Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Koh Samui

Name: Koh Samui
Address: Koh Samui, TH

For one person, living is cheaper in Chiang Mai: $936 a month against $1,221 in Koh Samui, rent and utilities included – about $3,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

45

Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
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Chiang Mai Living Index
59

Cost of Living Index in Koh Samui
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Koh Samui Living Index

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Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$936

/mo nomad

Koh Samui

🇹🇭 Thailand

$1,221

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chiang Mai and in Koh Samui

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Chiang Mai and in Koh Samui actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $936 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,221 in Koh Samui, rent included.

Chiang Mai $936
Koh Samui $1,221

A couple spends around $1,457 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,093 in Koh Samui, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,457
Koh Samui $2,093

A family of three spends $1,979 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,965 in Koh Samui, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,979
Koh Samui $2,965

Chiang Mai is about 23% cheaper than Koh Samui, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Chiang Mai and Koh Samui are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 31% lower, Koh Samui 10% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.24 ฿75.6

$4.31 ฿145

-48.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.00 ฿641

$32.28 ฿1,089

-41.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.55 ฿187

$8.55 ฿289

-35.09%

Cappuccino

$1.67 ฿56.5

$2.75 ฿92.7

-39.27%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.64 ฿21.54

$0.89 ฿30.00

-28.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ฿10.31

$0.49 ฿16.55

-36.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.36 ฿79.5

$2.56 ฿86.3

-7.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿124

$3.61 ฿122

1.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.95 ฿65.7

$1.66 ฿55.9

17.47%

White Bread (500g)

$1.44 ฿48.46

$1.46 ฿49.30

-1.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.33 ฿45.03

$1.58 ฿53.3

-15.82%

Eggs

$2.28 ฿77.1

$2.16 ฿73.0

5.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.45 ฿555

$19.29 ฿651

-14.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.78 ฿93.9

$3.34 ฿113

-16.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.31 ฿314

$10.86 ฿366

-14.27%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 ฿79.4

$2.94 ฿99.2

-20.07%

Banana (1kg)

$0.97 ฿32.79

$1.60 ฿54.1

-39.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.60 ฿53.9

$2.29 ฿77.1

-30.13%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.6

$2.05 ฿69.2

-26.83%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿43.11

$1.45 ฿48.79

-11.72%

Onion (1kg)

$1.10 ฿37.18

$1.37 ฿46.13

-19.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 ฿23.82

$1.12 ฿37.67

-36.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.36

$0.55 ฿18.62

-10.91%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.14 ฿140

$4.26 ฿144

-2.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.52 ฿591

$18.41 ฿621

-4.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.61 ฿54.5

$1.82 ฿61.4

-11.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿93.9

$2.85 ฿96.2

-2.46%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.87 ฿29.30

$1.53 ฿51.7

-43.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.1 ฿1,825

$58.1 ฿1,959

-6.84%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.16 ฿39.04

$3.15 ฿106

-63.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 ฿17.80

$1.07 ฿36.12

-50.47%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.42 ฿81.7

$4.08 ฿138

-40.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.88

$1.53 ฿51.7

-5.23%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$21.1K ฿710.5K

$27.5K ฿928.8K

-23.50%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$26.9K ฿909.0K

$27.7K ฿936.1K

-2.89%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$62.2 ฿2,098

$104 ฿3,492

-39.94%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$12.17 ฿411

$11.49 ฿388

5.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.12 ฿679

$18.05 ฿609

11.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.31 ฿1,259

$69.9 ฿2,358

-46.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.77 ฿127

$11.34 ฿383

-66.75%

Cinema Ticket

$6.49 ฿219

$8.14 ฿275

-20.27%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$736 ฿24.8K

$509 ฿17.2K

44.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿498.2K

$12.4K ฿416.9K

19.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.4 ฿1,801

$62.9 ฿2,120

-15.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.64 ฿831

$29.10 ฿982

-15.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.5 ฿3,087

$95.8 ฿3,231

-4.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.9 ฿2,427

$87.2 ฿2,942

-17.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.3K

$607 ฿20.5K

-20.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$309 ฿10.4K

$420 ฿14.2K

-26.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,006 ฿33.9K

$1,653 ฿55.8K

-39.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$633 ฿21.4K

$1,221 ฿41.2K

-48.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,363 ฿79.7K

$3,583 ฿120.9K

-34.04%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,589 ฿53.6K

$2,588 ฿87.3K

-38.61%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$590 ฿19.9K

$405 ฿13.7K

45.57%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 26, 2026

Last update for Koh Samui: October 24, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Chiang Mai

$309 33%

Koh Samui

$420 34.4% 36% $111

Groceries & Markets

Chiang Mai

$234 25.1%

Koh Samui

$267 21.9% 13.8% $32

Clothing & Footwear

Chiang Mai

$109 11.6%

Koh Samui

$124 10.1% 13.9% $15

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chiang Mai

$94 10.1%

Koh Samui

$133 10.9% 40.9% $39

Eating Out

Chiang Mai

$78 8.3%

Koh Samui

$119 9.7% 52.9% $41

Getting Around

Chiang Mai

$61 6.6%

Koh Samui

$73 6% 18.5% $11

Sport & Entertainment

Chiang Mai

$50 5.4%

Koh Samui

$86 7.1% 71.4% $36

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Chiang Mai versus $607 in Koh Samui. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 46% higher in Chiang Mai, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19 in Chiang Mai versus $32 in Koh Samui. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $234 vs $267 – making Chiang Mai the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Koh Samui

🕒 Local time

10:48 10:48 AM

Same time as Chiang Mai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

127,240

62,110

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.96 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

100 THB = 2.96 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Chiang Mai Koh Samui 1,040 km ≈ 1 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Chiang Mai
Koh Samui

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Chiang Mai vs Koh Samui: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Koh Samui costs about 31% more than Chiang Mai, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from eating out. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,403 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,832 in Koh Samui. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Chiang Mai, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $482 there versus $607 in Koh Samui.

Kindergarten costs $736 per month in Chiang Mai and $509 in Koh Samui. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 14% more in Koh Samui, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$800 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $936 in Chiang Mai and $1,221 in Koh Samui. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $936 versus $1,221 in Koh Samui. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

For expats, Chiang Mai is the easier option financially – housing and daily costs are lower, and the 31% gap matters a lot on a fixed budget or early-career salary.