Antalya 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.

Antalya, Turkey
🇹🇷Turkey

Antalya

76Freedom Score#27Global rank$1,269Per month

Turkey's Mediterranean crown — Antalya combines 300 days of sunshine, ancient old town charm, beachfront living, and a new digital nomad visa at costs well below comparable European destinations.

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.

ExpenseAntalyaKoh Samui
Comfortable budgetper month, all in$1,269✓$1,400
Rent, 1BR city centre$587$450✓
Meal, mid-range$12$8✓
Coworking deskper month$90✓$190
Cost of living indexlower is cheaper48.046.0✓

Quality of life

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

MeasureAntalyaKoh Samui
Safety
68
70
Healthcare
72
65
Walkability
72
48
English spoken
48
55
Food & dining
82
72
Nightlife
68
62
Outdoors
88
44
Nomad community
58
58
Climate quality
80
78
Public transit
65
40

Scores, connectivity and paperwork

MeasureAntalyaKoh Samui
Freedom Score76/100✓69/100
Global rankof 100 cities#27✓#53
Internet128 Mbps✓60 Mbps
Average temperature72°F82°F
Air quality45/100✓40/100
Airport connectivity75/100✓58/100
Nomad visan.a.DTV 5-year
Headline tax rateon local income20%15%

Which should you choose?

Choose Antalya if runs $131/mo cheaper, internet is faster at 128 Mbps, it is more walkable and the climate scores better.

Choose Koh Samui if rent is $137/mo lower, it scores higher on safety (70 vs 68), English is more widely spoken and the headline tax rate is lower.

What each city is known for

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: Antalya or Koh Samui?
Antalya scores higher on the Freedom Score (76/100 against 69/100), 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: Antalya or Koh Samui?
Antalya is cheaper. A comfortable monthly budget is $1,269 against $1,400, a difference of $131 a month or about $1,572 a year. Rent is the biggest single line: $587/mo in Antalya versus $450/mo in Koh Samui.
Which is safer: Antalya or Koh Samui?
Koh Samui scores higher on safety, 70/100 against 68/100. 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 Antalya and Koh Samui?
Antalya averages 128 Mbps and Koh Samui averages 60 Mbps, so Antalya has the headroom if you push large files or run video calls all day.
What visa would I need for Antalya or Koh Samui?
Antalya sits in Turkey (n.a.) 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.
Open the interactive comparison

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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.