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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,270 per month in Phuket vs $1,242 in Koh Samui, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,304 per month in Phuket vs $2,230 in Koh Samui, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,339 per month in Phuket vs $3,218 in Koh Samui, rent included.

Phuket costs about 2% more than Koh Samui, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Phuket and Koh Samui are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 5% lower, Koh Samui 7% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.66 ฿150

$4.64 ฿149

0.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.44 ฿1,490

$46.80 ฿1,502

-0.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.68 ฿278

$8.74 ฿280

-0.69%

Cappuccino

$2.95 ฿94.6

$2.96 ฿94.9

-0.34%

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

$0.70 ฿22.43

$0.72 ฿23.15

-2.78%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 ฿12.65

$0.37 ฿11.82

5.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.53 ฿81.3

$2.47 ฿79.3

2.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.78 ฿121

$3.74 ฿120

1.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.22 ฿71.2

$2.15 ฿69.0

3.26%

White Bread (500g)

$1.80 ฿57.6

$1.80 ฿57.7

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.19 ฿70.1

$2.24 ฿71.9

-2.23%

Eggs

$2.31 ฿74.2

$2.31 ฿74.1

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.34 ฿621

$19.31 ฿620

0.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.77 ฿121

$3.60 ฿116

4.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.22 ฿424

$13.56 ฿435

-2.51%

Apples (1kg)

$3.33 ฿107

$3.24 ฿104

2.78%

Banana (1kg)

$1.65 ฿52.9

$1.62 ฿51.8

1.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.29 ฿73.4

$2.39 ฿76.8

-4.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.99 ฿63.8

$1.98 ฿63.7

0.51%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.04

$1.59 ฿51.1

-3.77%

Onion (1kg)

$1.51 ฿48.57

$1.50 ฿48.00

0.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 ฿32.98

$1.02 ฿32.58

0.98%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.50

$0.49 ฿15.65

4.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 ฿141

$4.47 ฿144

-1.34%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.41 ฿623

$19.12 ฿614

1.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿57.7

$1.79 ฿57.6

0.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 ฿86.0

$2.76 ฿88.6

-2.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.43 ฿45.93

$1.42 ฿45.50

0.70%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.70 ฿375

$45.59 ฿1,463

-74.34%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.04 ฿97.5

$3.22 ฿103

-5.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿33.24

$1.10 ฿35.27

-5.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.68 ฿439

$14.59 ฿468

-6.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 ฿41.68

$1.36 ฿43.64

-4.41%

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

$27.9K ฿895.3K

$29.3K ฿941.5K

-4.91%

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

$33.0K ฿1.1M

$34.7K ฿1.1M

-4.86%

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

$123 ฿3,946

$129 ฿4,151

-4.93%

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

$13.82 ฿443

$14.37 ฿461

-3.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.86 ฿605

$19.43 ฿623

-2.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.2 ฿1,962

$64.3 ฿2,064

-4.94%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.81 ฿539

$17.91 ฿575

-6.14%

Cinema Ticket

$8.87 ฿285

$9.35 ฿300

-5.13%

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

$696 ฿22.3K

$780 ฿25.0K

-10.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.1K ฿515.3K

$17.3K ฿553.7K

-6.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.3 ฿1,902

$58.0 ฿1,863

2.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.85 ฿1,118

$34.69 ฿1,113

0.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 ฿3,632

$114 ฿3,674

-1.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.1 ฿2,729

$85.2 ฿2,733

-0.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$615 ฿19.8K

$517 ฿16.6K

18.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$448 ฿14.4K

$377 ฿12.1K

18.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,085 ฿66.9K

$1,771 ฿56.8K

17.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,496 ฿48.0K

$1,259 ฿40.4K

18.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,734 ฿119.8K

$3,118 ฿100.1K

19.77%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,662 ฿85.4K

$2,232 ฿71.6K

19.28%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$534 ฿17.1K

$413 ฿13.2K

29.25%

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 Phuket: April 20, 2026

Last update for Koh Samui: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $615 in Phuket versus $517 in Koh Samui. 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 29% higher in Phuket, 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 in Phuket versus $47 in Koh Samui. Groceries tell a different story – $291 in Phuket vs $290 in Koh Samui – so Koh Samui wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $1,270 in Phuket, $1,242 in Koh Samui – roughly 2% apart. Phuket costs more across the board, with Getting Around showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,904 per month in Phuket and $1,863 in Koh Samui. 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 0% more in Phuket, 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 Phuket and $47.00 in Koh Samui. 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 $1,242, than in Phuket at $1,270. In Koh Samui it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Phuket has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,242 in Koh Samui to $1,270 in Phuket. 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, Phuket makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.