How Expensive Is a Holiday on Koh Samui? Costs 2026

A holiday on Koh Samui can cost anywhere from roughly EUR 21 to well over EUR 200 per day, depending on your travel style — the island works for almost any budget, but it sits noticeably above mainland Thailand's price level. Here are current, sourced 2026 price ranges, plus worked examples for a budget, mid-range and comfortable trip.

Daily budget on Koh Samui at a glance

The table below shows three typical travel styles per person and day. The figures are our own calculation built from the individually sourced prices further down, not taken from a single outside source. None of the three styles include your international flight, shopping, or bigger one-off costs such as a diving course or a multi-day tour — budget for those separately.

Accommodation: hostel, mid-range and luxury

Accommodation is usually the largest single item in the budget, and on Koh Samui it varies enormously:

• Dorm bed in a hostel: from around 300–500 THB (approx. EUR 8–13) per night.
• Simple guesthouse/budget double room: from around 500–950 THB (approx. EUR 13–25); Lamai is often 30 to 40% cheaper than Chaweng for comparable quality.
• Mid-range hotel or resort (double room): approx. 2,500–4,500 THB (approx. EUR 65–118) per night in shoulder season; around Christmas and New Year, expect 50 to 80% more.
• Well-known 5-star resorts (e.g. Silavadee, Sheraton Samui): from around $280 per night.
• Top properties such as Six Senses Samui or Banyan Tree Samui: from around $700–900 per night.

In between sits a huge range of bungalows, condos and villas with a pool. For your specific travel dates, booking platforms such as Airbnb or the usual hotel sites will show the most reliable current prices.

Food and drink: street food, restaurants and supermarkets

What and where you eat makes a big difference to your daily budget — the price gap between a food stall and a beach restaurant on Koh Samui is unusually wide:

• Street food/food stalls (pad Thai, khao pad, som tam): usually 30–100 THB per portion, most commonly 60–80 THB.
• Local Thai restaurant: approx. 80–250 THB per dish and person.
• Upscale Western/fusion restaurant: approx. 400–900 THB per person.
• Fine dining: approx. 1,500–4,000 THB per person.
• Supermarket (Tesco Lotus, Big C, Makro): self-catering with basic groceries is noticeably cheaper than any restaurant meal, even though that's hard to reduce to one single figure.

Drinks:

• Water (small bottle, 7-Eleven/supermarket): approx. 10–20 THB.
• Beer (0.33l): approx. 30–40 THB in a supermarket, 60–130 THB in a restaurant or bar.
• Cocktail at a beach bar: from around 99–100 THB at happy hour, more typically 250–380 THB at regular price.

Getting around the island

We've covered transport costs on Koh Samui in detail in our article Getting Around Koh Samui. The key figures:

• Airport taxi (fixed fare): approx. 400–1,050 THB, depending on the route.
• Songthaew (shared taxi): approx. 50–120 THB, depending on the route.
• Scooter rental: approx. 140–350 THB per day.
• Car rental: approx. 900–1,600 THB per day (small car) up to 2,000–4,400 THB (SUV).

For a scooter or car, you'll need an International Driving Permit in addition to your home licence — see the linked article for details.

Getting there: flights and ferries to Koh Samui

From Bangkok directly to the island, most travellers fly with Bangkok Airways, the main carrier on the route: the roughly one-hour flight often costs from around $68 to $140 one way, depending on how far ahead you book and the season.

From Europe, there's no direct flight to the island — you fly into Bangkok, usually with one stopover, and continue from there. Round-trip deals from Germany currently start from around EUR 380–580 in low season or on special offers, while scheduled full-service airlines are more typically EUR 800–1,100; fares from other countries of origin, including North America and Australia, vary and are usually higher given the longer routing.

An alternative via the mainland: from Surat Thani (Donsak Pier) you can reach Koh Samui on the Lomprayah catamaran in about an hour or on the slower Raja car ferry (1.5 to 3 hours). Ferry prices vary by operator and where you buy — online usually from around 250 THB, sometimes cheaper at the counter. Combined bus-and-ferry tickets from Bangkok are more convenient but cost more than the ferry crossing alone.

Activities and excursions

Prices for activities and excursions vary hugely, from free temple visits to a private boat charter. Current prices for individual tours are shown directly in the product boxes below, since prices and availability change often. Two popular, comparatively affordable full-day tours:

from 1,250 THBAngthong Marine Park Full-Day Big Boat Economy Tour★★★★★4.76 from 365 reviews from 1,450 THBJeep Tour Koh Samui Jungle Safari Full day Adventure★★★★★4.94 from 272 reviews

Cheap or free alternatives for the day: a trip to the waterfalls on Koh Samui (entry is usually free or for a small parking fee), an evening at one of the best sunset spots, or a snorkelling trip to Pig Island (Koh Madsum) or the best snorkelling spots around the island.

Euro-Baht exchange rate

All euro amounts in this article are converted using the exchange rate from 18 September 2026: 1 EUR ≈ 38.2 THB (source: finanzen.net). The rate moves daily, so check it again shortly before you travel, for example with your bank or an online converter.

How much does two weeks on Koh Samui cost? A worked example

For a mid-range travel style, 2 people, 14 nights, the ranges above work out to:

On top of that come the flights (see above), typically EUR 380–1,100 per person round trip from Europe, or the equivalent from your own country of origin. For a budget trip for two, expect closer to 22,000–39,000 THB on the ground for two weeks; for a comfortable trip, 140,000 THB or more.

Frequently asked questions

How much money do you need for a holiday on Koh Samui?

For a budget day with a hostel, street food and songthaews, around EUR 21–37 per person is enough. For a mid-range travel style with a mid-range hotel and a mix of meals, expect closer to EUR 58–100 per day, and for a comfortable trip with a resort and restaurant meals, EUR 130–235 or more. The island sits noticeably above mainland Thailand's price level.

How much does a beer cost on Koh Samui?

In a supermarket, a small (0.33l) bottle usually costs 30 to 40 THB; in a restaurant or bar, expect more like 60 to 130 THB. Beach bar cocktails can cost as little as 99 to 100 THB at happy hour, or 250 to 380 THB at regular price.

How much money do you need for two weeks in Thailand?

For two weeks on Koh Samui at a mid-range travel style, budget around 44,500–46,000 THB (approx. EUR 1,165–1,205, see the worked example above) per person on the ground, plus your flight. On the Thai mainland or in the north of the country, lower accommodation and excursion prices usually mean you'll spend noticeably less than on the touristy islands.

When is Koh Samui cheapest?

Low-season months such as May, June and September to early November tend to bring noticeably lower prices for accommodation, and sometimes for flights too. Around Christmas, New Year and the Chinese New Year holidays, prices are at their highest — industry data puts accommodation 50 to 80% above shoulder-season rates. For more on rainy season and timing, see our article Koh Samui weather and the rainy season.

For more on getting here, see our article on how to get to Koh Samui, for current entry rules see Thailand Visa 2026, and for an affordable day trip with a party atmosphere, see Koh Phangan day trip.