Edition 9 September 2026
Koh Samui
A basic month in Koh Samui runs $866. A comfortable one runs $2,359. Both are totals for one person, all in, including rent, at the rates of 8 September 2026.
Villas only, island prices
- A basic month
- $866
- A comfortable month
- $2,359
- Visa
- DTV, 5 yrs
- Public transport
- None
- Air
- Clean
Who Koh Samui suits, and who it does not
Choose Samui if you work remotely for a foreign employer, you will drive, and THB 77,600 a month ($2,359) is comfortable. That buys a two-bedroom pool villa in Bophut or Maenam, a scooter, a coworking desk and good food. Nothing else in this series puts a private pool at that number with an international airport fifteen minutes away. The air is clean and the island is good to live on for eight months of the year.
Do not choose Samui if any of the following is you.
- You need medical depth.
- You fly often on a budget.
- You want to own property.
- You will not drive.
- You want the cheapest Thailand.
The guide gives the reason behind each one, with its figures.
Where people actually live
- Bophut and Fisherman's Village
- Chaweng and Chaweng Noi
- Choeng Mon and Plai Laem
- Maenam and Bang Por
- Lamai, or Maret
- Bangrak, or Big Buddha Beach
- Nathon, Taling Ngam and Lipa Noi
The rest of the city
Compare Koh Samui
Thailand rules
Other cities in Thailand: Chiang Mai, Hua Hin, Pattaya, Bangkok, Phuket
Edition 9 September 2026. Every figure carries the date it was true and the source it came from. We last changed this page on 21 September 2026.