Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Koh Samui and Nosara

For one person, living is cheaper in Koh Samui: $1,183 a month against $1,837 in Nosara, rent and utilities included – about $7,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

57

Cost of Living Index in Koh Samui
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Koh Samui Living Index
89

Cost of Living Index in Nosara
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Nosara Living Index

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Koh Samui

🇹🇭 Thailand

$1,183

/mo nomad

Nosara

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,837

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Koh Samui and in Nosara

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

A single person spends $1,183 per month in Koh Samui vs $1,837 in Nosara, rent included.

Koh Samui $1,183
Nosara $1,837

A couple spends around $1,939 per month in Koh Samui vs $2,775 in Nosara, rent included.

Koh Samui $1,939
Nosara $2,775

A family of three spends $2,694 per month in Koh Samui vs $3,712 in Nosara, rent included.

Koh Samui $2,694
Nosara $3,712

Koh Samui is about 36% cheaper than Nosara, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Koh Samui sits 12% below the global median, while Nosara is 37% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.36 ฿146

$12.22 ₡5,509

-64.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.80 ฿1,098

$60.2 ₡27.1K

-45.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.50 ฿285

$7.54 ₡3,399

12.73%

Cappuccino

$2.73 ฿91.3

$4.31 ₡1,941

-36.66%

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

$0.94 ฿31.60

$1.72 ₡773

-45.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.50 ฿16.59

$1.35 ₡608

-62.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.54 ฿84.9

$3.24 ₡1,459

-21.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿125

$4.48 ₡2,018

-16.74%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 ฿58.2

$1.57 ₡707

10.83%

White Bread (500g)

$1.46 ฿48.79

$3.17 ₡1,429

-53.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 ฿52.2

$2.42 ₡1,091

-35.54%

Eggs

$2.10 ฿70.3

$3.57 ₡1,609

-41.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.60 ฿656

$7.43 ₡3,349

163.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.27 ฿110

$10.42 ₡4,697

-68.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.94 ฿366

$13.66 ₡6,156

-19.91%

Apples (1kg)

$2.96 ฿99.0

$2.32 ₡1,044

27.59%

Banana (1kg)

$1.69 ฿56.5

$1.61 ₡728

4.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.22 ฿74.2

$4.74 ₡2,138

-53.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.10 ฿70.3

$1.66 ₡747

26.51%

Potato (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.79

$3.72 ₡1,679

-60.75%

Onion (1kg)

$1.33 ฿44.53

$3.57 ₡1,611

-62.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.11 ฿37.27

$1.10 ₡497

0.91%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.97

$2.55 ₡1,149

-80.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.23 ฿142

$4.95 ₡2,232

-14.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.25 ฿611

$20.01 ₡9,020

-8.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 ฿58.3

$2.79 ₡1,256

-37.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 ฿95.9

$3.53 ₡1,589

-18.70%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.46 ฿82.5

$1.19 ₡537

106.72%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.15 ฿1,512

$72.1 ₡32.5K

-37.35%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 ฿103

$2.24 ₡1,011

37.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.06 ฿35.62

$1.55 ₡701

-31.61%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.89 ฿130

$8.86 ₡3,993

-56.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.50 ฿50.3

$1.57 ₡708

-4.46%

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

$28.2K ฿944.4K

$21.8K ₡9.8M

29.37%

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

$27.7K ฿925.9K

$34.6K ₡15.6M

-20.15%

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

$102 ฿3,405

$93.5 ₡42.1K

8.83%

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

$11.78 ฿394

$35.11 ₡15.8K

-66.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.76 ฿595

$51.5 ₡23.2K

-65.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.1 ฿1,812

$71.4 ₡32.2K

-24.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.53 ฿386

$35.44 ₡16.0K

-67.47%

Cinema Ticket

$7.73 ฿259

$7.84 ₡3,535

-1.40%

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

$615 ฿20.6K

$490 ₡220.7K

25.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.4K ฿415.9K

$11.9K ₡5.4M

4.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.9 ฿2,073

$53.5 ₡24.1K

15.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.96 ฿969

$55.8 ₡25.1K

-48.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.6 ฿3,167

$79.3 ₡35.7K

19.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.2 ฿2,951

$78.9 ₡35.6K

11.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$619 ฿20.7K

$786 ₡354.3K

-21.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$389 ฿13.0K

$780 ₡351.6K

-50.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,761 ฿59.0K

$3,860 ₡1.7M

-54.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,025 ฿34.3K

$1,407 ₡634.4K

-27.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,971 ฿99.5K

$6,972 ₡3.1M

-57.39%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,176 ฿72.8K

$1,201 ₡541.3K

81.20%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$397 ฿13.3K

$876 ₡395.0K

-54.71%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

8.62

-35.38%

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

Last update for Koh Samui: October 5, 2026

Last update for Nosara: October 5, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Koh Samui

$389 33.5%

Nosara

$780 43% 101% $391

Groceries & Markets

Koh Samui

$267 23%

Nosara

$350 19.3% 30.7% $82

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Koh Samui

$131 11.3%

Nosara

$180 9.9% 37.2% $49

Clothing & Footwear

Koh Samui

$123 10.6%

Nosara

$120 6.6% 2.2% $2.8

Eating Out

Koh Samui

$119 10.2%

Nosara

$209 11.6% 76% $90

Sport & Entertainment

Koh Samui

$70 6%

Nosara

$87 4.8% 25.2% $18

Getting Around

Koh Samui

$63 5.5%

Nosara

$87 4.8% 37% $23

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $619 in Koh Samui versus $786 in Nosara. 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 121% higher in Nosara, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Koh Samui versus $60.0 in Nosara. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $267 vs $350 – making Koh Samui the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Koh Samui

🇨🇷 Nosara

🕒 Local time

09:27 9:27 AM

20:27 8:27 PM

13 h behind Koh Samui

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

62,110

4,912

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

Costa Rican Colón CRC ₡

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.99 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

1,000 CRC = 2.22 USD

1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

CRC, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇭 Thai Baht (฿)

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 33.48 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.55 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

Costa Rican Colón exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 451 CRC (1,000 CRC = 2.22 USD). 1 EUR = 506 CRC (1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Koh Samui Nosara 17,760 km ≈ 23 h nonstop flight

From you

Koh Samui
Nosara

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

Koh Samui vs Nosara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,183 in Koh Samui, $1,837 in Nosara – roughly 55% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,775 per month in Koh Samui and $2,756 in Nosara. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Koh Samui, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 31% more in Nosara, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Koh Samui and $60.0 in Nosara. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Koh Samui, where all-in costs run around $1,183, than in Nosara at $1,837. In Koh Samui it covers expenses comfortably, while in Nosara it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Koh Samui has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,183 in Koh Samui to $1,837 in Nosara. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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.

If budget matters most, go with Koh Samui. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Nosara makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.