Koh Samui vs Siem Reap

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.

Siem Reap, Cambodia
🇰🇭Cambodia

Siem Reap

64Freedom Score#71Global rank$885Per month

Gateway to Angkor Wat — sunrise over the world's largest religious monument, a laid-back café scene, and a long-stay visa built for nomads.

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 SamuiSiem Reap
Comfortable budgetper month, all in$1,400$885✓
Rent, 1BR city centre$450$334✓
Meal, mid-range$8$5✓
Coworking deskper month$190n.a.
Cost of living indexlower is cheaper46.032.0✓

Quality of life

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

MeasureKoh SamuiSiem Reap
Safety
70
68
Healthcare
65
40
Walkability
48
58
English spoken
55
42
Food & dining
72
68
Nightlife
62
55
Outdoors
44
36
Nomad community
58
55
Climate quality
78
68
Public transit
40
25

Scores, connectivity and paperwork

MeasureKoh SamuiSiem Reap
Freedom Score69/100✓64/100
Global rankof 100 cities#53✓#71
Internet60 Mbps✓55 Mbps
Average temperature82°F82°F
Air quality40/10045/100✓
Airport connectivity58/10058/100
Nomad visaDTV 5-yearLong-stay visa
Headline tax rateon local income15%10%

Which should you choose?

Choose Koh Samui if internet is faster at 60 Mbps, it scores higher on safety (70 vs 68), English is more widely spoken and the climate scores better.

Choose Siem Reap if runs $515/mo cheaper, rent is $116/mo lower, 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

Siem Reap

  • Angkor Wat: the largest religious monument on earth
  • 6–12 month long-stay visa
  • Tiny expat town, easy community
  • Temples, rice paddies, low costs

Frequently asked questions

Which is better for digital nomads: Koh Samui or Siem Reap?
Koh Samui scores higher on the Freedom Score (69/100 against 64/100), 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 Siem Reap?
Siem Reap is cheaper. A comfortable monthly budget is $885 against $1,400, a difference of $515 a month or about $6,180 a year. Rent is the biggest single line: $450/mo in Koh Samui versus $334/mo in Siem Reap.
Which is safer: Koh Samui or Siem Reap?
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 Koh Samui and Siem Reap?
Koh Samui averages 60 Mbps and Siem Reap 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 Siem Reap?
Koh Samui sits in Thailand (DTV 5-year) and Siem Reap in Cambodia (Long-stay visa). 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.