Cost of Living Comparison Between Koh Samui and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Koh Samui and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,248 per month in Koh Samui vs $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,238 per month in Koh Samui vs $2,181 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,228 per month in Koh Samui vs $3,065 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Koh Samui is about 4% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Koh Samui and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Koh Samui 7% lower, Playa del Carmen 3% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.63 ฿151

$11.73 MX$203

-60.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.36 ฿1,514

$41.62 MX$720

11.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.65 ฿283

$10.64 MX$184

-18.70%

Cappuccino

$2.99 ฿97.8

$3.52 MX$60.9

-15.06%

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

$0.70 ฿22.72

$1.51 MX$26.12

-53.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.81

$0.97 MX$16.84

-62.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.44 ฿79.8

$2.95 MX$51.0

-17.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.62 ฿118

$4.45 MX$77.0

-18.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.22 ฿72.5

$1.38 MX$23.93

60.87%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 ฿61.6

$1.89 MX$32.72

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.20 ฿71.8

$1.64 MX$28.32

34.15%

Eggs

$2.31 ฿75.3

$2.51 MX$43.34

-7.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.75 ฿645

$8.34 MX$144

136.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.81 ฿124

$8.34 MX$144

-54.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.12 ฿429

$10.73 MX$186

22.27%

Apples (1kg)

$3.22 ฿105

$2.60 MX$45.04

23.85%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.7

$1.46 MX$25.20

12.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.38 ฿77.6

$1.90 MX$32.87

25.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.02 ฿66.1

$2.08 MX$35.91

-2.88%

Potato (1kg)

$1.61 ฿52.7

$1.78 MX$30.71

-9.55%

Onion (1kg)

$1.51 ฿49.42

$2.19 MX$37.80

-31.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 ฿32.20

$1.04 MX$17.99

-4.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.06

$1.08 MX$18.62

-51.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.38 ฿143

$4.08 MX$70.6

7.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.45 ฿635

$10.32 MX$178

88.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 ฿57.4

$1.71 MX$29.61

2.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.67 ฿87.1

$2.58 MX$44.54

3.49%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.43 ฿46.85

$0.51 MX$8.81

180.39%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.97 ฿1,501

$26.46 MX$458

73.73%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.16 ฿103

$3.26 MX$56.4

-3.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.08 ฿35.42

$2.49 MX$43.09

-56.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.42 ฿471

$3.25 MX$56.2

343.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.39 ฿45.23

$1.31 MX$22.61

6.11%

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

$29.6K ฿968.0K

$30.3K MX$523.7K

-2.11%

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

$35.5K ฿1.2M

$23.4K MX$405.3K

51.31%

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

$126 ฿4,126

$82.9 MX$1,433

52.43%

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

$14.56 ฿476

$22.22 MX$384

-34.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.37 ฿633

$29.34 MX$507

-33.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$64.0 ฿2,089

$51.6 MX$893

23.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.78 ฿581

$18.32 MX$317

-2.95%

Cinema Ticket

$9.43 ฿308

$5.07 MX$87.6

86.00%

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

$767 ฿25.1K

$201 MX$3,473

281.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.3K ฿564.3K

$5,212 MX$90.1K

231.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.4 ฿1,906

$36.92 MX$639

58.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.05 ฿1,145

$39.79 MX$688

-11.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$116 ฿3,788

$78.5 MX$1,357

47.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.2 ฿2,783

$87.1 MX$1,506

-2.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$524 ฿17.1K

$973 MX$16.8K

-46.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$382 ฿12.5K

$468 MX$8,090

-18.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,738 ฿56.8K

$1,641 MX$28.4K

5.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,243 ฿40.6K

$1,221 MX$21.1K

1.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,123 ฿102.0K

$3,946 MX$68.3K

-20.85%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,263 ฿73.9K

$6,498 MX$112.4K

-65.17%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$402 ฿13.1K

$664 MX$11.5K

-39.39%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

11.42

-53.33%

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

Last update for Koh Samui: May 31, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $524 in Koh Samui versus $973 in Playa del Carmen. 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 65% higher in Playa del Carmen, 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 $46.00 in Koh Samui versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $293 vs $249 – making Playa del Carmen 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 Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,248 in Koh Samui, $1,297 in Playa del Carmen – roughly 4% apart. Playa del Carmen costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,872 per month in Koh Samui and $1,945 in Playa del Carmen. 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.

Interestingly, groceries are about 18% cheaper in Playa del Carmen – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $46.00 in Koh Samui and $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. 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 $1,248, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. In Koh Samui it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Playa del Carmen has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,248 in Koh Samui to $1,297 in Playa del Carmen. 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, Playa del Carmen makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.