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Bangkok vs Koh Samui cost of living 2026
Which is cheaper, what exactly is cheaper, and how it feels on your money · Updated October 2026
🇹🇭 Bangkok
🇹🇭 Koh Samui
At a glance
- Where Koh Samui is clearly cheaper: Entry ticket (80%↓), Cocktail & wine (27%↓), Beer (23%↓)
- Where Bangkok is clearly cheaper: Tuk-tuk / moto taxi (70%↓), Transit (30%↓), Taxi (23%↓)
By category
Salary equivalence
Travel difficulty
Both cities are about equally easy to travel. Biggest gap: getting around — Bangkok 2 vs Koh Samui 3. Closer to 1 is easier. Difficulty ranking ›
Item by item
| Item | Bangkok | Koh Samui | Cheaper |
|---|---|---|---|
| Local mealper person | ฿ 100$3.03 | ฿ 120$3.64 | Bangkok −17% |
| Street food1 item | ฿ 60$1.82 | ฿ 70$2.12 | Bangkok −14% |
| Restaurant dinnerper person | ฿ 400$12.1 | ฿ 400$12.1 | similar |
| Coffeeone cup | ฿ 85$2.58 | ฿ 90$2.73 | Bangkok −6% |
| Beerone bottle | ฿ 130$3.94 | ฿ 100$3.03 | Koh Samui −23% |
| Cocktail & wineone cup | ฿ 300$9.09 | ฿ 220$6.67 | Koh Samui −27% |
| Bottled water | ฿ 10$0.3 | ฿ 10$0.3 | similar |
| Convenience store1 snack or drink | ฿ 25$0.76 | ฿ 30$0.91 | Bangkok −17% |
| Taxi5 km in town | ฿ 115$3.48 | ฿ 150$4.55 | Bangkok −23% |
| Tuk-tuk / moto taxishort hop | ฿ 30$0.91 | ฿ 100$3.03 | Bangkok −70% |
| Transitone ride | ฿ 35$1.06 | ฿ 50$1.52 | Bangkok −30% |
| Scooter rentalper day | ฿ 250$7.58 | ฿ 250$7.58 | similar |
| Hotel night3-star | ฿ 1,600$48.5 | ฿ 1,800$54.5 | Bangkok −11% |
| Studio rent (month) | ฿ 18,000$545 | ฿ 16,000$485 | Koh Samui −11% |
| Laundry | ฿ 40$1.21 | ฿ 50$1.52 | Bangkok −20% |
| SIM card1 week data | ฿ 299$9.06 | ฿ 299$9.06 | similar |
| Haircutcut | ฿ 150$4.55 | ฿ 150$4.55 | similar |
| Massage1 hour | ฿ 350$10.6 | ฿ 400$12.1 | Bangkok −13% |
| Half-day tourper person | ฿ 1,200$36.4 | ฿ 1,200$36.4 | similar |
| Entry ticketTourist town | ฿ 500$15.2 | ฿ 100$3.03 | Koh Samui −80% |
Reference prices start as estimates from published price levels; items with 3+ traveler reports use the median of real reports. Hostels and local eateries cut both by 30%+.
FAQ
Which is cheaper, Bangkok or Koh Samui?
Bangkok is 9% cheaper than Koh Samui. Daily budget $85.6 vs $96.4; a month $1,823 vs $1,942.
Which is easier to travel, Bangkok or Koh Samui?
About the same: Bangkok 2.6/5, Koh Samui 2.8/5 (average of rip-offs, language, transport, payments and safety).
How do monthly costs compare between Bangkok and Koh Samui?
With a short-term studio and living costs, Bangkok is about $1,823 and Koh Samui about $1,942 per month.
Where do the numbers come from?
They start as estimates informed by published price levels; any item with 3+ traveler reports switches to the median of real reports. Live reports are in the app.