality of life
💻Developer
Kyoto
200 Mbps is essential for video calls & uploads
🦋Social Butterfly
Koh Lanta
Larger nomad community for networking
🛡️Safety-First
Kyoto
Significantly higher safety rating
🍜Foodie
Either works
Both have great food scenes
🎉Party Person
Either works
Both have great nightlife
🇯🇵Kyoto
Pros
- +World-class concentration of temples, shrines and traditional streets for deep cultural immersion
- +Lower cost of living than Tokyo with still good infrastructure and services
- +Fast and reliable fibre internet widely available in apartments and coworking spaces
- +Safe city with low violent crime and generally calm neighbourhoods
Cons
- −Summers are hot and humid with mosquitoes, which can be uncomfortable if you like walking a lot
- −Overtourism in popular areas like Gion, Fushimi Inari and Arashiyama, especially during peak seasons
- −Smaller nomad and startup community compared to Tokyo or Osaka
- −English levels vary and some local businesses are Japanese-only
🇹🇭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
