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Gyeongju vs Koh Samui cost of living 2026
Which is cheaper, what exactly is cheaper, and how it feels on your money ยท Updated October 2026
๐ฐ๐ท Gyeongju
๐น๐ญ Koh Samui
At a glance
- Where Koh Samui is clearly cheaper: Laundry (74%โ), Massage (72%โ), SIM card (58%โ)
- Where Gyeongju is clearly cheaper: Studio rent (month) (33%โ), Transit (28%โ), Entry ticket (28%โ)
By category
Salary equivalence
Travel difficulty
Gyeongju is easier to travel (1.6 vs 2.8). Biggest gap: rip-offs & haggling โ Gyeongju 1 vs Koh Samui 4. Closer to 1 is easier. Difficulty ranking โบ
Item by item
| Item | Gyeongju | Koh Samui | Cheaper |
|---|---|---|---|
| Local mealper person | โฉ 10,000$7.25 | เธฟ 120$3.64 | Koh Samui โ50% |
| Street food1 item | โฉ 6,000$4.35 | เธฟ 70$2.12 | Koh Samui โ51% |
| Restaurant dinnerper person | โฉ 25,000$18.1 | เธฟ 400$12.1 | Koh Samui โ33% |
| Coffeeone cup | โฉ 5,500$3.99 | เธฟ 90$2.73 | Koh Samui โ32% |
| Beerone bottle | โฉ 5,000$3.62 | เธฟ 100$3.03 | Koh Samui โ16% |
| Cocktail & wineone cup | โฉ 12,000$8.7 | เธฟ 220$6.67 | Koh Samui โ23% |
| Bottled water | โฉ 1,000$0.72 | เธฟ 10$0.3 | Koh Samui โ58% |
| Convenience store1 snack or drink | โฉ 1,800$1.3 | เธฟ 30$0.91 | Koh Samui โ30% |
| Taxi5 km in town | โฉ 7,300$5.29 | เธฟ 150$4.55 | Koh Samui โ14% |
| Tuk-tuk / moto taxishort hop | โฉ 4,800$3.48 | เธฟ 100$3.03 | Koh Samui โ13% |
| Transitone ride | โฉ 1,500$1.09 | เธฟ 50$1.52 | Gyeongju โ28% |
| Scooter rentalper day | โฉ 12,000$8.7 | เธฟ 250$7.58 | Koh Samui โ13% |
| Hotel night3-star | โฉ 100,000$72.5 | เธฟ 1,800$54.5 | Koh Samui โ25% |
| Studio rent (month) | โฉ 450,000$326 | เธฟ 16,000$485 | Gyeongju โ33% |
| Laundry | โฉ 8,000$5.8 | เธฟ 50$1.52 | Koh Samui โ74% |
| SIM card1 week data | โฉ 30,000$21.7 | เธฟ 299$9.06 | Koh Samui โ58% |
| Haircutcut | โฉ 15,000$10.9 | เธฟ 150$4.55 | Koh Samui โ58% |
| Massage1 hour | โฉ 60,000$43.5 | เธฟ 400$12.1 | Koh Samui โ72% |
| Half-day tourper person | โฉ 40,000$29 | เธฟ 1,200$36.4 | Gyeongju โ20% |
| Entry ticketTourist town | โฉ 3,000$2.17 | เธฟ 100$3.03 | Gyeongju โ28% |
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, Gyeongju or Koh Samui?
Koh Samui is 14% cheaper than Gyeongju. Daily budget $135 vs $96.4; a month $1,928 vs $1,942.
Which is easier to travel, Gyeongju or Koh Samui?
Gyeongju is easier: Gyeongju 1.6/5 vs Koh Samui 2.8/5 (average of rip-offs, language, transport, payments and safety).
How do monthly costs compare between Gyeongju and Koh Samui?
With a short-term studio and living costs, Gyeongju is about $1,928 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.