Cape Town vs Koh Phangan: cost of living for digital nomads
Cape Town, South Africa and Koh Phangan, Thailand, line by line from the catalogue: what a month costs, rent, food, coworking, safety and internet. Every figure links back to its source on the city page.
The short version
- Koh Phangan is about 22% cheaper than Cape Town for a month of nomad living ($1,250 vs $1,600).
- Rent is the biggest gap: $500 in Koh Phangan against $720 in Cape Town.
- Koh Phangan scores higher on safety (8/10 vs 6/10).
- Internet is faster in Cape Town: 80 Mbps typical against 60 Mbps.
- Cape Town is mediterranean; Koh Phangan is tropical.
Cape Town wins 2 of the measured lines; Koh Phangan wins 5.
| Line | Cape Town | Koh Phangan |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly total (USD) | $1,600 | $1,250 |
| Rent | $720 | $500 |
| Food | $430 | $350 |
| Transport | $60 | $60 |
| Coworking | $130 | $100 |
| Safety (out of 10) | 6/10 | 8/10 |
| Internet (Mbps) | 80 | 60 |
| Climate | mediterranean | tropical |
| City size | metro | small |
| Setting | coast | island |
| Nomad score (out of 10) | 9/10 | 8/10 |
Koh Phangan
Thai island with a fast-growing nomad scene around Sri Thanu — beaches, wellness, low cost.
Compare Koh Phangan with
Costs are typical monthly figures for one person in USD, from the sources named on each city page; safety and internet are the catalogue's own ratings. Check the city pages for the dates each was last verified.