Alexandria vs Koh Samui

Real cost of living, rent, internet, safety and visa terms for both cities, side by side — then open the interactive tool to weight them against your own priorities.

Alexandria, Egypt
🇪🇬Egypt

Alexandria

62Freedom Score#77Global rank$700Per month

Egypt's Mediterranean pearl — the Qaitbay Citadel on the Corniche, the modern Bibliotheca Alexandrina, and seafront cafés at a fraction of Cairo's cost.

Koh Samui, Thailand
🇹🇭Thailand

Koh Samui

69Freedom Score#53Global rank$1,400Per month

Thailand's island of palms and granite boulders — direct airport access, beach clubs, and the DTV long-stay visa for remote workers.

The short answer

Compare these two in the full toolBoth cities pre-loaded — add your income and priorities to get a personal match score

Cost of living

Monthly figures for one person. Rent, meals and coworking are measured values, not shares of the total budget.

ExpenseAlexandriaKoh Samui
Comfortable budgetper month, all in$700✓$1,400
Rent, 1BR city centre$180✓$450
Meal, mid-range$6✓$8
Coworking deskper monthn.a.$190
Cost of living indexlower is cheaper28.0✓46.0

Quality of life

Scored 0–100 on the same attributes the match engine weights, so these agree with the interactive tool.

MeasureAlexandriaKoh Samui
Safety
62
70
Healthcare
45
65
Walkability
62
48
English spoken
35
55
Food & dining
65
72
Nightlife
32
62
Outdoors
37
44
Nomad community
35
58
Climate quality
72
78
Public transit
45
40

Scores, connectivity and paperwork

MeasureAlexandriaKoh Samui
Freedom Score62/10069/100✓
Global rankof 100 cities#77#53✓
Internet40 Mbps60 Mbps✓
Average temperature72°F82°F
Air quality65/100✓40/100
Airport connectivity48/10058/100✓
Nomad visaE-visa 30dDTV 5-year
Headline tax rateon local income18%15%

Which should you choose?

Choose Alexandria if runs $700/mo cheaper, rent is $270/mo lower and it is more walkable.

Choose Koh Samui if internet is faster at 60 Mbps, it scores higher on safety (70 vs 62), English is more widely spoken and the climate scores better.

What each city is known for

Alexandria

  • Citadel of Qaitbay on the Mediterranean
  • Bibliotheca Alexandrina reborn
  • Seafront Corniche and seafood
  • Cheaper and calmer than Cairo

Koh Samui

  • Own international airport — fly direct
  • Palm beaches and granite boulders
  • Destination Thailand Visa (DTV)
  • Big expat and digital-nomad scene

Frequently asked questions

Which is better for digital nomads: Alexandria or Koh Samui?
Koh Samui scores higher on the Freedom Score (69/100 against 62/100), which makes it the stronger all-round base. That is an average, though — if cost, climate or community is what actually decides it for you, the tables above will point the other way as often as not.
Which is cheaper: Alexandria or Koh Samui?
Alexandria is cheaper. A comfortable monthly budget is $700 against $1,400, a difference of $700 a month or about $8,400 a year. Rent is the biggest single line: $180/mo in Alexandria versus $450/mo in Koh Samui.
Which is safer: Alexandria or Koh Samui?
Koh Samui scores higher on safety, 70/100 against 62/100. Safety scores blend crime levels, political stability and healthcare access, and they describe a city as a whole — individual neighbourhoods vary far more than the headline number suggests.
How fast is the internet in Alexandria and Koh Samui?
Alexandria averages 40 Mbps and Koh Samui averages 60 Mbps, so Koh Samui has the headroom if you push large files or run video calls all day.
What visa would I need for Alexandria or Koh Samui?
Alexandria sits in Egypt (E-visa 30d) and Koh Samui in Thailand (DTV 5-year). Requirements, income floors and processing times change often, so check the visa and residency guide before you commit to either.
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Alexandria city guideKoh Samui city guideCompare all citiesCost of livingVisas & residencyTax intelligenceBanking & financeRelocation playbooks

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Cost, connectivity and quality-of-life figures come from the YourLifeMatch city dataset. Where a value is not confirmed it reads n.a. rather than an estimate. Figures are for planning, not professional advice.