Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Bangkok and Chanthaburi

For one person, living is cheaper in Chanthaburi: $977 a month against $1,125 in Bangkok, rent and utilities included – about $1,800 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

Bangkok, Thailand
Chanthaburi, Thailand
Bangkok
🇹🇭 Thailand
$1,125
/mo nomad
Chanthaburi
🇹🇭 Thailand
$977
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Bangkok and in Chanthaburi

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Bangkok and in Chanthaburi actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,125 in Bangkok versus $977 in Chanthaburi.

  • Bangkok $1,125
  • Chanthaburi $977

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,837 in Bangkok versus $1,588 in Chanthaburi.

  • Bangkok $1,837
  • Chanthaburi $1,588

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,549 in Bangkok versus $2,199 in Chanthaburi.

  • Bangkok $2,549
  • Chanthaburi $2,199

Living in Bangkok is roughly 15% more expensive than in Chanthaburi, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both cities sit below the global median: Bangkok 17% lower, Chanthaburi 28% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Bangkok
Chanthaburi
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.90 ฿97.9
$1.21 ฿40.89
139.67%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$35.48 ฿1,196
$35.42 ฿1,194
0.17%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.37 ฿248
$6.58 ฿222
12.01%
Cappuccino
$2.73 ฿92.0
$1.46 ฿49.14
86.99%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.67 ฿22.71
$0.52 ฿17.63
28.85%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.32 ฿10.93
$0.31 ฿10.59
3.23%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.63 ฿88.7
$1.68 ฿56.8
56.55%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.54 ฿153
$4.53 ฿153
0.22%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Bangkok
Chanthaburi
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.85 ฿62.2
$1.51 ฿51.0
22.52%
White Bread (500g)
$1.48 ฿49.87
$1.52 ฿51.1
-2.63%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.41 ฿47.51
$0.87 ฿29.28
62.07%
Eggs
$2.60 ฿87.7
$2.10 ฿70.8
23.81%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$17.29 ฿583
$17.28 ฿582
0.06%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.55 ฿120
$3.60 ฿121
-1.39%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.69 ฿428
$13.16 ฿444
-3.57%
Apples (1kg)
$3.70 ฿125
$3.91 ฿132
-5.37%
Banana (1kg)
$1.72 ฿58.1
$1.74 ฿58.8
-1.15%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.74 ฿92.4
$2.81 ฿94.8
-2.49%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.96 ฿66.1
$1.99 ฿66.9
-1.51%
Potato (1kg)
$1.67 ฿56.4
$1.18 ฿39.90
41.53%
Onion (1kg)
$1.51 ฿50.8
$1.50 ฿50.4
0.67%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.27 ฿42.79
$1.23 ฿41.32
3.25%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.50 ฿16.93
$0.52 ฿17.66
-3.85%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.80 ฿162
$4.84 ฿163
-0.83%
Wine (Bottle)
$14.88 ฿502
$14.65 ฿494
1.57%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.84 ฿62.0
$1.71 ฿57.5
7.60%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.22 ฿108
$3.30 ฿111
-2.42%
🚌 Getting Around
Bangkok
Chanthaburi
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.02 ฿34.26
$0.91 ฿30.61
12.09%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$35.37 ฿1,192
$88.4 ฿2,978
-59.98%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.05 ฿35.41
$1.02 ฿34.27
2.94%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.20 ฿40.57
$1.07 ฿36.00
12.15%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$6.10 ฿205
$6.05 ฿204
0.83%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.43 ฿48.20
$1.19 ฿40.22
20.17%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$30.8K ฿1.0M
$31.7K ฿1.1M
-2.99%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.9K ฿905.9K
$23.5K ฿790.6K
14.58%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Bangkok
Chanthaburi
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$109 ฿3,660
$109 ฿3,667
-0.19%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$14.94 ฿503
$3.50 ฿118
326.86%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.05 ฿608
$10.30 ฿347
75.24%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Bangkok
Chanthaburi
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$56.3 ฿1,896
$47.68 ฿1,607
18.02%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.45 ฿622
$13.10 ฿442
40.84%
Cinema Ticket
$7.46 ฿251
$5.49 ฿185
35.88%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Bangkok
Chanthaburi
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$802 ฿27.0K
$564 ฿19.0K
42.30%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$17.0K ฿572.1K
$16.3K ฿550.4K
3.93%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Bangkok
Chanthaburi
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$71.5 ฿2,411
$7.39 ฿249
868.06%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$42.12 ฿1,419
$35.59 ฿1,199
18.35%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$97.1 ฿3,272
$68.0 ฿2,291
42.82%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$107 ฿3,596
$20.61 ฿695
417.81%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Bangkok
Chanthaburi
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$713 ฿24.0K
$426 ฿14.4K
67.39%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$347 ฿11.7K
$305 ฿10.3K
13.69%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,219 ฿74.8K
$1,166 ฿39.3K
90.37%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$820 ฿27.6K
$700 ฿23.6K
17.11%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$5,948 ฿200.5K
$1,936 ฿65.2K
207.28%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,151 ฿106.2K
$1,445 ฿48.7K
118.04%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Bangkok
Chanthaburi
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$612 ฿20.6K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.25
5.25
-

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

Last update for Bangkok: October 25, 2026

Last update for Chanthaburi: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Bangkok
$347
Chanthaburi
$305 12% $42
Groceries & Markets
Bangkok
$271
Chanthaburi
$265 2.3% $6.4
Clothing & Footwear
Bangkok
$143
Chanthaburi
$59 58.6% $84
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Bangkok
$142
Chanthaburi
$123 13.4% $19
Eating Out
Bangkok
$104
Chanthaburi
$68 35% $37
Sport & Entertainment
Bangkok
$71
Chanthaburi
$59 17.6% $13
Getting Around
Bangkok
$47
Chanthaburi
$98 112% $52

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $713 in Bangkok and $426 in Chanthaburi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $35 in Bangkok vs $35 in Chanthaburi. Groceries flip the comparison at $271 vs $265, with Chanthaburi cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know
🇹🇭 Bangkok
🇹🇭 Chanthaburi
🕒 Local time
10:08 10:08 AM
10:08 10:08 AM
Same time as Bangkok
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
5,666,264 Capital
27,602
💱 Currency
Thai Baht THB ฿
Thai Baht THB ฿
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 29, 2026: 1 USD = 33.7 THB (100 THB = 2.97 USD). 1 EUR = 37.52 THB (100 THB = 2.67 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Bangkok Chanthaburi 220 km
From you
  • Bangkok
  • Chanthaburi

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
What is the total cost difference between living in Bangkok and in Chanthaburi?
Total monthly costs including rent come to $1,125 in Bangkok and $977 in Chanthaburi, so Chanthaburi is about 13% cheaper – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
What salary covers living expenses in Bangkok compared to Chanthaburi?
You’d need roughly $1,687 in Bangkok and $1,465 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.
How do apartment prices compare in Bangkok and in Chanthaburi?
Rent for a central apartment: $713 in Bangkok versus $426 in Chanthaburi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Bangkok and Chanthaburi?
Childcare runs $802 in Bangkok versus $564 in Chanthaburi. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city is more expensive overall: Bangkok or Chanthaburi?
All in, you’ll spend $1,125 per month in Bangkok versus $977 in Chanthaburi – Chanthaburi is about 13% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.
How does quality of life compare between Bangkok and Chanthaburi?
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.
Is Bangkok or Chanthaburi safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Bangkok and Chanthaburi are both considered safe, so it’s unlikely to be the deciding factor between them.

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