Thailand may not be the largest island on the planet earth, but despite its comfortable size, it does house numerous other islands within itself, such as the famous Koh Samui Island. Life on Koh Samui is quite pleasant; this relatively small tropical island is located on the east coast and has around 60,000 population and was one of the first islands to be habited by fishermen over 1500 years ago and now has turned into a popular tourist site in Thailand.
So a lot of people are familiar with the beaches of Koh Samui but not acquainted with the life on Koh Samui or the cost of Living on Koh Samui or even its rich history and how it came to be so popular. So to all break it down to you, the following is all the essential information that needs to be known about Koh Samui Island to grasp its greatness truly.
Koh Samui, Thailand
In the early 17th century, the fishermen community settled in Koh Samui and started to live a humble life near the beach. Their source of income heavily relied on fishing, coconut, and rubber plantation. Till the 1970s, the island did not have roads, but despite that, it was easy to attract the backpackers, and soon in the early 1990s, the tourists started to make their way to the island, and in no time, it became a popular touring destination and hence opened the gate to endless economic possibilities to the island.
With being the largest island in Thailand and now the popular touring spot, many luxury resorts, hotels, spas, and boutiques were opened along with the establishment of the local market, bars, shops, and more. The growth of the island is now able to attract quality chefs, popular franchises, and businesses.
Life on Koh Samui for tourists and locals is quite interesting, with the ability to get anything at an inexpensive rate is excellent on its own, but the experience and things available here are beyond exceptional. Talking about food solely, Koh Samui has countless tropical fruits and vegetables to offers along with incredible seafood, a wide range of poultry, and meats too. All cooked and served with aromatic herbs and spice blended in an authentic outstanding Thai cuisine, European and Asian too that salivates the palette and tempts the eye and all at an affordable price point. And the best of all, the hospitality that is paired with their delicious food is heartwarming, whether you go to a bar, a high-end restaurant, local shops, or any other eatery place.
That's not all; the life of Koh Samui is about recreational activities, too; with over 40+ beaches and crystal clear waters, there is an abundance of activities that the island has to offer. From water sports such as kayaking to snorkeling to adventurous activities such as cliff jumping, jungle trekking, biking/cycling on the whole island to exploring the temples, Buddhist monuments, beach hopping, and more. The island also offers numerous relaxing activities too like beach massages, spas in resorts, vocational classes, and other such relaxing and lowkey activities.
Kayaking in Koh Samui
All in all, whether you look at the life on Koh Samui for a tourist or the locals, its pretty much just as fun, just as refreshing and entertaining, and with a stunning landscape and so many things to do, everyone praises and raves about Koh Samui all the time and keep coming back to it. That's the charm of this Thailand Island, the charm of its white sandy beaches, activities, food, and without a doubt, the warmthness and hospitality of the locals.
Thailand is an incredible place to live, not just because it is very economical but because of the natural beauty and abundance it has, along with the zest of progression.
Life on Koh Samui is great, to say the least; Northern regions of the Island, such as Lamai, Chaweng, Choeng Mon, Bophut, and Maenam, houses most of the ex-pats and hence has a wide range of shopping options, from local to international. For general shopping, the supermarket has all the local and imported foods and other goods too. There are also furniture stoors, electronic stores, and so much more with excellent high-speed internet availability and digital TV access at an affordable price.
As for food, there are over 1000+ restaurants on Koh Samui at different price ranges, and along with that, there are numerous food stalls and markets that have a wide variety of options to choose from.
The traveling is really great here, whether it is within the island, the country, or international. Teor are numerous commuting options to choose from, and all are affordable. So whether toy travels through the plane, ferry or by road, the traveling g won't break the bank.
And we have already gone through the numerous activities Koh Samui has to offer, which makes it ten times more viable living option. A fun, prosperous lifestyle, who wouldn't want to avail it, right?
Shopping Mall on Koh Samui
So naturally, the question will be the cost of living on Koh Samui since we raved about the options it has to offer along with the affordability chant we repeatedly mention.
So if you're looking to have a comfortable lifestyle on a budget, Thailand, in specific Koh Samui, might be your best bet. The island has to offer everything from high-end to low without the standard high prices.
From $1,950 to $2,400 per month, you can have a great life on Koh Samui. For accommodations, you can get a place to live at any price point and standard. A fully furnished two-story apartment costs around $750 a month along with all the other amenities such as a communal pool, 24/7 security, and other such facilities. There are more cheaper options too, but they are a bit further from the commercial areas.
As for food and drinks, the stuff here is really inexpensive if you plan to eat in, the cost is so so low for so many items, but even if you want to eat out, the bill won't make you worry about the budgeting for the rest of the month at all.
Street Food in Koh Samui
In regards to health, the island had five popular private hospitals that are renowned and have experts doctors and medical practitioners who are more than qualified and well-versed in English. From consultation to surgeries to medicines, everything is very affordable here, and the best part is that all the hospitals are fully equipped with the latest technologies. And if you want to further cut down costs, public hospitals are always there to assist you with the best of their abilities and actually are really good, unlike other public hospitals in the world. From dental to ortho to eye to any other specialist you need, Thailand has it all.
So, all in all, the cost of living on Koh Samui is unquestionably budget-friendly and really luxurious and fun if you think about it. We might be considering it for your retirement plan and definitely for quick, inexpensive getaways from the regressive lifestyles; what about you?
Our creative itinerary ideas will give you some travel inspirations. We will definitely tailor make unique trip for you and there are many more options available.