Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Koh Samui

For one person, living costs are similar in Phuket and in Koh Samui: $1,208 and $1,177 a month, rent and utilities included.

59

Cost of Living Index in Phuket
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Phuket Living Index
57

Cost of Living Index in Koh Samui
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Koh Samui Living Index

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Phuket

🇹🇭 Thailand

$1,208

/mo nomad

Koh Samui

🇹🇭 Thailand

$1,177

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

A single person spends $1,208 per month in Phuket vs $1,177 in Koh Samui, rent included.

Phuket $1,208
Koh Samui $1,177

A couple spends around $2,027 per month in Phuket vs $1,947 in Koh Samui, rent included.

Phuket $2,027
Koh Samui $1,947

A family of three spends $2,845 per month in Phuket vs $2,717 in Koh Samui, rent included.

Phuket $2,845
Koh Samui $2,717

Phuket costs about 3% more than Koh Samui, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Phuket and Koh Samui are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 11% lower, Koh Samui 13% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.40 ฿147

$4.36 ฿146

0.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.26 ฿1,078

$32.78 ฿1,095

-1.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.76 ฿293

$8.84 ฿295

-0.90%

Cappuccino

$2.83 ฿94.5

$2.82 ฿94.1

0.35%

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

$0.90 ฿30.14

$0.88 ฿29.52

2.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.47 ฿15.56

$0.47 ฿15.61

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.55 ฿85.2

$2.56 ฿85.6

-0.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.83 ฿128

$3.77 ฿126

1.59%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 ฿57.7

$1.67 ฿55.9

3.59%

White Bread (500g)

$1.47 ฿49.11

$1.42 ฿47.33

3.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.51 ฿50.6

$1.52 ฿50.8

-0.66%

Eggs

$2.17 ฿72.7

$2.15 ฿71.9

0.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.70 ฿658

$19.72 ฿659

-0.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.34 ฿112

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.16 ฿373

$11.00 ฿368

1.45%

Apples (1kg)

$2.85 ฿95.1

$2.95 ฿98.4

-3.39%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 ฿56.9

$1.68 ฿56.1

1.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.19 ฿73.3

$2.21 ฿74.0

-0.90%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.05 ฿68.4

$2.13 ฿71.0

-3.76%

Potato (1kg)

$1.45 ฿48.57

$1.45 ฿48.39

Onion (1kg)

$1.38 ฿46.16

$1.38 ฿45.96

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 ฿35.69

$1.12 ฿37.51

-4.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.91

$0.50 ฿16.85

2.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.26 ฿142

$4.38 ฿146

-2.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.58 ฿621

$18.60 ฿622

-0.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿59.7

$1.81 ฿60.5

-1.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.85 ฿95.2

$2.88 ฿96.3

-1.04%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.26 ฿75.6

$2.39 ฿80.0

-5.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.10 ฿738

$45.05 ฿1,506

-50.94%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.01 ฿101

$3.21 ฿107

-6.23%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.06 ฿35.34

$1.10 ฿36.91

-3.64%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.86 ฿129

$3.94 ฿132

-2.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.45

$1.56 ฿52.3

-7.05%

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

$26.3K ฿879.9K

$27.7K ฿924.8K

-4.85%

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

$26.9K ฿900.4K

$27.8K ฿930.7K

-3.25%

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

$96.4 ฿3,221

$103 ฿3,440

-6.37%

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

$11.04 ฿369

$11.77 ฿393

-6.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.14 ฿573

$18.13 ฿606

-5.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.2 ฿1,744

$55.7 ฿1,863

-6.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.16 ฿373

$11.48 ฿384

-2.79%

Cinema Ticket

$7.81 ฿261

$7.84 ฿262

-0.38%

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

$556 ฿18.6K

$602 ฿20.1K

-7.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.6K ฿387.0K

$12.5K ฿417.9K

-7.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.2 ฿2,146

$63.0 ฿2,107

1.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.69 ฿959

$28.30 ฿946

1.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.4 ฿3,187

$96.2 ฿3,216

-0.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.0 ฿2,940

$86.5 ฿2,891

1.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$737 ฿24.6K

$628 ฿21.0K

17.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$462 ฿15.5K

$396 ฿13.3K

16.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,095 ฿70.0K

$1,761 ฿58.9K

18.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,201 ฿40.1K

$1,010 ฿33.7K

18.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,488 ฿116.6K

$2,985 ฿99.8K

16.84%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,523 ฿84.3K

$2,170 ฿72.5K

16.27%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$501 ฿16.7K

$402 ฿13.4K

24.46%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

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

Last update for Phuket: October 19, 2026

Last update for Koh Samui: October 17, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Phuket

$462 38.3%

Koh Samui

$396 33.7% 14.2% $66

Groceries & Markets

Phuket

$269 22.2%

Koh Samui

$268 22.8% 0.1% $0.3

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Phuket

$125 10.3%

Koh Samui

$133 11.3% 6.6% $8.3

Clothing & Footwear

Phuket

$124 10.3%

Koh Samui

$123 10.5% 0.8% $1

Eating Out

Phuket

$121 10%

Koh Samui

$121 10.3% 0.2% $0.3

Sport & Entertainment

Phuket

$68 5.6%

Koh Samui

$71 6.1% 5.3% $3.6

Getting Around

Phuket

$39 3.3%

Koh Samui

$63 5.4% 60.6% $24

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $737 in Phuket versus $628 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 24% 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 $32.00 in Phuket versus $33.00 in Koh Samui. Groceries tell a different story – $269 in Phuket vs $268 in Koh Samui – so Koh Samui wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Phuket

🇹🇭 Koh Samui

🕒 Local time

17:39 5:39 PM

Same time as Phuket

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

79,308

62,110

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.99 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

100 THB = 2.99 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Phuket Koh Samui 250 km

From you

Phuket
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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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $1,208 in Phuket, $1,177 in Koh Samui – roughly 3% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in transport.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,813 per month in Phuket and $1,765 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 $32.00 in Phuket and $33.00 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 $1,177, than in Phuket at $1,208. 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 $1,177 in Koh Samui to $1,208 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.