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Compare cities › Koh Samui vs Phuket
Koh Samui vs Phuket cost of living 2026
Which is cheaper, what exactly is cheaper, and how it feels on your money · Updated September 2026
🇹🇭 Koh Samui
🇹🇭 PhuketPhuket is 16% cheaper than Koh Samui
Living on $2,165 a month in Koh Samui feels like about $1,792 in Phuket — same standard of living, compared by feel rather than exchange rate.
Per day
$109 vs $92.3
Per month
$2,165 vs $1,792
Local meal
฿ 120 vs ฿ 90
$3.64 vs $2.73
Taxi 5 km
฿ 160 vs ฿ 78
$4.85 vs $2.36
At a glance
FoodPhuket 18% cheaper
Cafés & drinksPhuket 8% cheaper
TransportPhuket 14% cheaper
StayPhuket 13% cheaper
FunKoh Samui 13% cheaper
- Where Phuket is clearly cheaper: Taxi (51%↓), Local meal (25%↓), Street food (24%↓)
- Where Koh Samui is clearly cheaper: SIM card (21%↓), Entry ticket (21%↓), Laundry (18%↓)
Item by item
| Item | Koh Samui | Phuket | Cheaper |
|---|---|---|---|
| Local mealper person | ฿ 120$3.64 | ฿ 90$2.73 | Phuket −25% |
| Street food1 item | ฿ 54$1.64 | ฿ 41$1.24 | Phuket −24% |
| Restaurant dinnerper person | ฿ 530$16.1 | ฿ 500$15.2 | Phuket −6% |
| Coffeeone cup | ฿ 99$3 | ฿ 90$2.73 | Phuket −9% |
| Beerone bottle | ฿ 120$3.64 | ฿ 110$3.33 | Phuket −8% |
| Cocktail & wineone cup | ฿ 310$9.39 | ฿ 290$8.79 | Phuket −6% |
| Bottled water | ฿ 14$0.42 | ฿ 12$0.36 | Phuket −14% |
| Convenience store1 snack or drink | ฿ 35$1.06 | ฿ 30$0.91 | Phuket −14% |
| Taxi5 km in town | ฿ 160$4.85 | ฿ 78$2.36 | Phuket −51% |
| Tuk-tuk / moto taxishort hop | ฿ 76$2.3 | ฿ 82$2.48 | Koh Samui −7% |
| Transitone ride | ฿ 40$1.21 | ฿ 40$1.21 | similar |
| Scooter rentalper day | ฿ 300$9.09 | ฿ 330$10 | Koh Samui −9% |
| Hotel night3-star | ฿ 2,000$60.6 | ฿ 1,800$54.5 | Phuket −10% |
| Studio rent (month) | ฿ 18,000$545 | ฿ 15,000$455 | Phuket −17% |
| Laundry | ฿ 50$1.52 | ฿ 61$1.85 | Koh Samui −18% |
| SIM card1 week data | ฿ 260$7.88 | ฿ 330$10 | Koh Samui −21% |
| Haircutcut | ฿ 130$3.94 | ฿ 140$4.24 | Koh Samui −7% |
| Massage1 hour | ฿ 380$11.5 | ฿ 410$12.4 | Koh Samui −7% |
| Half-day tourper person | ฿ 1,100$33.3 | ฿ 1,200$36.4 | Koh Samui −8% |
| Entry ticketTourist town | ฿ 260$7.88 | ฿ 330$10 | Koh Samui −21% |
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 Phuket?
Phuket is 16% cheaper than Koh Samui. Daily budget $109 vs $92.3; a month $2,165 vs $1,792.
How do monthly costs compare between Koh Samui and Phuket?
With a short-term studio and living costs, Koh Samui is about $2,165 and Phuket about $1,792 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.