Cost of Living Comparison Between Bangkok and Chaiyaphum Cost of Living Comparison Between Bangkok and Chaiyaphum

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,046 in Bangkok versus $861 in Chaiyaphum.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,754 in Bangkok versus $1,444 in Chaiyaphum.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,461 in Bangkok versus $2,027 in Chaiyaphum.

Living in Bangkok is roughly 21% more expensive than in Chaiyaphum, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Bangkok 22% lower, Chaiyaphum 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.02 ฿102

$1.24 ฿41.81

143.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$31.34 ฿1,055

$31.20 ฿1,050

0.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.15 ฿207

$6.04 ฿203

1.82%

Cappuccino

$2.47 ฿83.0

$1.26 ฿42.56

96.03%

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

$0.69 ฿23.15

$0.50 ฿16.90

38.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 ฿9.01

$0.29 ฿9.81

-6.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.52 ฿84.8

$2.45 ฿82.3

2.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.07 ฿137

$3.97 ฿134

2.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 ฿63.0

$1.79 ฿60.3

4.47%

White Bread (500g)

$1.34 ฿45.08

$1.35 ฿45.29

-0.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.46 ฿49.10

$1.47 ฿49.63

-0.68%

Eggs

$2.19 ฿73.7

$1.62 ฿54.4

35.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.12 ฿610

$18.59 ฿625

-2.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.06 ฿103

$3.12 ฿105

-1.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.62 ฿324

$9.30 ฿313

3.44%

Apples (1kg)

$3.53 ฿119

Banana (1kg)

$1.76 ฿59.3

$0.59 ฿19.98

198.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.27 ฿76.4

$2.22 ฿74.7

2.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.86 ฿62.7

$1.85 ฿62.3

0.54%

Potato (1kg)

$1.64 ฿55.2

$1.57 ฿53.0

4.46%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿49.96

$1.48 ฿49.81

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.34 ฿45.23

$1.01 ฿34.11

32.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 ฿16.70

$0.32 ฿10.90

56.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.43 ฿149

$4.39 ฿148

0.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.10 ฿609

$17.54 ฿590

3.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 ฿59.5

$1.78 ฿60.1

-0.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.40 ฿114

$3.22 ฿108

5.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.19 ฿40.18

$0.96 ฿32.24

23.96%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$36.61 ฿1,232

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.06 ฿35.83

$1.10 ฿36.99

-3.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.19 ฿40.00

$1.19 ฿39.96

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.03 ฿203

$6.26 ฿211

-3.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 ฿42.17

$1.12 ฿37.85

11.61%

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

$37.2K ฿1.3M

$36.8K ฿1.2M

1.06%

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

$28.3K ฿951.9K

$29.2K ฿981.0K

-2.97%

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

$91.6 ฿3,081

$45.37 ฿1,527

101.79%

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

$12.61 ฿424

$11.61 ฿391

8.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.20 ฿579

$12.39 ฿417

38.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.1 ฿1,754

$48.69 ฿1,639

7.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.49 ฿353

$12.22 ฿411

-14.16%

Cinema Ticket

$7.88 ฿265

$7.55 ฿254

4.37%

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

$603 ฿20.3K

$608 ฿20.5K

-0.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.4K ฿450.4K

$13.5K ฿453.2K

-0.61%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.5 ฿1,969

$58.2 ฿1,960

0.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.64 ฿1,300

$38.10 ฿1,282

1.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 ฿3,527

$104 ฿3,509

0.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$93.7 ฿3,154

$92.5 ฿3,113

1.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$684 ฿23.0K

$424 ฿14.3K

61.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$324 ฿10.9K

$279 ฿9,400

15.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,905 ฿64.1K

$825 ฿27.8K

130.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$829 ฿27.9K

$662 ฿22.3K

25.26%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,056 ฿203.8K

$1,680 ฿56.5K

260.56%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,313 ฿111.5K

$1,584 ฿53.3K

109.20%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$622 ฿20.9K

$439 ฿14.8K

41.70%

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 Chaiyaphum: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $684 in Bangkok and $424 in Chaiyaphum. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bangkok pays 42% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $31.00 in Bangkok vs $31.00 in Chaiyaphum. Groceries flip the comparison at $263 vs $248, with Chaiyaphum 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 Chaiyaphum: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bangkok and Chaiyaphum differ by about 21% in total monthly costs ($1,046 vs $861 including rent). Chaiyaphum is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 42% higher in Bangkok, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $684 in Bangkok versus $424 in Chaiyaphum. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 6% higher in Bangkok. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,046 per month in Bangkok versus $861 in Chaiyaphum – a 21% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $861 in Chaiyaphum versus $1,046 in Bangkok, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Chaiyaphum but tight or insufficient in Bangkok. The gap between the two cities makes Chaiyaphum 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 Chaiyaphum 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 Chaiyaphum 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.