Samos vs Kos: which is sunnier?
🇬🇷 Greece vs 🇬🇷 Greece · 101 km apart · long-term climate normals (NASA POWER, 2001–2020)
Kos is the sunnier overall: about 3,218 hours of sunshine a year to Samos's 3,081. Samos has the higher Sunshine Score in 3 of 12 months; the other 9 are within 2 points.
Scores are the 0–100 Sunshine Score — sunshine, daytime warmth and dryness in one number, per month.
At a glance
| Samos | Kos | |
|---|---|---|
| Sunshine hours / year | 3,081 | 3,218 |
| Sunniest month | July (97/100) | July (98/100) |
| Nov–Feb average score | 48/100 | 47/100 |
| Jun–Aug average score | 97/100 | 98/100 |
| Rain / year | 648 mm | 632 mm |
| Warmest sea | 26°C / 79°F | 26°C / 79°F |
| Peak midday UV | 10 (very high) | 10 (very high) |
Samos vs Kos month by month
| Month | Sunshine Score | Day high °C | Rain mm | Sea °C | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Samos | Kos | Samos | Kos | Samos | Kos | Samos | Kos | |
| January | 36 | 37 | 14° | 14° | 136 | 134 | 19° | 19° |
| February | 40 | 40 | 14° | 14° | 99 | 99 | 17° | 18° |
| March | 58 | 51 | 16° | 15° | 60 | 58 | 17° | 18° |
| April | 75 | 69 | 18° | 17° | 41 | 37 | 18° | 18° |
| May | 93 | 94 | 22° | 20° | 23 | 21 | 20° | 20° |
| June | 96 | 97 | 27° | 24° | 7 | 5 | 23° | 23° |
| July | 97 | 98 | 29° | 26° | 2 | 1 | 24° | 25° |
| August | 97 | 98 | 30° | 27° | 1 | 1 | 26° | 26° |
| September | 94 | 95 | 27° | 25° | 18 | 18 | 25° | 26° |
| October | 89 | 90 | 23° | 22° | 44 | 43 | 23° | 25° |
| November | 74 | 68 | 19° | 18° | 92 | 88 | 21° | 23° |
| December | 43 | 44 | 15° | 15° | 125 | 127 | 19° | 21° |
The sunnier month by month: Jan even · Feb even · Mar Samos · Apr Samos · May even · Jun even · Jul even · Aug even · Sep even · Oct even · Nov Samos · Dec even.
When to pick which
- November–February: too close to call — Samos averages 48/100, Kos 47/100. Daytime highs are similar (16°C vs 15°C). See the winter sun ranking.
- March–May: Samos (average score 75/100 vs 71). Samos is the warmer, around 19°C daytime highs vs 17°C.
- June–August: too close to call — Samos averages 97/100, Kos 98/100. Samos is the warmer, around 29°C daytime highs vs 26°C.
- September–October: too close to call — Samos averages 92/100, Kos 93/100. Daytime highs are similar (25°C vs 24°C).
Sea temperature
Both seas peak at 26°C / 79°F. Swimmable water (21°C+): Samos 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: Samos weather by month · Kos weather by month · Best time to visit Greece.
More comparisons: Samos vs Izmir · Samos vs Bodrum · Samos vs Mytilene · Kos vs Rhodes · Kos vs Bodrum · Kos vs Karpathos · all head-to-heads