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 $1,242 per month in Koh Samui vs $988 in Pattaya, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,228 per month in Koh Samui vs $1,558 in Pattaya, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,215 per month in Koh Samui vs $2,129 in Pattaya, rent included.

Koh Samui costs about 26% more than Pattaya, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Koh Samui and Pattaya are more affordable than the global median – Koh Samui 7% lower, Pattaya 26% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.51 ฿147

$3.74 ฿122

20.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.54 ฿1,480

$30.45 ฿990

49.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.77 ฿285

$9.39 ฿305

-6.60%

Cappuccino

$2.95 ฿95.9

$2.08 ฿67.7

41.83%

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

$0.68 ฿22.12

$0.81 ฿26.41

-16.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.77

$0.37 ฿12.05

-2.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.48 ฿80.5

$2.39 ฿77.8

3.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 ฿118

$2.53 ฿82.2

43.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.15 ฿69.9

$1.74 ฿56.6

23.56%

White Bread (500g)

$1.86 ฿60.6

$1.36 ฿44.16

36.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.25 ฿73.0

$1.27 ฿41.18

77.17%

Eggs

$2.34 ฿76.0

$2.35 ฿76.4

-0.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.40 ฿631

$15.41 ฿501

25.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.66 ฿119

$3.27 ฿106

11.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.55 ฿440

$11.07 ฿360

22.40%

Apples (1kg)

$3.22 ฿105

$3.36 ฿109

-4.17%

Banana (1kg)

$1.69 ฿55.0

$1.28 ฿41.71

32.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.28 ฿74.3

$1.94 ฿63.2

17.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.05 ฿66.8

$1.47 ฿47.79

39.46%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.86

$1.52 ฿49.55

0.66%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿48.81

$1.21 ฿39.29

23.97%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 ฿33.07

$1.65 ฿53.5

-38.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿16.80

$0.53 ฿17.26

-1.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.39 ฿143

$4.61 ฿150

-4.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.64 ฿639

$18.44 ฿599

6.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 ฿57.2

$1.78 ฿57.7

-1.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 ฿90.1

$2.28 ฿74.2

21.49%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.49 ฿48.55

$0.32 ฿10.56

365.62%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$47.03 ฿1,529

$18.81 ฿612

150.03%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 ฿103

$1.42 ฿46.29

123.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.10 ฿35.64

$1.31 ฿42.57

-16.03%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.28 ฿464

$3.36 ฿109

325.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 ฿44.26

$1.33 ฿43.24

2.26%

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

$29.5K ฿960.6K

$25.9K ฿840.6K

14.27%

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

$34.9K ฿1.1M

$27.2K ฿884.3K

28.17%

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

$131 ฿4,245

$78.1 ฿2,540

67.17%

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

$14.15 ฿460

$13.91 ฿452

1.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.24 ฿625

$18.20 ฿592

5.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$63.5 ฿2,063

$43.87 ฿1,426

44.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.08 ฿588

$17.13 ฿557

5.55%

Cinema Ticket

$9.41 ฿306

$7.48 ฿243

25.80%

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

$776 ฿25.2K

$294 ฿9,560

163.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.7K ฿576.5K

$9,071 ฿294.9K

95.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.4 ฿1,867

$30.33 ฿986

89.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.57 ฿1,124

$19.90 ฿647

73.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$116 ฿3,780

$99.8 ฿3,244

16.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.0 ฿2,795

$43.74 ฿1,422

96.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$521 ฿16.9K

$553 ฿18.0K

-5.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$378 ฿12.3K

$347 ฿11.3K

9.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,775 ฿57.7K

$1,321 ฿43.0K

34.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,255 ฿40.8K

$674 ฿21.9K

86.32%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,140 ฿102.1K

$2,998 ฿97.5K

4.77%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,254 ฿73.3K

$1,658 ฿53.9K

35.95%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$404 ฿13.1K

$479 ฿15.6K

-15.68%

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: April 26, 2026

Last update for Pattaya: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $521 in Koh Samui versus $553 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 19% 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 $30.00 in Pattaya. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $293 vs $251 – 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: $1,242 in Koh Samui, $988 in Pattaya – roughly 26% apart. Koh Samui costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,863 per month in Koh Samui and $1,482 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 17% 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 $30.00 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 $988, than in Koh Samui at $1,242. 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 $988 in Pattaya to $1,242 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.