Moving to Koh Samui With Family - Best Place to Live?

[NomadFamily]

Hello,
 

My wife and I are both able to work remotely for the foreseeable future, so we'd like to take advantage and move to Koh Samui for a few months (4-6), along with our 6 month old boy. We're currently living in NY and the cost doesn't make sense.

Our overall monthly budget for housing, transport and food is about 150,000 Baht, we're specifically interested in living in a part of the island that is more upscale, clean and quiet. We've never been to Koh Samui but I've done some research, hoping to get some insights from expats here. 

Thank in advance!

[wasabi]

If possible I'd strongly suggest first going to Koh Samui before living there full time. The main tourist area is Chaweng Beach. It is not upscale but it is my personal favorite for vacation purposes due to convivence of shopping and restaurants. Basically the further you get from this area the more peaceful it is. Some areas are upscale with houses overlooking the sea high in the hills but I find those areas boring and inconvenient. If you can drive however this might be an option. 

 

There is another smaller town with what is called Big Buddha in Wat Phra Yai Ko Fan. That is less densely populated but has more walkable amenities. 

 

I enjoy Koh Samui to visit but personally probably wouldn't want to live there. Right now it is great, very few tourists but it can get swamped with tourists looking for Full Moon parities and places to vlog on their rented motorbikes. You'd find that less in the remote areas but again those are too far removed for my tastes. You also will need to consider visa options. Given your timeframe a Multi-entry tourist visa sounds appropriate but be aware immigration can at any time refuse entry on these if they think you are "living in Thailand" while using them. What exactly that means is up to them. If you live modestly your budget should be no problem.

Edited April 27, 2020 by wasabi

[phetphet]

At the moment the island is in lockdown due to the Corona virus. No flights in or out. 

Hopefully restriction might be partially lifted soon, but who knows?

 

Traffic can be a problem in some parts. If you want really quiet, look at the west coast around Thong Krut - Lipa Noi. The tradeoff being that you are farther away from the airport and facilities such as supermarkets, cinemas etc. Although  Nathon isn't too far away.

 

Choengmon or Plai Laem might be what you are looking for, but looking for somewhere clean in Samui is subjective. Rubbish removal, trash to you Americans, is a real problem here and the streets can sometimes look tatty.

 

But if you are working remotely, internet is pretty good, and there are some beautiful places to rent, and lots of great food (once the  restaurants are allowed to open again.)

 

HTH

Edited April 27, 2020 by phetphet

[worgeordie]

I would look to Malaysia instead,been to Koh Samui and did not like it at all,

check out Penang or Langkawi, been American you get a 3 month visa on arrival,

regards  Worgeordie

[Samui Bodoh]

2 hours ago, worgeordie said:

I would look to Malaysia instead,been to Koh Samui and did not like it at all,

check out Penang or Langkawi, been American you get a 3 month visa on arrival,

regards  Worgeordie

The OP (opening poster) asked for recommendations regarding where to live on Koh Samui.

 

The OP did not ask if a grammatically-challenged troll could recommend cities in other countries.

 

Weapons-grade idiocy.

 

 

[khunPer]

4 hours ago, NomadFamily said:

...take advantage and move to Koh Samui for a few months (4-6), along with our 6 month old boy. We're currently living in NY and the cost doesn't make sense.

Our overall monthly budget for housing, transport and food is about 150,000 Baht, we're specifically interested in living in a part of the island that is more upscale, clean and quiet.

Apart from the normal excellent advice about checking the place before a move, and the temporary lockdown due to the coronavirus pandemi, it should be possible for you, if you manage your visas. That sounds like multiple entry 60-days tourist visa that you can extend for 30 days (1.900 baht a person, not the infant), and after 90-days stay do a so-called visa-run to a neighboring country and return for another 60-days entry, and 30-day extension of stay; total up to 180 days.

 

Plenty of quiet, but still central places with fine accommodation possibilities, but again searching and booking via Internet might not be exactly, what you might be looking for (nice pictures compared to real life). So I would recommend to book a limited stay in advance, and then look around for the best suited place, when you come to the island, if you do not physically investigate in advance.

 

From around 25,000 baht a month and (way) up you can find nice 2-bed bungalows or villas close to a beach, some places within walking distance. Many areas has easy access local shopping – such as mini super markets with all daily needs, and convenient stores like 7-Eleven (that are a bit special in Thailand, so not fully comparable to US, the service level is wider), and pharmacies, and local grocery shops, etc – and numerous affordable restaurants within walking distance.

Most rental bungalows offers Wi-fi – you seem to be dependent of that – but if not, or if you need a more private line, you can buy an affordable G4 wireless router from an ISP – which is also a nice backbone – if you don't need super fast fiber. The monthly package charge starts from about 600 baht (easy count is $1 to 30 baht).

The cheaper accommodation is without service (i.e. cleaning, laundry, etc.), but often you can be recommended domestic help if needed. More up-priced villas often comes fully serviced. If you need a nanny there are services available per hourly rate, or daily rate.

 

There is limited public transport on the island, so you might wish to consider transportation, or choose an area where you don't need regular transport. Many people use motorbikes, but bear in mind that this island has one of the highest traffic accident rates in the World, before you chose to ride a left-hand drive motorbike in Thai traffic. Your also need to check your insurance if renting a motorbike, as the mandatory Thai insurance covers next-to-nothing (including your responsibility). There are plenty of local rental shops with fine newer small motorbikes at monthly fees from about 4,500 baht (or even less). Alternatively rent a small car, if you need your own transportation, they are available (including full insurance) from around 1.000 baht a day, a monthly discount price is often negotiable.

 

Public transport is so-called song thaew, a pick up car where you sit on the bed, which typically runs from 6 am to 6 pm on fixed routes and with fixed prices per person. You just stop one, agree price to destination with the driver, and press the bell-button when you want get off. There shall be a price list in the bed, prices range from 20 baht for (very) short distance, and up to about 120 baht for long rides. After 6 pm a song thaew works like a taxi, but without meter; a short ride can be 200-300 baht, and a long trip some 500-600 baht and up. There are also two buslines with fixed stops, service between the airport and some major spots, including the harbor town, Nathon. Taxis are supposed to run by meter, but many dont, so always agree a price.

 

Chaweng Beach is the major tourist spot, but also a bit noise party town, however it has a the bigger shopping mall "Central Festival" with all kind of banks and communication providers.

 

Areas that might be of your interest could be Plai Laem-area at North, including Bang Rak; Maenam Bay-area; and in the back-area of Lamai Beach. There are up-scale available and yet central placed to shopping and restaurants. Other up-scale areas, to my knowledge, could be Bo Phut hills, Chaweng Noi hills, and inside some southern island projects, but distance to shopping and restaurant would often require your own transportation.

 

Your 150.000 baht monthly budget is fair, but budgets are always as difficult as a rubber band, as it's depending of life-style. A lot can live fine for less, whilst others can spend much more. But if you count between 25.000 and 50.000 baht for accommodation – might even be up to 75,000 baht – you should be safe for both transport and other expenses:

• Rent of bungalow or villa from 25,000 baht to 50,000 baht a month
• Transportation from 5,000 baht (motorbike) to 30,000 baht (car-rent or taxi)
• Food etc. from 30,000 baht if 500 baht per day per person, depending of in-house cooking or restaurant meals (we live 3 people for about 15.000 baht to 20.000 baht a month, but mainly in-hose cooking)
• Various other expenses around 5,000 baht to 10.000 baht
• Entertainment, relaxation (perhaps spa/massage), beauty salon, tours, etc. for example 5,000 baht a week or around 20.000 baht a month (you can have two hours thai massage for 600 baht, or two hours ditto in a hi-so luxury spa for 3,000 baht)

I.e. you can live very fine for 85,000 baht a month with the lower end, or around 140,000 baht more up-scaled.

 

Visa-run expenses and extension fees of immigration can be a costs of 30,000 baht to 50,000 baht (or more in travel cost); i.e. 5,000 baht to 10,000 baht if calculated in a monthly budget.

 

Have I forgot something...????

 

Wish you good luck with you plans...????

Edited April 27, 2020 by khunPer
typo

[islandguy]

Without car, Samui Garden Home on the Southwest shore

with car, there is a cluster of different walled villas at Thongyang Beach just South of the Navy base at Lipa Noi

[UbonThani]

rent for week and drive around

[worgeordie]

3 hours ago, Samui Bodoh said:

The OP (opening poster) asked for recommendations regarding where to live on Koh Samui.

 

The OP did not ask if a grammatically-challenged troll could recommend cities in other countries.

 

Weapons-grade idiocy.

 

 

Got out of the wrong side of the bed,or are you on your period ?

"Troll" first time i have been called that,if you are representative

of folks that live on Samui, another good reason not to move there.

regards worgeordie

 

[crazykopite]

150,000 per month won’t get you far if you want to live upscale rent alone will exceed 50,000 per month then you have medical costs , car rental , food etc so it won’t be a life of luxury that your hoping for and in three years time when your child has to go to school that again will cost even more money . Maybe it would be a good idea to take an extended holiday for three months before selling up in NY you might get a different outlook and don’t forget visa issues you may have dependent on your age but if you have a young child I assume you are in your 30s early 40s life’s not always greener on the other side of the fence and one thing is don’t even contemplate moving this year due to this pandemic we are still in lockdown and worse still you are not allowed to even buy alcohol anywhere which is total madness.

Edited April 30, 2020 by crazykopite

[Mak25]

On 4/27/2020 at 6:22 PM, worgeordie said:

Got out of the wrong side of the bed,or are you on your period ?

No booze

[1FinickyOne]

Prachuap Khiri Khan...

 

I was in Samui twenty years ago and felt it was spoiled back then... you really need to do some on the ground research yourself... take it from an old Ny'er... 

[robertson468]

On 4/27/2020 at 11:37 AM, phetphet said:

At the moment the island is in lockdown due to the Corona virus. No flights in or out. 

Hopefully restriction might be partially lifted soon, but who knows?

 

Traffic can be a problem in some parts. If you want really quiet, look at the west coast around Thong Krut - Lipa Noi. The tradeoff being that you are farther away from the airport and facilities such as supermarkets, cinemas etc. Although  Nathon isn't too far away.

 

Choengmon or Plai Laem might be what you are looking for, but looking for somewhere clean in Samui is subjective. Rubbish removal, trash to you Americans, is a real problem here and the streets can sometimes look tatty.

 

But if you are working remotely, internet is pretty good, and there are some beautiful places to rent, and lots of great food (once the  restaurants are allowed to open again.)

 

HTH

Bangkok Air is re-starting their flights in the next couple of days.  I understand that initially there will be a couple of flights per day.

 

I have lived here for fifteen years and personally would not recommend Chaweng.  Great for a visit and shopping, but not a place for those who like their peace and quiet.

 

I live in Bophut in a lovely developed place with a swimming pool and tropical gardens, only 300 meters from the beach with convenience stores very close by (200 meters).  It is lovely and peaceful at night and very safe.  We have four house dogs which ensures there are no break-ins etc.  We also have CCTV.

 

Your budget is more than adequate for monthly renting and daily expenses.

 

If you would like to PM me, I can give you a lot more information for 2 bedroom Villa Rentals if you like?

[jasonsamui55]

I’m originally from NY also. And I also work remotely. I came to Koh Samui 6 years ago from Hong Kong with a wife and a 1 year old and a 3 year ago. I’m still here on Samui. Feel free to DM me.

[Mansell]

I think there are better places to live in Thailand. Personally found the place a dump. One road around the island and everybody driving to fast. The sea wasn’t very warm and not very clean. People overcharging especially taxis. Basically stuck there with only way off the island the ferry or overpriced planes.

 

Check out Ao Yon on Phuket. Lovely beach, sea like a bath, very clean.....not many tourists. Pretty quiet area. Good to have a car because the taxis here also overcharge to the point Thais from Bangkok complain. Two large Malls for shopping about twenty minutes away by car. Lots of nice beaches around the island. You can drive off the island over the bridge, or fly to Bangkok as cheap as $25 one way. Some good restaurants in town. Some very nice houses to rent or buy. I can hook you up with an American friend there for houses etc. It is more expensive than many areas of the country. Lived there for three years and had no real complaints. Would swim the length of the beach a couple of times morning and evening. Good friends there. There is always somewhere better, but difficult to find in a short time in the country. Good luck.

[pennine]

my recommendation is Choeng Mon/Plai Laem. Quiet, close to good beaches, upmarket and convenient.

[ajarnmarc]

On 4/27/2020 at 3:09 PM, Samui Bodoh said:

The OP (opening poster) asked for recommendations regarding where to live on Koh Samui.

 

The OP did not ask if a grammatically-challenged troll could recommend cities in other countries.

 

Weapons-grade idiocy.

 

 

I think you meant grammar challenged. The way you stated it was incorrect. The OP stated he never been to Samui, only researched it, "We've never been to Koh Samui but I've done some research, hoping to get some insights from expats here" I'm surprised you didn't correct the OP for stating here instead of there. Actually the OP may be open with regards to a solid recommendation. Though that should be left up to the OP to decide, yes? I wasn't aware that there were people policing the responses to make sure they stayed exactly on point to the exact question presented and therefore not allowed to offer an alternative or suggestion, which the OP may find beneficial to him and his family. Amazing Samui, and it's people...I'm not impressed, just saying. TGIF

[RickG16]

On 4/30/2020 at 7:43 PM, Mansell said:

 One road around the island

How many roads around the island would you like?!

[South]

If you want to experience cultural Thailand as a country, keep well away from any tourist destination. Plenty of places out there.