Cost of Living Comparison Between Bangkok and Buriram Cost of Living Comparison Between Bangkok and Buriram

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,159 in Bangkok versus $916 in Buriram.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,862 in Bangkok versus $1,504 in Buriram.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,564 in Bangkok versus $2,092 in Buriram.

Living in Bangkok is roughly 27% more expensive than in Buriram, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Bangkok 16% lower, Buriram 34% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.01 ฿99.3

$1.49 ฿49.36

102.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.47 ฿1,205

$22.16 ฿732

64.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.59 ฿251

$8.56 ฿283

-11.33%

Cappuccino

$2.89 ฿95.4

$1.40 ฿46.39

106.43%

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

$0.69 ฿22.96

$0.48 ฿15.89

43.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.38 ฿12.43

$0.25 ฿8.24

52.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.68 ฿88.7

$1.85 ฿61.2

44.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.69 ฿155

$4.14 ฿137

13.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.00 ฿66.0

$2.01 ฿66.5

-0.50%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿51.9

$1.31 ฿43.19

19.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.54 ฿50.8

$1.45 ฿48.02

6.21%

Eggs

$2.55 ฿84.2

$2.39 ฿78.9

6.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.38 ฿574

$15.15 ฿501

14.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.69 ฿122

$2.28 ฿75.2

61.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.13 ฿467

$9.62 ฿318

46.88%

Apples (1kg)

$4.27 ฿141

$3.54 ฿117

20.62%

Banana (1kg)

$1.93 ฿63.8

$1.14 ฿37.64

69.30%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.88 ฿95.2

$2.39 ฿79.0

20.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.98 ฿65.5

$1.85 ฿61.0

7.03%

Potato (1kg)

$1.72 ฿56.8

$1.48 ฿48.83

16.22%

Onion (1kg)

$1.61 ฿53.3

$1.13 ฿37.27

42.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.26 ฿41.68

$1.19 ฿39.17

5.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 ฿18.68

$0.50 ฿16.40

14.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.45 ฿147

$4.56 ฿151

-2.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.31 ฿506

$14.69 ฿485

4.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 ฿60.9

$1.75 ฿57.7

5.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.38 ฿112

$2.78 ฿91.7

21.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.08 ฿35.70

$0.92 ฿30.41

17.39%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$36.43 ฿1,204

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.07 ฿35.46

$1.26 ฿41.57

-15.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.25 ฿41.19

$1.11 ฿36.62

12.61%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.96 ฿197

$3.70 ฿122

61.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.46 ฿48.11

$1.33 ฿44.03

9.77%

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

$32.0K ฿1.1M

$23.6K ฿779.3K

35.78%

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

$28.0K ฿925.4K

$28.8K ฿952.5K

-2.84%

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

$107 ฿3,546

$93.9 ฿3,102

14.31%

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

$14.75 ฿487

$10.35 ฿342

42.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.52 ฿612

$22.27 ฿736

-16.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.7 ฿2,004

$44.24 ฿1,462

37.09%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.82 ฿622

$14.52 ฿480

29.61%

Cinema Ticket

$7.84 ฿259

$6.36 ฿210

23.27%

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

$553 ฿18.3K

$551 ฿18.2K

0.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.3K ฿570.3K

$11.4K ฿376.1K

51.61%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$74.6 ฿2,466

$46.36 ฿1,532

61.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.46 ฿1,469

$26.12 ฿863

70.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.4 ฿3,250

$78.0 ฿2,577

26.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$115 ฿3,807

$77.0 ฿2,543

49.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$699 ฿23.1K

$461 ฿15.2K

51.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$362 ฿12.0K

$297 ฿9,813

21.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,043 ฿67.5K

$1,587 ฿52.4K

28.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$742 ฿24.5K

$676 ฿22.3K

9.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,019 ฿198.9K

$2,252 ฿74.4K

167.21%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,238 ฿107.0K

$1,442 ฿47.6K

124.54%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$638 ฿21.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.38

5.57

-3.41%

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

Last update for Bangkok: September 6, 2026

Last update for Buriram: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $699 in Bangkok and $461 in Buriram. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $36.00 in Bangkok vs $22.00 in Buriram for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $286 vs $239 per month, with Buriram cheaper across the board.

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 Buriram: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bangkok and Buriram differ by about 27% in total monthly costs ($1,159 vs $916 including rent). Buriram is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,739 in Bangkok and $1,375 in Buriram 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: $699 in Bangkok versus $461 in Buriram. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 20% higher in Bangkok. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,159 per month in Bangkok versus $916 in Buriram – a 27% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $916 in Buriram versus $1,159 in Bangkok, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Buriram but tight or insufficient in Bangkok. The gap between the two cities makes Buriram the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Bangkok and Buriram 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 Buriram gentler on the wallet – expenses run 27% less than in Bangkok. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.