Cost of Living Comparison Between Bangkok and Chon Buri Cost of Living Comparison Between Bangkok and Chon Buri

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,138 in Bangkok versus $824 in Chon Buri.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,863 in Bangkok versus $1,380 in Chon Buri.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,589 in Bangkok versus $1,936 in Chon Buri.

Living in Bangkok is roughly 38% more expensive than in Chon Buri, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Bangkok 17% lower, Chon Buri 40% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.04 ฿99.8

$2.04 ฿66.9

49.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.64 ฿1,204

$16.80 ฿552

118.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.42 ฿244

$7.49 ฿246

-0.93%

Cappuccino

$2.96 ฿97.5

$1.87 ฿61.4

58.29%

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

$0.67 ฿22.12

$0.71 ฿23.18

-5.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.34 ฿11.17

$0.36 ฿11.68

-5.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.66 ฿87.5

$1.80 ฿59.1

47.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.56 ฿150

$2.81 ฿92.5

62.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.00 ฿65.6

$1.52 ฿50.1

31.58%

White Bread (500g)

$1.49 ฿48.90

$1.34 ฿43.96

11.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.53 ฿50.2

$1.32 ฿43.32

15.91%

Eggs

$2.66 ฿87.6

$1.98 ฿65.1

34.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.32 ฿569

$12.99 ฿427

33.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.58 ฿118

$2.53 ฿83.2

41.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.04 ฿461

$10.38 ฿341

35.26%

Apples (1kg)

$4.12 ฿135

$3.52 ฿116

17.05%

Banana (1kg)

$1.92 ฿63.3

$1.02 ฿33.44

88.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.84 ฿93.2

$2.43 ฿80.0

16.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.96 ฿64.5

$1.62 ฿53.2

20.99%

Potato (1kg)

$1.71 ฿56.3

$2.02 ฿66.3

-15.35%

Onion (1kg)

$1.63 ฿53.7

$1.10 ฿36.28

48.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.27 ฿41.70

$0.85 ฿27.86

49.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.47

$0.46 ฿14.98

21.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.61 ฿151

$4.66 ฿153

-1.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.28 ฿502

$14.26 ฿469

7.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.4

$1.71 ฿56.1

4.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.36 ฿111

$2.59 ฿85.1

29.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.11 ฿36.49

$0.94 ฿30.78

18.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$36.19 ฿1,190

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.08 ฿35.64

$1.25 ฿40.98

-13.60%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.19 ฿38.97

$1.62 ฿53.2

-26.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.00 ฿197

$3.97 ฿131

51.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 ฿46.87

$1.29 ฿42.52

10.85%

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

$32.0K ฿1.1M

$25.0K ฿821.3K

28.26%

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

$27.9K ฿917.5K

$22.7K ฿746.1K

22.97%

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

$105 ฿3,453

$85.1 ฿2,796

23.47%

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

$14.49 ฿476

$9.41 ฿309

53.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.57 ฿610

$22.56 ฿742

-17.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.5 ฿1,957

$47.97 ฿1,577

24.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.07 ฿627

$14.16 ฿466

34.68%

Cinema Ticket

$7.61 ฿250

$6.82 ฿224

11.58%

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

$558 ฿18.3K

$724 ฿23.8K

-22.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.9K ฿555.3K

$11.1K ฿364.4K

52.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$73.7 ฿2,421

$6.09 ฿200

1109.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.33 ฿1,424

$30.37 ฿998

42.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.3 ฿3,164

$74.1 ฿2,437

29.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$118 ฿3,869

$54.7 ฿1,796

115.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$704 ฿23.1K

$529 ฿17.4K

33.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$357 ฿11.7K

$262 ฿8,624

36.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,024 ฿66.5K

$1,230 ฿40.4K

64.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$757 ฿24.9K

$709 ฿23.3K

6.81%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,987 ฿196.8K

$2,011 ฿66.1K

197.76%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,211 ฿105.5K

$1,609 ฿52.9K

99.56%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$638 ฿21.0K

$608 ฿20.0K

4.92%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.38

79.33%

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

Last update for Bangkok: August 29, 2026

Last update for Chon Buri: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $704 in Bangkok and $529 in Chon Buri. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bangkok pays 5% 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: $37.00 in Bangkok vs $17.00 in Chon Buri for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $283 vs $225 per month, with Chon Buri 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 Chon Buri: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bangkok and Chon Buri differ by about 38% in total monthly costs ($1,138 vs $824 including rent). Chon Buri is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 5% 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: $704 in Bangkok versus $529 in Chon Buri. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 26% higher in Bangkok. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,138 per month in Bangkok versus $824 in Chon Buri – a 38% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $824 in Chon Buri versus $1,138 in Bangkok, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Chon Buri but tight or insufficient in Bangkok. The gap between the two cities makes Chon Buri 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 Chon Buri 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 Chon Buri gentler on the wallet – expenses run 38% less than in Bangkok. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.