Cost of Living Comparison Between Bangkok and Khon Kaen Cost of Living Comparison Between Bangkok and Khon Kaen

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,030 in Bangkok versus $748 in Khon Kaen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,738 in Bangkok versus $1,264 in Khon Kaen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,446 in Bangkok versus $1,779 in Khon Kaen.

Living in Bangkok is roughly 38% more expensive than Khon Kaen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Bangkok 23% lower, Khon Kaen 44% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.04 ฿98.9

$1.57 ฿51.1

93.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$31.35 ฿1,021

$30.49 ฿993

2.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.99 ฿195

$6.02 ฿196

-0.50%

Cappuccino

$2.48 ฿80.9

$1.67 ฿54.5

48.50%

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

$0.72 ฿23.33

$0.64 ฿20.94

12.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 ฿9.53

$0.29 ฿9.41

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.52 ฿82.2

$1.79 ฿58.3

40.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.96 ฿129

$5.73 ฿187

-30.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.86 ฿60.7

$1.71 ฿55.8

8.77%

White Bread (500g)

$1.39 ฿45.41

$1.22 ฿39.60

13.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.41 ฿46.04

$0.95 ฿30.88

48.42%

Eggs

$2.24 ฿73.0

$2.58 ฿83.9

-13.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.21 ฿593

$18.28 ฿595

-0.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.09 ฿101

$3.13 ฿102

-1.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.64 ฿314

$10.61 ฿346

-9.14%

Apples (1kg)

$3.39 ฿110

$3.14 ฿102

7.96%

Banana (1kg)

$1.77 ฿57.8

$0.96 ฿31.19

84.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.30 ฿74.9

$1.58 ฿51.4

45.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.86 ฿60.6

$1.20 ฿39.16

55.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.65 ฿53.7

$1.82 ฿59.4

-9.34%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿48.82

$1.24 ฿40.46

20.97%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.35 ฿44.09

$0.93 ฿30.45

45.16%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿15.91

$0.51 ฿16.63

-3.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.24 ฿138

$4.57 ฿149

-7.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.14 ฿493

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.87 ฿60.9

$1.80 ฿58.8

3.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 ฿107

$2.41 ฿78.6

36.93%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.25 ฿40.69

$0.90 ฿29.30

38.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$36.61 ฿1,192

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.10 ฿35.98

$1.06 ฿34.45

3.77%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.19 ฿38.78

$1.14 ฿37.00

4.39%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.29 ฿205

$6.07 ฿198

3.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 ฿39.13

$1.26 ฿41.17

-4.76%

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

$36.3K ฿1.2M

$45.5K ฿1.5M

-20.17%

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

$28.9K ฿942.3K

$28.3K ฿920.9K

2.33%

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

$88.8 ฿2,893

$64.6 ฿2,103

37.57%

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

$12.72 ฿414

$23.23 ฿757

-45.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.43 ฿568

$22.76 ฿741

-23.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.1 ฿1,728

$62.1 ฿2,024

-14.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.58 ฿345

$12.01 ฿391

-11.91%

Cinema Ticket

$7.62 ฿248

$6.24 ฿203

22.12%

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

$604 ฿19.7K

$294 ฿9,564

105.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.3K ฿433.5K

$9,211 ฿300.0K

44.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.5 ฿1,905

$30.45 ฿992

92.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.59 ฿1,257

$40.84 ฿1,330

-5.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$107 ฿3,485

$76.4 ฿2,487

40.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.9 ฿3,027

$63.7 ฿2,076

45.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$659 ฿21.5K

$250 ฿8,140

163.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$329 ฿10.7K

$170 ฿5,532

93.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,894 ฿61.7K

$766 ฿24.9K

147.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$842 ฿27.4K

$440 ฿14.3K

91.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,432 ฿209.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,416 ฿111.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$750 ฿24.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.84

5.45

7.16%

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

Last update for Bangkok: June 8, 2026

Last update for Khon Kaen: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $659 in Bangkok and $250 in Khon Kaen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $31.00 in Bangkok vs $30.00 in Khon Kaen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $258 vs $211 per month, with Khon Kaen 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 Khon Kaen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bangkok and Khon Kaen differ by about 38% in total monthly costs ($1,030 vs $748 including rent). Khon Kaen is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,545 in Bangkok and $1,122 in Khon Kaen 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: $659 in Bangkok versus $250 in Khon Kaen. 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 $1,030 per month in Bangkok versus $748 in Khon Kaen – a 38% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $748 in Khon Kaen versus $1,030 in Bangkok, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Khon Kaen but tight or insufficient in Bangkok. The gap between the two cities makes Khon Kaen 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 Khon Kaen 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 Khon Kaen 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.