Heraklion (Crete) vs Kos
for digital nomads
Under balanced weights Heraklion (Crete) edges it, 70 to 69, winning 3 of the 9 factors. Heraklion (Crete) is stronger on nothing outright; Kos on nothing outright. Change the weights in the ranker to see which one wins for you.
Crete's main city with history and a long season
Full Heraklion (Crete) profile →Where to stay in Heraklion (Crete) →Flat, bike-friendly Dodecanese island facing Bodrum
Full Kos profile →Where to stay in Kos →Factor scores (0–100, balanced weights)
| Metric | Heraklion (Crete) | Kos |
|---|---|---|
| Cost of living | 34 | 35 ✓ |
| Safety | 76 | 76 |
| Healthcare | 79 | 79 |
| Internet | 64 ✓ | 64 |
| Visa ease | 76 | 76 |
| Getting there & around | 67 ✓ | 63 |
| Climate | 67 ✓ | 58 |
| Air quality | 80 | 82 ✓ |
| Quality of life | 89 | 89 |
Cost
| Metric | Heraklion (Crete) | Kos |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly cost, one personcountry-level estimate for at least one city | $1,947 | $1,900 ✓ |
| Central one-bedroom rent | no data | no data |
Safety and health (country-level)
| Metric | Heraklion (Crete) | Kos |
|---|---|---|
| Homicides per 100k | 0.85 | 0.85 |
| Political stability (0–100) | 70.5 | 70.5 |
| UHC service coverage (0–100) | 77 | 77 |
| Life expectancy | 79.6 yrs | 79.6 yrs |
Internet (M-Lab measured medians)
| Metric | Heraklion (Crete) | Kos |
|---|---|---|
| Download | 34.1 Mbps | 34.3 Mbps ✓ |
| Upload | 5.4 Mbps ✓ | 5 Mbps |
Visa
| Metric | Heraklion (Crete) | Kos |
|---|---|---|
| Nomad visa | Digital Nomad Visa (Z.1) | Digital Nomad Visa (Z.1) |
| Minimum income for the visa | $3,929/mo | $3,929/mo |
| Entry, US passport | 90 days | 90 days |
| Entry, EU passport | unlimited | unlimited |
| Entry, UK passport | 90 days | 90 days |
Getting there and around
| Metric | Heraklion (Crete) | Kos |
|---|---|---|
| Non-stop airport destinations | 116 ✓ | 74 |
| Walkability (1–5, editorial) | 3 | 4 ✓ |
| Transit (1–5, editorial) | 3 ✓ | 2 |
Climate and air
| Metric | Heraklion (Crete) | Kos |
|---|---|---|
| Comfortable months per year | 8 ✓ | 7 |
| Annual mean PM2.5 | 13.8 µg/m³ | 13.3 µg/m³ ✓ |
✓ marks the better value in each row; ties and missing data are left unmarked.
Frequently asked
- Which is cheaper, Heraklion (Crete) or Kos?
- Kos is cheaper: about $1,900 per month versus $1,947 for one person.
- Is Heraklion (Crete) or Kos safer?
- Heraklion (Crete) scores higher on safety (76 vs 76), based on national homicide rates and World Bank political-stability scores.
- Where is the internet faster, Heraklion (Crete) or Kos?
- Kos: a measured median of 34.3 Mbps versus 34.1 Mbps (M-Lab, 2024).
More comparisons
- Heraklion (Crete) vs Paros (Parikia)
- Heraklion (Crete) vs Naxos
- Kos vs Rhodes
- Kos vs Nafplio
- All comparisons
Sources: Cost of Living Global 2026 (city rows); 2026 Cost of Living Index (country level); Worldwide Governance Indicators — Political Stability and Absence of Violence (score 0–100); Victims of intentional homicide per 100,000 population (national data, latest year); UHC service coverage index; Life expectancy at birth (years), both sexes; M-Lab NDT statistics (city aggregates, 2024); Airport destinations (Wikipedia airline and destination tables); NASA POWER climatology (2001–2020 monthly means); SatPM2.5 satellite-derived annual PM2.5 (V6.GL.02.04); Human Development Index (HDR 2025, HDI 2023); EF English Proficiency Index 2024 (band); Walkability and transit ratings (editorial); Passport Index dataset (visa requirements, 199 passports × 199 destinations); WhereNext city cost estimates 2026 (city pages); OpenStreetMap restaurants (Overpass API); Nostos long-stay visa guides; Starlink availability map. Dataset 2026.10.7. See each city page for per-metric footnotes and the methodology.