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Kenting 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 Kenting
๐น๐ญ Koh Samui
At a glance
- Where Koh Samui is clearly cheaper: Entry ticket (79%โ), Massage (62%โ), Bottled water (62%โ)
- Where Kenting is clearly cheaper: Studio rent (month) (41%โ), Transit (37%โ), Cocktail & wine (29%โ)
By category
Salary equivalence
Travel difficulty
Koh Samui is easier to travel (2.8 vs 3.0). Biggest gap: rip-offs & haggling โ Kenting 2 vs Koh Samui 4. Closer to 1 is easier. Difficulty ranking โบ
Item by item
| Item | Kenting | Koh Samui | Cheaper |
|---|---|---|---|
| Local mealper person | NT$ 150$4.76 | เธฟ 120$3.64 | Koh Samui โ24% |
| Street food1 item | NT$ 50$1.59 | เธฟ 70$2.12 | Kenting โ25% |
| Restaurant dinnerper person | NT$ 500$15.9 | เธฟ 400$12.1 | Koh Samui โ24% |
| Coffeeone cup | NT$ 130$4.13 | เธฟ 90$2.73 | Koh Samui โ34% |
| Beerone bottle | NT$ 120$3.81 | เธฟ 100$3.03 | Koh Samui โ20% |
| Cocktail & wineone cup | NT$ 150$4.76 | เธฟ 220$6.67 | Kenting โ29% |
| Bottled water | NT$ 25$0.79 | เธฟ 10$0.3 | Koh Samui โ62% |
| Convenience store1 snack or drink | NT$ 35$1.11 | เธฟ 30$0.91 | Koh Samui โ18% |
| Taxi5 km in town | NT$ 200$6.35 | เธฟ 150$4.55 | Koh Samui โ28% |
| Tuk-tuk / moto taxishort hop | NT$ 130$4.13 | เธฟ 100$3.03 | Koh Samui โ27% |
| Transitone ride | NT$ 30$0.95 | เธฟ 50$1.52 | Kenting โ37% |
| Scooter rentalper day | NT$ 450$14.3 | เธฟ 250$7.58 | Koh Samui โ47% |
| Hotel night3-star | NT$ 3,000$95.2 | เธฟ 1,800$54.5 | Koh Samui โ43% |
| Studio rent (month) | NT$ 9,000$286 | เธฟ 16,000$485 | Kenting โ41% |
| Laundry | NT$ 120$3.81 | เธฟ 50$1.52 | Koh Samui โ60% |
| SIM card1 week data | NT$ 500$15.9 | เธฟ 299$9.06 | Koh Samui โ43% |
| Haircutcut | NT$ 300$9.52 | เธฟ 150$4.55 | Koh Samui โ52% |
| Massage1 hour | NT$ 1,000$31.7 | เธฟ 400$12.1 | Koh Samui โ62% |
| Half-day tourper person | NT$ 900$28.6 | เธฟ 1,200$36.4 | Kenting โ21% |
| Entry ticketTourist town | NT$ 450$14.3 | เธฟ 100$3.03 | Koh Samui โ79% |
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, Kenting or Koh Samui?
Koh Samui is 10% cheaper than Kenting. Daily budget $152 vs $96.4; a month $1,658 vs $1,942.
Which is easier to travel, Kenting or Koh Samui?
Koh Samui is easier: Koh Samui 2.8/5 vs Kenting 3.0/5 (average of rip-offs, language, transport, payments and safety).
How do monthly costs compare between Kenting and Koh Samui?
With a short-term studio and living costs, Kenting is about $1,658 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.