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: $1,068 in Bangkok versus $876 in Chaiyaphum.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,732 in Bangkok versus $1,444 in Chaiyaphum.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,396 in Bangkok versus $2,012 in Chaiyaphum.

Living in Bangkok is roughly 22% more expensive than Chaiyaphum, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Bangkok 20% lower, Chaiyaphum 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.17 ฿103

$1.26 ฿41.06

151.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.33 ฿991

$30.58 ฿999

-0.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.27 ฿205

$6.09 ฿199

2.96%

Cappuccino

$2.51 ฿81.9

$1.22 ฿39.73

105.74%

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

$0.68 ฿22.34

$0.51 ฿16.79

33.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 ฿8.79

$0.27 ฿8.77

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.44 ฿79.6

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.94 ฿129

$4.10 ฿134

-3.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.80 ฿58.8

$1.78 ฿58.1

1.12%

White Bread (500g)

$1.39 ฿45.38

$1.35 ฿44.17

2.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.42 ฿46.22

$1.46 ฿47.77

-2.74%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿73.8

$1.55 ฿50.5

45.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.40 ฿601

$18.23 ฿595

0.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.01 ฿98.4

$2.95 ฿96.3

2.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.38 ฿306

$9.59 ฿313

-2.19%

Apples (1kg)

$3.55 ฿116

$3.47 ฿113

2.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.76 ฿57.6

$0.65 ฿21.19

170.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$2.26 ฿74.0

-2.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.84 ฿59.9

$1.84 ฿60.1

Potato (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$1.65 ฿54.0

-0.61%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿48.88

$1.43 ฿46.83

4.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.31 ฿42.67

$0.98 ฿31.92

33.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.10

$0.32 ฿10.58

62.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.25 ฿139

$4.28 ฿140

-0.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.02 ฿490

$15.25 ฿498

-1.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.9

$1.78 ฿58.2

1.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.39 ฿111

$3.35 ฿109

1.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.19 ฿39.00

$0.93 ฿30.53

27.96%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$36.43 ฿1,190

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.10 ฿35.84

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.20 ฿39.07

$1.20 ฿39.04

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.13 ฿200

$6.18 ฿202

-0.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 ฿40.88

$1.13 ฿36.90

10.62%

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

$37.3K ฿1.2M

0.16%

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

$28.6K ฿934.5K

$28.2K ฿922.6K

1.29%

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

$91.9 ฿3,000

$45.30 ฿1,479

102.76%

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

$12.96 ฿423

$11.45 ฿374

13.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.67 ฿577

$12.09 ฿395

46.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.9 ฿1,759

$49.96 ฿1,632

7.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.68 ฿349

$12.23 ฿400

-12.67%

Cinema Ticket

$7.90 ฿258

$7.78 ฿254

1.54%

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

$601 ฿19.6K

$593 ฿19.4K

1.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.2K ฿432.6K

$13.1K ฿429.1K

0.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.0 ฿1,863

$56.8 ฿1,855

0.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.28 ฿1,250

$38.49 ฿1,257

-0.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 ฿3,376

$105 ฿3,436

-1.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$95.0 ฿3,103

$92.3 ฿3,014

2.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$669 ฿21.9K

$420 ฿13.7K

59.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$326 ฿10.7K

$285 ฿9,318

14.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,877 ฿61.3K

$824 ฿26.9K

127.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$843 ฿27.5K

$661 ฿21.6K

27.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,307 ฿206.0K

$1,799 ฿58.8K

250.48%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,371 ฿110.1K

$1,276 ฿41.7K

164.15%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$747 ฿24.4K

$463 ฿15.1K

61.56%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Chaiyaphum: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $669 in Bangkok and $420 in Chaiyaphum. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bangkok pays 62% 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: $30.00 in Bangkok vs $31.00 in Chaiyaphum. Groceries flip the comparison at $257 vs $243, 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 22% in total monthly costs ($1,068 vs $876 including rent). Chaiyaphum is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Bangkok pays 62% more on average, 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: $669 in Bangkok versus $420 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 $1,068 per month in Bangkok versus $876 in Chaiyaphum – a 22% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $876 in Chaiyaphum versus $1,068 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 22% less than in Bangkok. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.