Cost of Living Comparison Between Koh Samui and Koh Phan Ghan Cost of Living Comparison Between Koh Samui and Koh Phan Ghan

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,241 in Koh Samui versus $1,061 in Koh Phan Ghan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,231 in Koh Samui versus $1,908 in Koh Phan Ghan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,221 in Koh Samui versus $2,754 in Koh Phan Ghan.

Living in Koh Samui is roughly 17% more expensive than in Koh Phan Ghan, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Koh Samui 7% lower, Koh Phan Ghan 21% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.60 ฿154

$4.07 ฿137

13.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.95 ฿1,543

$42.11 ฿1,414

9.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.54 ฿287

$7.60 ฿255

12.37%

Cappuccino

$3.03 ฿102

$2.63 ฿88.3

15.21%

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

$0.68 ฿22.96

$0.62 ฿20.80

9.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿12.17

$0.35 ฿11.84

2.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.52 ฿84.5

$2.27 ฿76.1

11.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 ฿127

$3.26 ฿109

16.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 ฿75.0

$2.13 ฿71.4

4.69%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 ฿61.5

$1.73 ฿58.0

5.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.27 ฿76.2

$2.14 ฿71.7

6.07%

Eggs

$2.24 ฿75.2

$2.12 ฿71.3

5.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.51 ฿655

$18.40 ฿618

6.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.75 ฿126

$3.57 ฿120

5.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.49 ฿453

$12.48 ฿419

8.09%

Apples (1kg)

$3.36 ฿113

$3.23 ฿108

4.02%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 ฿56.5

$1.61 ฿54.2

4.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.31 ฿77.7

$2.29 ฿76.7

0.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿69.8

$1.92 ฿64.5

8.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿53.3

$1.46 ฿48.91

8.90%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.4

$1.39 ฿46.53

7.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 ฿33.95

$0.98 ฿32.75

3.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.59

$0.49 ฿16.55

6.12%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.33 ฿145

$4.07 ฿137

6.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.53 ฿622

$17.94 ฿602

3.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 ฿59.5

$1.69 ฿56.7

4.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.81 ฿94.2

$2.61 ฿87.5

7.66%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.42 ฿47.81

$1.28 ฿43.14

10.94%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.97 ฿1,543

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 ฿106

$2.70 ฿90.6

17.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.05 ฿35.11

$0.93 ฿31.26

12.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.69 ฿493

$12.52 ฿420

17.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.42 ฿47.71

$1.23 ฿41.19

15.45%

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

$29.5K ฿991.0K

$24.8K ฿831.8K

19.13%

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

$35.0K ฿1.2M

$29.7K ฿997.7K

17.91%

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

$129 ฿4,331

$122 ฿4,087

5.96%

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

$14.14 ฿475

$13.51 ฿454

4.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.57 ฿657

$18.67 ฿627

4.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$63.5 ฿2,131

$61.8 ฿2,074

2.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.73 ฿595

$17.15 ฿576

3.38%

Cinema Ticket

$9.28 ฿311

$8.66 ฿291

7.16%

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

$763 ฿25.6K

$700 ฿23.5K

9.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.2K ฿578.3K

$15.8K ฿531.0K

8.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.9 ฿1,976

0.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.45 ฿1,156

$34.51 ฿1,158

-0.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$116 ฿3,896

$117 ฿3,925

-0.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.6 ฿2,875

$84.2 ฿2,825

1.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿17.3K

$438 ฿14.7K

17.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$371 ฿12.5K

$309 ฿10.4K

19.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,735 ฿58.2K

$1,438 ฿48.3K

20.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,278 ฿42.9K

$1,043 ฿35.0K

22.58%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,973 ฿99.8K

$2,510 ฿84.3K

18.44%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,121 ฿71.2K

$1,776 ฿59.6K

19.38%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$392 ฿13.1K

$721 ฿24.2K

-45.70%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

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

Last update for Koh Samui: July 14, 2026

Last update for Koh Phan Ghan: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $515 in Koh Samui and $438 in Koh Phan Ghan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Koh Phan Ghan pays 84% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $46.00 in Koh Samui vs $42.00 in Koh Phan Ghan for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $277 per month, with Koh Phan Ghan cheaper across the board.

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

Koh Samui vs Koh Phan Ghan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Koh Samui and Koh Phan Ghan differ by about 17% in total monthly costs ($1,241 vs $1,061 including rent). Koh Phan Ghan is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 84% lower in Koh Phan Ghan. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $515 in Koh Samui versus $438 in Koh Phan Ghan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 6% higher in Koh Samui. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,241 per month in Koh Samui versus $1,061 in Koh Phan Ghan – a 17% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,061 in Koh Phan Ghan versus $1,241 in Koh Samui, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Koh Phan Ghan but tight or insufficient in Koh Samui. The gap between the two cities makes Koh Phan Ghan the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Koh Samui and Koh Phan Ghan are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Koh Phan Ghan gentler on the wallet – expenses run 17% less than in Koh Samui. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.