Koh Samui vs Sukhothai
The short answer
Sukhothai is the cheaper trip, by roughly 49% a day — $18–40 against $30–75 mid-range per person. Both are at their best in Dec–Feb, so one trip can take in both.
Side by side
Mid-range, per person, in US dollars. Both guides were costed the same way — see how we work these out.
| 🇹🇭 Koh Samui | 🇹🇭 Sukhothai | |
|---|---|---|
| Daily budgetmid-range, per person | $30–75 | $18–40cheaper |
| Cheap meallocal staple | $1.50–3 | $1–2.20cheaper |
| Mid-range hotelper night | $50–115 | $20–46cheaper |
| Transit ridesingle trip | $1–4 | $0.30–1.10cheaper |
| Avg. monthly salarylocal, for context | ≈ $480 | ≈ $380 |
When to go
Filled months are the ones each guide recommends; hollow ones it warns off.
What you'd actually do
A few of each guide's picks, one per category before seconds — the full lists are on the guides themselves.
🇹🇭 Koh Samui
Thailand's second-biggest island, and its most polished — coconut groves giving way to resort strips, a golden Big Buddha watching over the northeast coast, and an easy, no-boat-required flight straight in.
- Ark Bar$$Beach clubs
- The Shack$$Restaurants
- Green Mango$$Nightlife
- Nikki Beach$$$Beach clubs
- 2 Fishes$$Restaurants
🇹🇭 Sukhothai
The ruined first capital of Siam, and Ayutthaya's much quieter cousin — weathered brick chedis reflected in lotus ponds, bicycle paths instead of tour buses, and almost none of the crowds.
- Wat Mahathat$Temples & culture
- Dream Café$$Restaurants
- Sukhothai Night Market$Markets
- Wat Si Chum$Temples & culture
- Poo Restaurant$Restaurants
Practicalities
| Koh Samui | Sukhothai | |
|---|---|---|
| Language | Thai. English is widespread in Chaweng, Bophut, and Lamai; thinner in the interior. | Thai. English is limited — Sukhothai sees far fewer foreign visitors than Ayutthaya, so a translation app is genuinely useful. |
| Tap water | Don't drink it — bottled water is sold everywhere, often free at hotels | Don't drink it — bottled water is cheap and widely available |
The same in both:
- Currency
- Thai baht (฿). US$1 ≈ ฿35
- Time zone
- ICT (UTC+7)
- Power
- 220V; outlets take most two-pin plugs (A/C hybrids)
- Emergency
- 191 police · 1669 ambulance · 1155 tourist police (English)