Cost of Living Comparison Between Bangkok and Bang Kruai Cost of Living Comparison Between Bangkok and Bang Kruai

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,046 in Bangkok versus $863 in Bang Kruai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,754 in Bangkok versus $1,383 in Bang Kruai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,461 in Bangkok versus $1,902 in Bang Kruai.

Living in Bangkok is roughly 21% more expensive than in Bang Kruai, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Bangkok 22% lower, Bang Kruai 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.02 ฿102

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$31.34 ฿1,055

$30.83 ฿1,037

1.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.15 ฿207

$6.34 ฿213

-3.00%

Cappuccino

$2.47 ฿83.0

$2.14 ฿71.9

15.42%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.69 ฿23.15

$0.72 ฿24.22

-4.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 ฿9.01

$0.27 ฿8.98

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.52 ฿84.8

$2.04 ฿68.8

23.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.07 ฿137

$3.79 ฿127

7.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 ฿63.0

$1.49 ฿50.0

25.50%

White Bread (500g)

$1.34 ฿45.08

$1.41 ฿47.46

-4.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.46 ฿49.10

$1.11 ฿37.46

31.53%

Eggs

$2.19 ฿73.7

$1.85 ฿62.4

18.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.12 ฿610

$13.46 ฿453

34.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.06 ฿103

$2.81 ฿94.7

8.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.62 ฿324

$10.85 ฿365

-11.34%

Apples (1kg)

$3.53 ฿119

$2.59 ฿87.1

36.29%

Banana (1kg)

$1.76 ฿59.3

$0.74 ฿24.92

137.84%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.27 ฿76.4

$1.84 ฿61.8

23.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.86 ฿62.7

$1.50 ฿50.3

24.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.64 ฿55.2

$1.65 ฿55.5

-0.61%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿49.96

$1.22 ฿40.90

21.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.34 ฿45.23

$1.02 ฿34.20

31.37%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 ฿16.70

$0.45 ฿15.18

11.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.43 ฿149

$4.29 ฿144

3.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.10 ฿609

$14.24 ฿479

27.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 ฿59.5

$1.71 ฿57.7

3.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.40 ฿114

$3.41 ฿115

-0.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.19 ฿40.18

$0.94 ฿31.50

26.60%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$36.61 ฿1,232

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.06 ฿35.83

$1.11 ฿37.37

-4.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.19 ฿40.00

$0.71 ฿23.98

67.61%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.03 ฿203

$5.36 ฿180

12.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 ฿42.17

$1.31 ฿44.21

-4.58%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$37.2K ฿1.3M

$20.1K ฿675.5K

85.29%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$28.3K ฿951.9K

$20.9K ฿703.1K

35.39%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$91.6 ฿3,081

$84.7 ฿2,849

8.14%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$12.61 ฿424

$12.70 ฿427

-0.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.20 ฿579

$16.98 ฿571

1.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.1 ฿1,754

$50.1 ฿1,685

4.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.49 ฿353

$11.99 ฿403

-12.51%

Cinema Ticket

$7.88 ฿265

$7.62 ฿256

3.41%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$603 ฿20.3K

$139 ฿4,692

332.38%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.4K ฿450.4K

$13.5K ฿453.7K

-0.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.5 ฿1,969

$19.26 ฿648

203.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.64 ฿1,300

$24.21 ฿815

59.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 ฿3,527

$62.0 ฿2,085

69.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$93.7 ฿3,154

$58.5 ฿1,970

60.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$684 ฿23.0K

$421 ฿14.2K

62.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$324 ฿10.9K

$290 ฿9,761

11.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,905 ฿64.1K

$823 ฿27.7K

131.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$829 ฿27.9K

$655 ฿22.0K

26.58%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,056 ฿203.8K

$1,915 ฿64.4K

216.27%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,313 ฿111.5K

$1,472 ฿49.5K

125.06%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$622 ฿20.9K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.84

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Bangkok: July 12, 2026

Last update for Bang Kruai: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $684 in Bangkok and $421 in Bang Kruai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $31.00 in Bangkok vs $31.00 in Bang Kruai. Groceries flip the comparison at $263 vs $221, with Bang Kruai cheaper for home cooking.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Bangkok vs Bang Kruai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bang Kruai is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 21% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,569 in Bangkok and $1,295 in Bang Kruai to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $684 in Bangkok versus $421 in Bang Kruai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $603 in Bangkok versus $139 in Bang Kruai. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Bang Kruai – a meal for two runs $31.00 versus $31.00 in Bangkok. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $863 in Bang Kruai versus $1,046 in Bangkok, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Bang Kruai but tight or insufficient in Bangkok. The gap between the two cities makes Bang Kruai the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Bang Kruai is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Bangkok, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Bangkok and Bang Kruai are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Bang Kruai gentler on the wallet – expenses run 21% less than in Bangkok. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.