Cost of Living Comparison Between Bangkok and Chanthaburi Cost of Living Comparison Between Bangkok and Chanthaburi

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,068 in Bangkok versus $869 in Chanthaburi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,732 in Bangkok versus $1,432 in Chanthaburi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,396 in Bangkok versus $1,995 in Chanthaburi.

Living in Bangkok is roughly 23% more expensive than Chanthaburi, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.17 ฿103

$1.21 ฿39.38

161.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.33 ฿991

$31.32 ฿1,023

-3.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.27 ฿205

$6.31 ฿206

-0.63%

Cappuccino

$2.51 ฿81.9

$1.56 ฿51.0

60.90%

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

$0.68 ฿22.34

$0.53 ฿17.41

28.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 ฿8.79

$0.29 ฿9.54

-6.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.44 ฿79.6

$1.81 ฿59.0

34.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.94 ฿129

$3.98 ฿130

-1.01%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.80 ฿58.8

$1.55 ฿50.8

16.13%

White Bread (500g)

$1.39 ฿45.38

$1.35 ฿44.02

2.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.42 ฿46.22

$0.95 ฿31.04

49.47%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿73.8

$2.17 ฿70.8

4.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.40 ฿601

$18.42 ฿602

-0.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.01 ฿98.4

$3.00 ฿98.1

0.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.38 ฿306

$9.09 ฿297

3.19%

Apples (1kg)

$3.55 ฿116

$3.41 ฿111

4.11%

Banana (1kg)

$1.76 ฿57.6

$1.76 ฿57.5

Oranges (1kg)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$2.23 ฿72.7

-0.90%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.84 ฿59.9

$1.90 ฿62.1

-3.16%

Potato (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$1.22 ฿39.92

34.43%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿48.88

$1.50 ฿48.90

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.31 ฿42.67

$1.01 ฿33.13

29.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.10

$0.49 ฿15.98

6.12%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.25 ฿139

$4.24 ฿138

0.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.02 ฿490

$15.05 ฿492

-0.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.9

$1.83 ฿59.6

-1.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.39 ฿111

$3.37 ฿110

0.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.19 ฿39.00

$0.90 ฿29.49

32.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$36.43 ฿1,190

$30.67 ฿1,002

18.78%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.10 ฿35.84

$1.10 ฿35.80

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.20 ฿39.07

$1.04 ฿34.12

15.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.13 ฿200

$6.07 ฿198

0.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 ฿40.88

$1.25 ฿40.91

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

$37.3K ฿1.2M

$36.3K ฿1.2M

2.98%

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

$28.6K ฿934.5K

$24.7K ฿805.8K

15.97%

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

$91.9 ฿3,000

$89.7 ฿2,931

2.35%

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

$12.96 ฿423

$3.60 ฿118

260.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.67 ฿577

$10.85 ฿354

62.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.9 ฿1,759

$50.0 ฿1,634

7.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.68 ฿349

$11.99 ฿391

-10.93%

Cinema Ticket

$7.90 ฿258

$5.67 ฿185

39.33%

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

$601 ฿19.6K

$606 ฿19.8K

-0.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.2K ฿432.6K

$13.1K ฿429.1K

0.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.0 ฿1,863

$7.58 ฿247

652.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.28 ฿1,250

$37.58 ฿1,227

1.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 ฿3,376

$70.4 ฿2,299

46.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$95.0 ฿3,103

$21.84 ฿713

334.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$669 ฿21.9K

$415 ฿13.6K

61.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$326 ฿10.7K

$280 ฿9,134

16.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,877 ฿61.3K

$810 ฿26.4K

131.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$843 ฿27.5K

$665 ฿21.7K

26.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,307 ฿206.0K

$2,133 ฿69.7K

195.62%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,371 ฿110.1K

$1,390 ฿45.4K

142.47%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$747 ฿24.4K

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 Chanthaburi: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $669 in Bangkok and $415 in Chanthaburi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $30.00 in Bangkok vs $31.00 in Chanthaburi. Groceries flip the comparison at $257 vs $248, with Chanthaburi 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 Chanthaburi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bangkok and Chanthaburi differ by about 23% in total monthly costs ($1,068 vs $869 including rent). Chanthaburi is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,602 in Bangkok and $1,304 in Chanthaburi 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: $669 in Bangkok versus $415 in Chanthaburi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Chanthaburi – a meal for two runs $31.00 versus $30.00 in Bangkok. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,068 per month in Bangkok versus $869 in Chanthaburi – a 23% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $869 in Chanthaburi versus $1,068 in Bangkok, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Chanthaburi but tight or insufficient in Bangkok. The gap between the two cities makes Chanthaburi 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 Chanthaburi 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 Chanthaburi gentler on the wallet – expenses run 23% less than in Bangkok. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.