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Koh Samui vs Pattaya cost of living 2026
Which is cheaper, what exactly is cheaper, and how it feels on your money · Updated October 2026
🇹🇭 Koh Samui
🇹🇭 Pattaya
At a glance
- Where Pattaya is clearly cheaper: Taxi (56%↓), Tuk-tuk / moto taxi (40%↓), Convenience store (33%↓)
- Where Koh Samui is clearly cheaper: Entry ticket (80%↓), Restaurant dinner (20%↓)
By category
Salary equivalence
Travel difficulty
Both cities are about equally easy to travel. Biggest gap: getting around — Koh Samui 3 vs Pattaya 2. Closer to 1 is easier. Difficulty ranking ›
Item by item
| Item | Koh Samui | Pattaya | Cheaper |
|---|---|---|---|
| Local mealper person | ฿ 120$3.64 | ฿ 120$3.64 | similar |
| Street food1 item | ฿ 70$2.12 | ฿ 60$1.82 | Pattaya −14% |
| Restaurant dinnerper person | ฿ 400$12.1 | ฿ 500$15.2 | Koh Samui −20% |
| Coffeeone cup | ฿ 90$2.73 | ฿ 70$2.12 | Pattaya −22% |
| Beerone bottle | ฿ 100$3.03 | ฿ 80$2.42 | Pattaya −20% |
| Cocktail & wineone cup | ฿ 220$6.67 | ฿ 200$6.06 | Pattaya −9% |
| Bottled water | ฿ 10$0.3 | ฿ 10$0.3 | similar |
| Convenience store1 snack or drink | ฿ 30$0.91 | ฿ 20$0.61 | Pattaya −33% |
| Taxi5 km in town | ฿ 150$4.55 | ฿ 66$2 | Pattaya −56% |
| Tuk-tuk / moto taxishort hop | ฿ 100$3.03 | ฿ 60$1.82 | Pattaya −40% |
| Transitone ride | ฿ 50$1.52 | ฿ 34$1.03 | Pattaya −32% |
| Scooter rentalper day | ฿ 250$7.58 | ฿ 250$7.58 | similar |
| Hotel night3-star | ฿ 1,800$54.5 | ฿ 1,300$39.4 | Pattaya −28% |
| Studio rent (month) | ฿ 16,000$485 | ฿ 14,000$424 | Pattaya −12% |
| Laundry | ฿ 50$1.52 | ฿ 40$1.21 | Pattaya −20% |
| SIM card1 week data | ฿ 299$9.06 | ฿ 299$9.06 | similar |
| Haircutcut | ฿ 150$4.55 | ฿ 150$4.55 | similar |
| Massage1 hour | ฿ 400$12.1 | ฿ 300$9.09 | Pattaya −25% |
| Half-day tourper person | ฿ 1,200$36.4 | ฿ 1,200$36.4 | similar |
| Entry ticketTourist town | ฿ 100$3.03 | ฿ 500$15.2 | 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, Koh Samui or Pattaya?
Pattaya is 16% cheaper than Koh Samui. Daily budget $96.4 vs $77.3; a month $1,942 vs $1,714.
Which is easier to travel, Koh Samui or Pattaya?
About the same: Koh Samui 2.8/5, Pattaya 2.8/5 (average of rip-offs, language, transport, payments and safety).
How do monthly costs compare between Koh Samui and Pattaya?
With a short-term studio and living costs, Koh Samui is about $1,942 and Pattaya about $1,714 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.