Koh Chang vs Koh Samui: Which Thai Island Fits Your Budget? (2025/2026)
Same turquoise water. Same longtail boats. Same pad thai on the beach at sunset. But one of these islands costs 50% more per day than the other — and most travelers don't realize that until they're already there.
Koh Chang and Koh Samui are often lumped together as "Thai island options," but their pricing structure is completely different. This guide breaks down every major cost category so you can make the right call before you book.
The Short Answer
| Koh Chang | Koh Samui | |
|---|---|---|
| Budget traveler/day | ฿1,000–1,500 | ฿1,500–2,000 |
| Mid-range traveler/day | ฿2,000–3,500 | ฿3,000–5,000 |
| Getting there from Bangkok | ฿600–900 | ฿2,130–4,500 |
| Budget guesthouse/night | ฿350–700 | ฿400–800 |
| Mid-range hotel/night | ฿800–2,000 | ฿1,500–4,000 |
| Street food meal | ฿40–80 | ฿40–80 |
| Beach restaurant meal | ฿150–350 | ฿200–500 |
| Local songthaew | ฿50 | ฿100 |
| Crowd level | Low–Medium | High |
| Direct flights | No | Yes (Bangkok Airways only) |
Koh Samui costs roughly 50% more across the board — and getting there is where the price gap really starts.
Getting There: The First Big Difference
Koh Chang
Getting to Koh Chang is straightforward and cheap. Take a bus from Bangkok's Eastern Bus Terminal to Trat (about 5–6 hours, ฿200–350), then a songthaew to the Ao Thammachat pier and a short ferry crossing.
- Ferry from Trat pier to Koh Chang: ฿80–120, 30–45 minutes
- Bus + ferry combo package (available from Bangkok): ฿600–900 total
No flights, no airport, no airline monopoly. Just a bus and a boat.
Koh Samui
Koh Samui has an airport — but Bangkok Airways holds a complete monopoly on it. That means no budget airlines, no competition, and no cheap tickets.
- Bangkok Airways (Suvarnabhumi → Koh Samui): ฿2,130–4,500 one-way
- Budget alternative: Fly to Surat Thani on AirAsia/Nok Air (฿1,000–1,800) + Surat Thani → Koh Samui ferry (฿200–400) = ฿1,200–2,200 total, but adds 3–4 hours
The Bangkok Airways monopoly doesn't just affect the flight — it inflates the entire island's cost structure because everyone arriving by air has already paid a premium. That mindset follows visitors through every restaurant and hotel booking.
Accommodation
Both islands offer the full range from budget guesthouses to five-star resorts, but the price floors are very different.
Koh Chang
- Hostel dorm: ฿200–350/night
- Budget guesthouse (fan or AC): ฿350–700/night
- Mid-range 3-star (AC, pool): ฿800–2,000/night
- 4-star hotel: ฿2,000–4,500/night
- 5-star resort: ฿4,000–10,000+/night
Koh Samui
- Hostel dorm: ฿250–450/night
- Budget guesthouse: ฿400–800/night
- Mid-range 3-star: ฿1,500–4,000/night
- 4-star hotel: ฿3,500–7,000/night
- 5-star resort: ฿5,000–20,000+/night
The gap between mid-range options is where it hurts most. On Koh Chang, a solid AC room with pool access costs ฿800–1,200/night. The equivalent on Koh Samui starts at ฿1,500 and easily runs to ฿2,500+.
Koh Chang consistently ranks among Thailand's best beach-to-value destinations — comparable quality to Phuket or Samui at 60–80% of the price.
Food
Street food prices are nearly identical on both islands — this is Thailand, after all. A plate of pad thai runs ฿40–70, noodle soup ฿30–80, fried rice ฿40–70. That doesn't change much by location.
The difference shows up in beach restaurants and tourist areas.
On Koh Chang, you can eat well at beachside spots for ฿150–280 a meal. On Koh Samui — especially around Chaweng — the same setting in a nicer restaurant runs ฿250–500 per dish. Western food and rooftop bars skew prices further.
Practical daily food budget:
| Style | Koh Chang | Koh Samui |
|---|---|---|
| Street food only | ฿200–350 | ฿250–400 |
| Mix (street + restaurants) | ฿400–700 | ฿500–900 |
| Restaurants + drinks | ฿700–1,200 | ฿900–1,800 |
Activities
Koh Chang
- Snorkeling day trip: ฿750–1,500
- Kayaking: ฿300–600
- Elephant sanctuary day visit: ฿1,800–2,500
- Thai massage (1 hour): ฿300–400
- Most beaches: Free
Koh Chang's activity scene is quieter and more nature-focused. Trekking through the interior, kayaking around the mangroves, and snorkeling off Koh Wai are the main draws. Prices are noticeably lower than the bigger tourist islands.
Koh Samui
- Ang Thong Marine Park tour: ฿1,800–3,500
- ATV/quad bike tours: ฿1,200–2,000
- Muay Thai class: ฿300–600
- Thai massage (1 hour): ฿300–400 (budget), ฿1,000–3,500 (spa)
- Chaweng Beach: Free, but commercial
Samui has more infrastructure for organized tours and a bigger nightlife scene. The Ang Thong Marine Park trip is genuinely worth doing and hard to replicate elsewhere. But you're paying for that convenience.
Getting Around On the Island
Koh Chang
Songthaews (shared pickup trucks) run along the west coast — the main road connecting White Sand Beach, Lonely Beach, and Bang Bao. A typical ride costs ฿50–100 depending on distance. Scooter rental runs ฿150–350/day.
No Grab. No metered taxis. Negotiate fixed prices for longer journeys.
Koh Samui
More developed transport infrastructure: metered taxis exist but are rare, most drivers quote fixed prices. Songthaews serve as shared taxis along the ring road, usually ฿100+ per journey. Scooter rental ฿150–350/day.
Grab works on Koh Samui, which helps with price transparency.
Seasonal Pricing
Both islands follow Thailand's standard seasonal pattern:
- High season (November–March): Standard pricing, best weather on both islands
- Peak (Christmas/New Year): +75–100% on accommodation, minimum stays common
- Low season (June–September): 30–50% savings on accommodation
One important difference: Koh Chang sits on the Gulf of Thailand's eastern coast and shares a weather pattern with Koh Samui. Both can see rain May–October, though Koh Chang's low season tends to be slightly less disruptive.
So Which One Should You Choose?
Choose Koh Chang if:
- Budget is a real consideration
- You want fewer tourists and a more local feel
- You're fine with a bus + ferry journey (no direct flights)
- You prefer natural scenery over developed resort infrastructure
- You're traveling November to March from Bangkok — it's actually closer
Choose Koh Samui if:
- You're flying directly from abroad and the airport is convenient
- Comfort and infrastructure matter more than price
- You want more restaurant variety and nightlife options
- You're doing the Ang Thong Marine Park or island-hopping to Koh Phangan and Koh Tao
The Bottom Line
Over a 10-day trip, the difference between Koh Chang and Koh Samui at mid-range level is roughly ฿10,000–20,000 ($300–600 USD) — just in daily costs, before you factor in the flight price gap.
That's a meaningful amount. Whether that money is better spent staying longer on Koh Chang or getting the Koh Samui experience depends entirely on your priorities.
Not sure which one fits your actual budget? Use the BahtWise trip planner to calculate exact costs for your travel style, group size, and dates — including transport, accommodation, food, and activities.
Planning a trip to Thailand?
Use our free budget calculator to see what things actually cost. Real prices from real trips — no BS, no guesswork.
Calculate Your Budget →
