Koh Phangan vs Weligama: cost of living for digital nomads

Koh Phangan, Thailand and Weligama, Sri Lanka, 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

  • Weligama is about 16% cheaper than Koh Phangan for a month of nomad living ($1,050 vs $1,250).
  • Rent is the biggest gap: $400 in Weligama against $500 in Koh Phangan.
  • Both score 8/10 on safety.
  • Internet is faster in Koh Phangan: 60 Mbps typical against 40 Mbps.
  • Both have a tropical climate.

Koh Phangan wins 1 of the measured lines; Weligama wins 5.

LineKoh PhanganWeligama
Monthly total (USD)$1,250$1,050
Rent$500$400
Food$350$300
Transport$60$50
Coworking$100$90
Safety (out of 10)8/108/10
Internet (Mbps)6040
Climatetropicaltropical
City sizesmallsmall
Settingislandcoast
Nomad score (out of 10)8/108/10

Koh Phangan

Thai island with a fast-growing nomad scene around Sri Thanu — beaches, wellness, low cost.

Weligama

Sri Lankan surf-and-nomad town on the south coast — cheap, laid-back, warm year-round.

Compare Koh Phangan with

Compare Weligama 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.