Rhodes vs Kos: which is sunnier?
🇬🇷 Greece vs 🇬🇷 Greece · 99 km apart · long-term climate normals (NASA POWER, 2001–2020)
Rhodes and Kos are virtually tied for annual sunshine — about 3,201 vs 3,218 hours a year. Rhodes has the higher Sunshine Score in 6 of 12 months; the other 6 are within 2 points.
Scores are the 0–100 Sunshine Score — sunshine, daytime warmth and dryness in one number, per month.
At a glance
| Rhodes | Kos | |
|---|---|---|
| Sunshine hours / year | 3,201 | 3,218 |
| Sunniest month | July (98/100) | July (98/100) |
| Nov–Feb average score | 55/100 | 47/100 |
| Jun–Aug average score | 98/100 | 98/100 |
| Rain / year | 743 mm | 632 mm |
| Warmest sea | 28°C / 82°F | 26°C / 79°F |
| Peak midday UV | 10 (very high) | 10 (very high) |
Rhodes vs Kos month by month
| Month | Sunshine Score | Day high °C | Rain mm | Sea °C | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rhodes | Kos | Rhodes | Kos | Rhodes | Kos | Rhodes | Kos | |
| January | 41 | 37 | 15° | 14° | 167 | 134 | 19° | 19° |
| February | 45 | 40 | 15° | 14° | 112 | 99 | 18° | 18° |
| March | 65 | 51 | 17° | 15° | 63 | 58 | 18° | 18° |
| April | 83 | 69 | 19° | 17° | 41 | 37 | 18° | 18° |
| May | 94 | 94 | 24° | 20° | 22 | 21 | 20° | 20° |
| June | 97 | 97 | 28° | 24° | 6 | 5 | 24° | 23° |
| July | 98 | 98 | 32° | 26° | 3 | 1 | 27° | 25° |
| August | 98 | 98 | 32° | 27° | 3 | 1 | 28° | 26° |
| September | 95 | 95 | 29° | 25° | 18 | 18 | 27° | 26° |
| October | 89 | 90 | 25° | 22° | 52 | 43 | 25° | 25° |
| November | 81 | 68 | 21° | 18° | 95 | 88 | 23° | 23° |
| December | 53 | 44 | 17° | 15° | 161 | 127 | 20° | 21° |
The sunnier month by month: Jan Rhodes · Feb Rhodes · Mar Rhodes · Apr Rhodes · May even · Jun even · Jul even · Aug even · Sep even · Oct even · Nov Rhodes · Dec Rhodes.
When to pick which
- November–February: Rhodes (average score 55/100 vs 47). Rhodes is the warmer, around 17°C daytime highs vs 15°C. See the winter sun ranking.
- March–May: Rhodes (average score 81/100 vs 71). Rhodes is the warmer, around 20°C daytime highs vs 17°C.
- June–August: too close to call — Rhodes averages 98/100, Kos 98/100. Rhodes is the warmer, around 31°C daytime highs vs 26°C.
- September–October: too close to call — Rhodes averages 92/100, Kos 93/100. Rhodes is the warmer, around 27°C daytime highs vs 24°C.
Sea temperature
Rhodes's sea gets warmer: 28°C / 82°F at its peak vs 26°C. Swimmable water (21°C+): Rhodes about 6 months a year, Kos about 7 months a year. Month-by-month sea temperatures are in the table above.
Full month-by-month guides: Rhodes weather by month · Kos weather by month · Best time to visit Greece.
More comparisons: Rhodes vs Bodrum · Rhodes vs Dalaman · Rhodes vs Karpathos · Kos vs Bodrum · Kos vs Samos · Kos vs Karpathos · all head-to-heads