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Koh Samui vs Ulsan 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 Ulsan
At a glance
- Where Ulsan is clearly cheaper: Half-day tour (90%โ), Entry ticket (52%โ), Transit (28%โ)
- Where Koh Samui is clearly cheaper: Laundry (77%โ), Massage (72%โ), Bottled water (62%โ)
By category
Salary equivalence
Travel difficulty
Ulsan is easier to travel (1.8 vs 2.8). Biggest gap: rip-offs & haggling โ Koh Samui 4 vs Ulsan 1. Closer to 1 is easier. Difficulty ranking โบ
Item by item
| Item | Koh Samui | Ulsan | Cheaper |
|---|---|---|---|
| Local mealper person | เธฟ 120$3.64 | โฉ 10,000$7.25 | Koh Samui โ50% |
| Street food1 item | เธฟ 70$2.12 | โฉ 4,000$2.9 | Koh Samui โ27% |
| Restaurant dinnerper person | เธฟ 400$12.1 | โฉ 25,000$18.1 | Koh Samui โ33% |
| Coffeeone cup | เธฟ 90$2.73 | โฉ 4,800$3.48 | Koh Samui โ22% |
| Beerone bottle | เธฟ 100$3.03 | โฉ 5,000$3.62 | Koh Samui โ16% |
| Cocktail & wineone cup | เธฟ 220$6.67 | โฉ 12,000$8.7 | Koh Samui โ23% |
| Bottled water | เธฟ 10$0.3 | โฉ 1,100$0.8 | Koh Samui โ62% |
| Convenience store1 snack or drink | เธฟ 30$0.91 | โฉ 2,000$1.45 | Koh Samui โ37% |
| 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 4,500$3.26 | Koh Samui โ7% |
| Transitone ride | เธฟ 50$1.52 | โฉ 1,500$1.09 | Ulsan โ28% |
| Scooter rentalper day | เธฟ 250$7.58 | โฉ 15,000$10.9 | Koh Samui โ30% |
| Hotel night3-star | เธฟ 1,800$54.5 | โฉ 70,000$50.7 | Ulsan โ7% |
| Studio rent (month) | เธฟ 16,000$485 | โฉ 550,000$399 | Ulsan โ18% |
| Laundry | เธฟ 50$1.52 | โฉ 9,000$6.52 | Koh Samui โ77% |
| SIM card1 week data | เธฟ 299$9.06 | โฉ 30,000$21.7 | Koh Samui โ58% |
| 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 5,000$3.62 | Ulsan โ90% |
| Entry ticketTourist town | เธฟ 100$3.03 | โฉ 2,000$1.45 | Ulsan โ52% |
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 Ulsan?
Koh Samui is 8% cheaper than Ulsan. Daily budget $96.4 vs $113; a month $1,942 vs $1,942.
Which is easier to travel, Koh Samui or Ulsan?
Ulsan is easier: Ulsan 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 Ulsan?
With a short-term studio and living costs, Koh Samui is about $1,942 and Ulsan 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.