Koh Samui vs Phnom Penh

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.

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.

Phnom Penh, Cambodia
🇰🇭Cambodia

Phnom Penh

62Freedom Score#80Global rank$1,268Per month

Cambodia's riverside capital blends Royal Palace grandeur, French-colonial boulevards, and an easy e-visa with one of Southeast Asia's lowest cost floors.

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.

ExpenseKoh SamuiPhnom Penh
Comfortable budgetper month, all in$1,400$1,268✓
Rent, 1BR city centre$450✓$642
Meal, mid-range$8$6✓
Coworking deskper month$190$150✓
Cost of living indexlower is cheaper46.040.0✓

Quality of life

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

MeasureKoh SamuiPhnom Penh
Safety
70
58
Healthcare
65
45
Walkability
48
55
English spoken
55
42
Food & dining
72
70
Nightlife
62
65
Outdoors
44
36
Nomad community
58
58
Climate quality
78
68
Public transit
40
42

Scores, connectivity and paperwork

MeasureKoh SamuiPhnom Penh
Freedom Score69/100✓62/100
Global rankof 100 cities#53✓#80
Internet60 Mbps✓55 Mbps
Average temperature82°F84°F
Air quality40/10055/100✓
Airport connectivity58/10062/100✓
Nomad visaDTV 5-yearE-visa 30d
Headline tax rateon local income15%10%

Which should you choose?

Choose Koh Samui if rent is $192/mo lower, internet is faster at 60 Mbps, it scores higher on safety (70 vs 58) and English is more widely spoken.

Choose Phnom Penh if runs $132/mo cheaper, it is more walkable 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

Phnom Penh

  • 30-day e-visa on arrival
  • Royal Palace and riverside promenade
  • Among the cheapest SE Asian capitals
  • Friendly, USD-friendly economy

Frequently asked questions

Which is better for digital nomads: Koh Samui or Phnom Penh?
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: Koh Samui or Phnom Penh?
Phnom Penh is cheaper. A comfortable monthly budget is $1,268 against $1,400, a difference of $132 a month or about $1,584 a year. Rent is the biggest single line: $450/mo in Koh Samui versus $642/mo in Phnom Penh.
Which is safer: Koh Samui or Phnom Penh?
Koh Samui scores higher on safety, 70/100 against 58/100. 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 Koh Samui and Phnom Penh?
Koh Samui averages 60 Mbps and Phnom Penh averages 55 Mbps, so Koh Samui has the headroom if you push large files or run video calls all day.
What visa would I need for Koh Samui or Phnom Penh?
Koh Samui sits in Thailand (DTV 5-year) and Phnom Penh in Cambodia (E-visa 30d). 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.