Kep vs Labuan Bajo
for digital nomads
Under balanced weights Labuan Bajo edges it, 55 to 50, winning 5 of the 9 factors. Kep is stronger on nothing outright; Labuan Bajo on quality of life, visa ease, climate. Change the weights in the ranker to see which one wins for you.
Sleepy seaside town of crab shacks and abandoned villas near Kampot
Full Kep profile →Where to stay in Kep →Harbour town on Flores and the gateway to Komodo
Full Labuan Bajo profile →Where to stay in Labuan Bajo →Factor scores (0–100, balanced weights)
| Metric | Kep | Labuan Bajo |
|---|---|---|
| Cost of living | 58 | 60 ✓ |
| Safety | 71 ✓ | 67 |
| Healthcare | 54 | 56 ✓ |
| Internet | 54 ✓ | 45 |
| Visa ease | 34 | 54 ✓ |
| Getting there & around | 37 ✓ | 35 |
| Climate | 33 | 50 ✓ |
| Air quality | 89 ✓ | 87 |
| Quality of life | 22 | 45 ✓ |
Cost
| Metric | Kep | Labuan Bajo |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly cost, one personcountry-level estimate for at least one city | $1,050 | $1,000 ✓ |
| Central one-bedroom rent | no data | no data |
Safety and health (country-level)
| Metric | Kep | Labuan Bajo |
|---|---|---|
| Homicides per 100k | 1.8 | 0.41 ✓ |
| Political stability (0–100) | 71.5 ✓ | 52.7 |
| UHC service coverage (0–100) | 62 | 67 ✓ |
| Life expectancy | 68.9 yrs ✓ | 68.3 yrs |
Internet (M-Lab measured medians)
| Metric | Kep | Labuan Bajo |
|---|---|---|
| Download | 15 Mbps ✓ | 9.5 Mbps |
| Upload | 9.9 Mbps ✓ | 4.5 Mbps |
Visa
| Metric | Kep | Labuan Bajo |
|---|---|---|
| Nomad visa | none listed | Remote worker visa (E33G) ✓ |
| Minimum income for the visa | no data | $5,000/mo |
| Entry, US passport | visa on arrival | visa on arrival |
| Entry, EU passport | visa on arrival | visa on arrival |
| Entry, UK passport | visa on arrival | visa on arrival |
Getting there and around
| Metric | Kep | Labuan Bajo |
|---|---|---|
| Non-stop airport destinations | 15 ✓ | 13 |
| Walkability (1–5, editorial) | 3 | 3 |
| Transit (1–5, editorial) | 1 | 1 |
Climate and air
| Metric | Kep | Labuan Bajo |
|---|---|---|
| Comfortable months per year | 4 | 6 ✓ |
| Annual mean PM2.5 | 10 µg/m³ ✓ | 10.9 µg/m³ |
✓ marks the better value in each row; ties and missing data are left unmarked.
Frequently asked
- Which is cheaper, Kep or Labuan Bajo?
- Labuan Bajo is cheaper: about $1,000 per month versus $1,050 for one person.
- Is Kep or Labuan Bajo safer?
- Kep scores higher on safety (71 vs 67), based on national homicide rates and World Bank political-stability scores.
- Where is the internet faster, Kep or Labuan Bajo?
- Kep: a measured median of 15 Mbps versus 9.5 Mbps (M-Lab, 2024).
More comparisons
- Kep vs Sihanoukville
- Kep vs Kampot
- Labuan Bajo vs Kuta (Lombok)
- Labuan Bajo vs Yogyakarta
- All comparisons
Sources: Cost of Living Global 2026 (city rows); 2026 Cost of Living Index (country level); Digital Nomad Visas 2026; Worldwide Governance Indicators — Political Stability and Absence of Violence (score 0–100); Estimates of rates of homicides per 100 000 population; 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); OpenFlights airports and routes; Airport destinations (Wikipedia airline and destination tables); NASA POWER climatology (2001–2020 monthly means); WHO Ambient Air Quality Database, June 2026 update (V8); 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); 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.