I prefer to be near the beaches, kind of grounded in Phuket, I have known people who used to live here and move to CM and wished they hadn't,
Recently I know a couple of guys move to Khao Lak, hell of a lot cheaper to rent than Phuket, been there many times years ago I always found low season to be very low, I don't know if it's still the same, but the beaches are good,