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Koh Samui vs Sokcho cost of living 2026
Which is cheaper, what exactly is cheaper, and how it feels on your money ยท Updated October 2026
๐น๐ญ Koh Samui
๐ฐ๐ท Sokcho
At a glance
- Where Sokcho is clearly cheaper: Transit (28%โ), Studio rent (month) (18%โ)
- Where Koh Samui is clearly cheaper: Laundry (74%โ), Entry ticket (74%โ), Massage (72%โ)
By category
Salary equivalence
Travel difficulty
Sokcho is easier to travel (1.8 vs 2.8). Biggest gap: rip-offs & haggling โ Koh Samui 4 vs Sokcho 1. Closer to 1 is easier. Difficulty ranking โบ
Item by item
| Item | Koh Samui | Sokcho | Cheaper |
|---|---|---|---|
| Local mealper person | เธฟ 120$3.64 | โฉ 10,000$7.25 | Koh Samui โ50% |
| Street food1 item | เธฟ 70$2.12 | โฉ 5,000$3.62 | Koh Samui โ41% |
| Restaurant dinnerper person | เธฟ 400$12.1 | โฉ 25,000$18.1 | Koh Samui โ33% |
| Coffeeone cup | เธฟ 90$2.73 | โฉ 5,000$3.62 | Koh Samui โ25% |
| Beerone bottle | เธฟ 100$3.03 | โฉ 5,500$3.99 | Koh Samui โ24% |
| Cocktail & wineone cup | เธฟ 220$6.67 | โฉ 12,000$8.7 | Koh Samui โ23% |
| Bottled water | เธฟ 10$0.3 | โฉ 1,000$0.72 | Koh Samui โ58% |
| Convenience store1 snack or drink | เธฟ 30$0.91 | โฉ 1,800$1.3 | Koh Samui โ30% |
| Taxi5 km in town | เธฟ 150$4.55 | โฉ 7,500$5.43 | Koh Samui โ16% |
| Tuk-tuk / moto taxishort hop | เธฟ 100$3.03 | โฉ 5,000$3.62 | Koh Samui โ16% |
| Transitone ride | เธฟ 50$1.52 | โฉ 1,500$1.09 | Sokcho โ28% |
| Scooter rentalper day | เธฟ 250$7.58 | โฉ 30,000$21.7 | Koh Samui โ65% |
| Hotel night3-star | เธฟ 1,800$54.5 | โฉ 100,000$72.5 | Koh Samui โ25% |
| Studio rent (month) | เธฟ 16,000$485 | โฉ 550,000$399 | Sokcho โ18% |
| Laundry | เธฟ 50$1.52 | โฉ 8,000$5.8 | Koh Samui โ74% |
| SIM card1 week data | เธฟ 299$9.06 | โฉ 28,000$20.3 | Koh Samui โ55% |
| Haircutcut | เธฟ 150$4.55 | โฉ 15,000$10.9 | Koh Samui โ58% |
| Massage1 hour | เธฟ 400$12.1 | โฉ 60,000$43.5 | Koh Samui โ72% |
| Half-day tourper person | เธฟ 1,200$36.4 | โฉ 50,000$36.2 | similar |
| Entry ticketTourist town | เธฟ 100$3.03 | โฉ 16,000$11.6 | Koh Samui โ74% |
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 Sokcho?
Koh Samui is 20% cheaper than Sokcho. Daily budget $96.4 vs $135; a month $1,942 vs $2,109.
Which is easier to travel, Koh Samui or Sokcho?
Sokcho is easier: Sokcho 1.8/5 vs Koh Samui 2.8/5 (average of rip-offs, language, transport, payments and safety).
How do monthly costs compare between Koh Samui and Sokcho?
With a short-term studio and living costs, Koh Samui is about $1,942 and Sokcho about $2,109 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.