As long as budget-friendly destinations are concerned, Thailand is one of the best countries you can go to. So, if you are trying to visit Koh Samui, you would probably be thinking about the affordability of the island. So, is Koh Samui expensive or cheap?
According to the cost of living provided on The Top Villas and other websites, Koh Samui is not expensive to live or visit, especially if you are coming from the West. But it is important to note that the island is relatively costly to live in than most other places on the mainland of Thailand. In other words, you will spend a bit more in Koh Samui than most other locations in the country.
However, you must remember that your lifestyle and desired type of vacation will determine if Koh Samui is expensive or not. If you want to live a luxurious life, living on the island will be costly for you. Otherwise, you may not need to spend lots of money during your stay on Samui Island.
How much can you spend on living in Koh Samui?
To understand whether Koh Samui is expensive or not, it is important to have a good idea of the cost of living on the island. Typically, if you are on a holiday, you should have a budget of spending around 1,200 Thai Baht (THB) per day. This will be about 36 USD. Consequently, around 1,080 should be enough for you to live in Koh Samui for a month. This rough estimate accounts for rent, food, local transportation, entertainment, and so on.
Nonetheless, it is noteworthy that many locals live on amounts that are significantly lower than 1,000 USD in Koh Samui. Some foreigners even live on around 600 USD per month on the island. Therefore, if you can be prudent with your spending, you will find out that living on the island is not expensive.
The breakdown of the cost of living in Koh Samui
Having explained that Koh Samui is not expensive, you may want to create a budget for your stay on the island. Given this, we will take a look at the breakdown of the cost of the living in Koh Samui.
- Rent
Unsurprisingly, rent will likely take the lion’s share of your expenses in Koh Samui. Like other places, Koh Samui has different types of accommodations. While some are budget-friendly, others are luxury and pricey.
On average, you will likely spend less on accommodation if you are staying for a long period. This is because you will different options to consider. However, if you are just renting a hotel room, you should have a budget of about 1,300 THB (40 USD) per night. You can share such accommodation to further reduce the cost. There are also more budget-friendly hostels that will lower the cost of accommodation in Koh Samui.
A comfortable 3-bedroom apartment in the city center will start from about 39,600 THB (1,200 USD) per month. Nonetheless, if you are okay with a comfortable 1-bedroom apartment outside of the city center, you should have a budget of at least 8,250 THB (around 250 USD). If you are sharing an apartment with someone, your rent can be halved. Check out Booking.com for more accommodation options in Koh Samui.
- Food
If you don’t mind eating Thai meals in a standard restaurant, you should budget about 180 to 300 THB (5.5 – 9 USD) for food every day. Getting food from street vendors will cost a lesser amount, but this is not recommended for tourists. However, people that prefer eating Western meals at good restaurants should increase the daily budget for food to about 600 to 900 THB (18 – 27 USD).
Do you like taking alcohol? If yes, you should note that alcohol is slightly expensive in Koh Samui and other locations in Thailand. So, you should think about spending thousands of Thai Baht on alcohol every month.
- Transportation
There are tons of transportation options available in Koh Samui and other places in Thailand. However, the costs of these options vary. For public transport such as local buses, you will only a few USD on transportation. But if you want to rent a car, use Grab taxi, and other private options, you need to increase your budget for transportation.
Also, the frequency of using transportation will affect the cost. For instance, if you take cabs several times every day, you will spend significantly more than someone who takes tuk-tuk a few times daily.
- Entertainment
Entertainment is an essential part of the journey of every tourist in Thailand. Fortunately, there are lots of places to visit and things to do in Koh Samui and its environs. On average, a tourist will spend about 300 THB (about 9 USD) on entertainment daily.
Nevertheless, some people may spend significantly more than this if they want to enjoy the nightlife, Thai massage, and other extra entertainment options. Joining a fitness spa, tennis club, and so on can raise your entertainment costs by as much as 100 USD per month. But if want to cut down your expenses on entertainment, you should go for free and cheap entertainment options such as visits to temples and museums.
- Utilities
As expected, you can hardly survive in Koh Samui without electricity, internet, water, cooling and heating, garbage, etc. So, your utilities can determine whether Koh Samui is expensive or not. The size of your accommodation and the number of people using the amenities inside it will determine the cost. Overall, a 2-bedroom apartment should require more than 100 USD for utilities.
Do you have kids that will be attending schools in Koh Samui? Would you like to shop for jeans, shirts, shoes, and lots more on the island? You will need to consider the cost of these items to determine your overall budget. Learn more about budgeting for Koh Samui on Numbeo.
In a nutshell, Koh Samui is not expensive as you can survive on only 600 USD to 1,100 USD per month. But it should be reiterated that your lifestyle and preferred location in the city will determine your cost of living in Koh Samui.
