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: $1,046 in Bangkok versus $746 in Chon Buri.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,754 in Bangkok versus $1,284 in Chon Buri.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,461 in Bangkok versus $1,821 in Chon Buri.

Living in Bangkok is roughly 40% more expensive than in Chon Buri, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Bangkok 22% lower, Chon Buri 44% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.02 ฿102

$2.01 ฿67.8

50.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$31.34 ฿1,055

$18.45 ฿621

69.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.15 ฿207

$6.12 ฿206

0.49%

Cappuccino

$2.47 ฿83.0

$1.88 ฿63.4

31.38%

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

$0.69 ฿23.15

$0.67 ฿22.68

2.99%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 ฿9.01

$0.51 ฿17.17

-47.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.52 ฿84.8

$1.87 ฿63.0

34.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.07 ฿137

$3.80 ฿128

7.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 ฿63.0

$1.41 ฿47.35

32.62%

White Bread (500g)

$1.34 ฿45.08

$1.40 ฿47.25

-4.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.46 ฿49.10

$1.06 ฿35.56

37.74%

Eggs

$2.19 ฿73.7

$1.89 ฿63.5

15.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.12 ฿610

$13.59 ฿457

33.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.06 ฿103

$1.97 ฿66.3

55.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.62 ฿324

$10.96 ฿369

-12.23%

Apples (1kg)

$3.53 ฿119

$2.41 ฿81.0

46.47%

Banana (1kg)

$1.76 ฿59.3

$0.76 ฿25.50

131.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.27 ฿76.4

$1.88 ฿63.3

20.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.86 ฿62.7

$1.57 ฿52.8

18.47%

Potato (1kg)

$1.64 ฿55.2

$1.62 ฿54.6

1.23%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿49.96

$1.28 ฿42.92

15.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.34 ฿45.23

$0.75 ฿25.15

78.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 ฿16.70

$0.43 ฿14.34

16.28%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.43 ฿149

$4.58 ฿154

-3.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.10 ฿609

$14.42 ฿485

25.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 ฿59.5

$1.67 ฿56.2

5.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.40 ฿114

$3.53 ฿119

-3.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.19 ฿40.18

$0.96 ฿32.44

23.96%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$36.61 ฿1,232

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.06 ฿35.83

$1.11 ฿37.33

-4.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.19 ฿40.00

$0.72 ฿24.16

65.28%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.03 ฿203

$5.50 ฿185

9.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 ฿42.17

$1.30 ฿43.79

-3.85%

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

$37.2K ฿1.3M

$19.9K ฿670.5K

86.67%

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

$28.3K ฿951.9K

$21.0K ฿705.6K

34.91%

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

$91.6 ฿3,081

$73.9 ฿2,487

23.88%

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

$12.61 ฿424

$13.29 ฿447

-5.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.20 ฿579

$18.13 ฿610

-5.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.1 ฿1,754

$50.2 ฿1,689

3.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.49 ฿353

$12.07 ฿406

-13.09%

Cinema Ticket

$7.88 ฿265

$3.17 ฿107

148.58%

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

$603 ฿20.3K

$138 ฿4,656

335.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.4K ฿450.4K

$15.8K ฿530.4K

-15.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.5 ฿1,969

$19.64 ฿661

197.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.64 ฿1,300

$24.76 ฿833

56.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 ฿3,527

$60.4 ฿2,033

73.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$93.7 ฿3,154

$58.4 ฿1,964

60.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$684 ฿23.0K

$549 ฿18.5K

24.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$324 ฿10.9K

$218 ฿7,338

48.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,905 ฿64.1K

$814 ฿27.4K

133.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$829 ฿27.9K

$662 ฿22.3K

25.22%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,056 ฿203.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,313 ฿111.5K

$791 ฿26.6K

318.77%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$622 ฿20.9K

$598 ฿20.1K

4.04%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.84

6.17

-5.35%

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

Last update for Bangkok: July 12, 2026

Last update for Chon Buri: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $684 in Bangkok and $549 in Chon Buri. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bangkok pays 4% 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 $18.00 in Chon Buri for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $263 vs $215 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 40% in total monthly costs ($1,046 vs $746 including rent). Chon Buri is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 4% 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 $549 in Chon Buri. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 22% 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 $746 in Chon Buri – a 40% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $746 in Chon Buri versus $1,046 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 40% less than in Bangkok. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.