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Kaohsiung 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
๐น๐ผ Kaohsiung
๐น๐ญ Koh Samui
At a glance
- Where Koh Samui is clearly cheaper: Bottled water (52%โ), Laundry (52%โ), Massage (49%โ)
- Where Kaohsiung is clearly cheaper: Transit (48%โ), Studio rent (month) (18%โ)
By category
Salary equivalence
Travel difficulty
Kaohsiung is easier to travel (2.2 vs 2.8). Biggest gap: rip-offs & haggling โ Kaohsiung 2 vs Koh Samui 4. Closer to 1 is easier. Difficulty ranking โบ
Item by item
| Item | Kaohsiung | Koh Samui | Cheaper |
|---|---|---|---|
| Local mealper person | NT$ 150$4.76 | เธฟ 120$3.64 | Koh Samui โ24% |
| Street food1 item | NT$ 80$2.54 | เธฟ 70$2.12 | Koh Samui โ16% |
| Restaurant dinnerper person | NT$ 450$14.3 | เธฟ 400$12.1 | Koh Samui โ15% |
| Coffeeone cup | NT$ 120$3.81 | เธฟ 90$2.73 | Koh Samui โ28% |
| Beerone bottle | NT$ 110$3.49 | เธฟ 100$3.03 | Koh Samui โ13% |
| Cocktail & wineone cup | NT$ 350$11.1 | เธฟ 220$6.67 | Koh Samui โ40% |
| Bottled water | NT$ 20$0.63 | เธฟ 10$0.3 | Koh Samui โ52% |
| Convenience store1 snack or drink | NT$ 35$1.11 | เธฟ 30$0.91 | Koh Samui โ18% |
| Taxi5 km in town | NT$ 190$6.03 | เธฟ 150$4.55 | Koh Samui โ25% |
| Tuk-tuk / moto taxishort hop | NT$ 110$3.49 | เธฟ 100$3.03 | Koh Samui โ13% |
| Transitone ride | NT$ 25$0.79 | เธฟ 50$1.52 | Kaohsiung โ48% |
| Scooter rentalper day | NT$ 400$12.7 | เธฟ 250$7.58 | Koh Samui โ40% |
| Hotel night3-star | NT$ 2,300$73 | เธฟ 1,800$54.5 | Koh Samui โ25% |
| Studio rent (month) | NT$ 12,500$397 | เธฟ 16,000$485 | Kaohsiung โ18% |
| Laundry | NT$ 100$3.17 | เธฟ 50$1.52 | Koh Samui โ52% |
| SIM card1 week data | NT$ 450$14.3 | เธฟ 299$9.06 | Koh Samui โ37% |
| Haircutcut | NT$ 250$7.94 | เธฟ 150$4.55 | Koh Samui โ43% |
| Massage1 hour | NT$ 750$23.8 | เธฟ 400$12.1 | Koh Samui โ49% |
| Half-day tourper person | NT$ 1,500$47.6 | เธฟ 1,200$36.4 | Koh Samui โ24% |
| Entry ticketTourist town | NT$ 100$3.17 | เธฟ 100$3.03 | similar |
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, Kaohsiung or Koh Samui?
Koh Samui is 6% cheaper than Kaohsiung. Daily budget $126 vs $96.4; a month $1,743 vs $1,942.
Which is easier to travel, Kaohsiung or Koh Samui?
Kaohsiung is easier: Kaohsiung 2.2/5 vs Koh Samui 2.8/5 (average of rip-offs, language, transport, payments and safety).
How do monthly costs compare between Kaohsiung and Koh Samui?
With a short-term studio and living costs, Kaohsiung is about $1,743 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.