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Compare cities › Koh Samui vs Phu Quoc
Koh Samui vs Phu Quoc cost of living 2026
Which is cheaper, what exactly is cheaper, and how it feels on your money · Updated September 2026
🇹🇭 Koh Samui
🇻🇳 Phu QuocPhu Quoc is 20% cheaper than Koh Samui
Living on $2,165 a month in Koh Samui feels like about $1,545 in Phu Quoc — same standard of living, compared by feel rather than exchange rate.
Per day
$109 vs $95.5
Per month
$2,165 vs $1,545
Local meal
฿ 120 vs ₫ 70,000
$3.64 vs $2.66
Taxi 5 km
฿ 160 vs ₫ 105,000
$4.85 vs $3.99
At a glance
FoodPhu Quoc 23% cheaper
Cafés & drinksPhu Quoc 51% cheaper
TransportPhu Quoc 34% cheaper
StayPhu Quoc 18% cheaper
Funsimilar
- Where Phu Quoc is clearly cheaper: Transit (69%↓), Cocktail & wine (60%↓), Beer (58%↓)
Item by item
| Item | Koh Samui | Phu Quoc | Cheaper |
|---|---|---|---|
| Local mealper person | ฿ 120$3.64 | ₫ 70,000$2.66 | Phu Quoc −27% |
| Street food1 item | ฿ 54$1.64 | ₫ 32,000$1.22 | Phu Quoc −26% |
| Restaurant dinnerper person | ฿ 530$16.1 | ₫ 350,000$13.3 | Phu Quoc −17% |
| Coffeeone cup | ฿ 99$3 | ₫ 50,000$1.9 | Phu Quoc −37% |
| Beerone bottle | ฿ 120$3.64 | ₫ 40,000$1.52 | Phu Quoc −58% |
| Cocktail & wineone cup | ฿ 310$9.39 | ₫ 100,000$3.8 | Phu Quoc −60% |
| Bottled water | ฿ 14$0.42 | ₫ 10,000$0.38 | Phu Quoc −10% |
| Convenience store1 snack or drink | ฿ 35$1.06 | ₫ 25,000$0.95 | Phu Quoc −10% |
| Taxi5 km in town | ฿ 160$4.85 | ₫ 105,000$3.99 | Phu Quoc −18% |
| Tuk-tuk / moto taxishort hop | ฿ 76$2.3 | ₫ 51,000$1.94 | Phu Quoc −16% |
| Transitone ride | ฿ 40$1.21 | ₫ 10,000$0.38 | Phu Quoc −69% |
| Scooter rentalper day | ฿ 300$9.09 | ₫ 200,000$7.6 | Phu Quoc −16% |
| Hotel night3-star | ฿ 2,000$60.6 | ₫ 1,500,000$57 | Phu Quoc −6% |
| Studio rent (month) | ฿ 18,000$545 | ₫ 10,000,000$380 | Phu Quoc −30% |
| Laundry | ฿ 50$1.52 | ₫ 41,000$1.56 | similar |
| SIM card1 week data | ฿ 260$7.88 | ₫ 200,000$7.6 | similar |
| Haircutcut | ฿ 130$3.94 | ₫ 120,000$4.56 | Koh Samui −14% |
| Massage1 hour | ฿ 380$11.5 | ₫ 340,000$12.9 | Koh Samui −11% |
| Half-day tourper person | ฿ 1,100$33.3 | ₫ 850,000$32.3 | similar |
| Entry ticketTourist town | ฿ 260$7.88 | ₫ 170,000$6.46 | Phu Quoc −18% |
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 Phu Quoc?
Phu Quoc is 20% cheaper than Koh Samui. Daily budget $109 vs $95.5; a month $2,165 vs $1,545.
How do monthly costs compare between Koh Samui and Phu Quoc?
With a short-term studio and living costs, Koh Samui is about $2,165 and Phu Quoc about $1,545 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.