Beachfront on Chaweng Beach with a kids' pool, tropical gardens and everything within walking distance - our recommendation for families on Koh Samui.
Check prices on ExpediaGetting from Bangkok to Koh Samui
Bangkok Airways owns Samui Airport, so this leg has one main carrier and prices stay steady.
- One-way: $65-$73; round-trip from about $136 per person (Trip.com, checked October 10, 2026)
- Family of four round-trip: about $550 (not counted in the totals below - treat it as your positioning cost, like the international flight)
The cheaper alternative is flying to Surat Thani plus the ferry (roughly half the price, plus 3-4 hours). With kids and luggage, we would take the direct flight every time.
Hotels: Bangkok (4 nights)
- Family rooms in central Bangkok (Siam/Pratunam area, near the BTS) run from about THB 4,800 per night (about $145) - example: Novotel Bangkok Platinum Pratunam family package, current offer valid through December 2026
- Four nights: roughly $580-$650
Hotels: Koh Samui (10 nights)
This is where the trip's budget swings the most.
- Banana Fan Sea Resort, our pick on Chaweng Beach: beachfront, kids' pool, walking distance to everything - rates from about $137 per night (momondo, 2026), and the resort's own site ran a 2-night package at THB 9,300 (about $280) for stays April-June 2026
- Ten nights beachfront mid-range: roughly $1,400-$1,600
Book the resort
Check dates, prices and cancellation terms for Banana Fan Sea Resort on Expedia. Booking through this link costs you nothing extra.
Food: the good news
- Street food and local restaurants: 40-80 THB per dish ($1.20-$2.40); a local restaurant meal of two dishes plus rice runs 150-250 THB ($4.50-$7.50)
- Beachfront seafood dinner on Samui: 300-600 THB per main ($9-$18); a whole fish for two is 600-1,200 THB
- Realistic family daily food spend, mid-range: 1,500-2,500 THB ($45-$75)
- Fourteen days: roughly $650-$1,050
Activities
- Grand Palace + Wat Phra Kaew: 500 THB ($15); Wat Pho: 300 THB ($9); Wat Arun: 200 THB ($6) - foreigner prices, 2026
- Safari World Bangkok: 750-950 THB per adult booked online (1,500-1,800 at the gate - book online)
- Ang Thong Marine Park day trip from Samui: 1,200-2,000 THB per person including lunch, snorkel gear and kayak
- Family activities total for two weeks: roughly $400-$700
Hands-on half day: the Koh Samui Thai cooking class with market tour (about 3 hours, hotel pickup, free cancellation up to 24 hours ahead). Booking through this link costs you nothing extra.
See the cooking class on GetYourGuideHands-on half day: the Koh Samui Thai cooking class with market tour (about 3 hours, hotel pickup, free cancellation up to 24 hours ahead). Booking through this link costs you nothing extra.
See the cooking class on GetYourGuideGetting around
- Bangkok: BTS Skytrain 17-65 THB per trip, MRT 17-45 THB, Chao Phraya express boat 18 THB, Grab car 80-200 THB per in-town ride
- Koh Samui: Grab 150-450 THB per ride, songthaew 50-100 THB per hop, airport taxi counter fixed price
- Two-week transport total: roughly $150-$250
The full picture (family of four, mid-range, October 2026 prices)
| Bangkok hotel (4 nights) | $580 | $650 |
|---|---|---|
| Samui resort (10 nights) | $1,400 | $1,600 |
| Food (14 days) | $650 | $1,050 |
| Activities | $400 | $700 |
| Local transport | $150 | $250 |
| TOTAL (hotels, food, activities, local transport) | $3,180 | $4,250 |
Cross-check: current guides put a mid-range family of four at 8,000-18,000 THB per day ($240-$545) on the ground. Our table lands at $227-$304 per day - the lower middle of that range, which is what you get with a well-priced beachfront resort.
How to spend less without breaking the trip
- Book Safari World and tours online, never at the gate
- Eat local at lunch, beachfront at dinner
- Stay on one beach on Samui instead of hopping - transfers add up
- Use the BTS in Bangkok; Grab or songthaew on Samui, never a non-metered street taxi
- Set a shopping budget before you land - markets and malls are everywhere, and extras are the one category with no ceiling. The totals above do not include it
Questions
How much does a day in Thailand cost for a family?
A mid-range family of four spends roughly $227-$304 per day on the ground - hotel, food, activities and local transport. Tight travel lands near $170; luxury on Samui passes $460.
What is the biggest cost of a Thailand family trip?
The beachfront resort on Koh Samui: ten nights run $1,400-$1,600 mid-range, about 40% of the on-the-ground total.
Is Koh Samui expensive compared to Bangkok?
Yes for hotels and transport, similar for food. Bangkok mid-range family rooms run about $145 a night against $137-$160 on Samui beachfront, and Samui rides cost two to three times Bangkok's.
Sources
Trip.com: Bangkok-Koh Samui flights, checked 10 October 2026
Banana Fan Sea Resort: official packages and rates
momondo: Banana Fan Sea Resort nightly rates, 2026
Novotel Bangkok Platinum Pratunam: family package page; Bangkok and Samui 2026 travel guides (temple, Safari World, transport and restaurant prices). All prices checked 11 October 2026.