Cost of Living Comparison Between Koh Samui and Pattaya Cost of Living Comparison Between Koh Samui and Pattaya

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,240 per month in Koh Samui vs $979 in Pattaya, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,188 per month in Koh Samui vs $1,530 in Pattaya, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,137 per month in Koh Samui vs $2,080 in Pattaya, rent included.

Koh Samui costs about 27% more than Pattaya, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Koh Samui and Pattaya are more affordable than the global median – Koh Samui 8% lower, Pattaya 27% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.52 ฿147

$3.80 ฿124

18.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.22 ฿1,506

$30.99 ฿1,009

49.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.77 ฿286

$9.32 ฿304

-5.90%

Cappuccino

$2.93 ฿95.3

$2.18 ฿71.0

34.40%

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

$0.69 ฿22.57

$0.87 ฿28.32

-20.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 ฿12.71

$0.34 ฿11.15

14.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.50 ฿81.5

$2.53 ฿82.3

-1.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.68 ฿120

$2.44 ฿79.6

50.82%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.17 ฿70.7

$1.67 ฿54.4

29.94%

White Bread (500g)

$1.82 ฿59.1

$1.37 ฿44.52

32.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.20 ฿71.6

$1.26 ฿40.90

74.60%

Eggs

$2.23 ฿72.6

$2.30 ฿74.8

-3.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.55 ฿637

$15.92 ฿519

22.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.78 ฿123

$3.29 ฿107

14.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.10 ฿427

$11.30 ฿368

15.93%

Apples (1kg)

$3.35 ฿109

$3.24 ฿106

3.40%

Banana (1kg)

$1.65 ฿53.6

$1.30 ฿42.18

26.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.30 ฿74.9

$1.97 ฿64.3

16.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.00 ฿65.3

$1.46 ฿47.48

36.99%

Potato (1kg)

$1.60 ฿52.2

$1.49 ฿48.44

7.38%

Onion (1kg)

$1.43 ฿46.64

$1.21 ฿39.57

18.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿31.94

$1.69 ฿55.1

-42.01%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿15.96

$0.53 ฿17.13

-7.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 ฿144

$4.64 ฿151

-4.96%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.67 ฿608

$16.72 ฿545

11.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿60.6

$1.81 ฿59.1

2.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 ฿88.2

$2.28 ฿74.2

18.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.42 ฿46.15

$0.32 ฿10.53

343.75%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$47.10 ฿1,534

$18.81 ฿613

150.40%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.21 ฿105

$1.42 ฿46.12

126.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.10 ฿35.73

$1.36 ฿44.14

-19.12%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.33 ฿467

$3.41 ฿111

320.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.42 ฿46.09

$1.35 ฿43.92

5.19%

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

$29.3K ฿953.7K

$26.0K ฿845.4K

12.81%

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

$34.8K ฿1.1M

$27.4K ฿891.1K

27.26%

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

$129 ฿4,210

$78.9 ฿2,569

63.91%

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

$14.22 ฿463

$14.07 ฿458

1.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.86 ฿647

$18.73 ฿610

6.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$63.8 ฿2,076

$44.65 ฿1,454

42.78%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.91 ฿583

$17.29 ฿563

3.59%

Cinema Ticket

$9.45 ฿308

$7.82 ฿255

20.84%

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

$769 ฿25.0K

$290 ฿9,458

164.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.6K ฿573.7K

$9,151 ฿298.0K

92.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.7 ฿1,881

$29.87 ฿973

93.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.38 ฿1,120

$19.54 ฿636

75.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$114 ฿3,714

$101 ฿3,291

12.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.2 ฿2,773

$44.48 ฿1,449

91.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$516 ฿16.8K

$555 ฿18.1K

-7.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$371 ฿12.1K

$349 ฿11.4K

6.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,753 ฿57.1K

$1,354 ฿44.1K

29.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,279 ฿41.7K

$689 ฿22.4K

85.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,127 ฿101.9K

$2,625 ฿85.5K

19.14%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,226 ฿72.5K

$1,500 ฿48.9K

48.40%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$402 ฿13.1K

$463 ฿15.1K

-13.06%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

5.45

-2.20%

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

Last update for Koh Samui: June 8, 2026

Last update for Pattaya: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $516 in Koh Samui versus $555 in Pattaya. 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 15% higher in Pattaya, 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 $46.00 in Koh Samui versus $31.00 in Pattaya. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $290 vs $249 – making Pattaya the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Pattaya: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,240 in Koh Samui, $979 in Pattaya – roughly 27% apart. Koh Samui costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,860 per month in Koh Samui and $1,469 in Pattaya. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 16% 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $46.00 in Koh Samui and $31.00 in Pattaya. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Pattaya, where all-in costs run around $979, than in Koh Samui at $1,240. In Pattaya it covers expenses comfortably, while in Koh Samui 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 $979 in Pattaya to $1,240 in Koh Samui. 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 Pattaya. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Koh Samui makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.