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: $1,048 in Bangkok versus $780 in Khon Kaen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,756 in Bangkok versus $1,291 in Khon Kaen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,464 in Bangkok versus $1,801 in Khon Kaen.

Living in Bangkok is roughly 34% more expensive than Khon Kaen, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Bangkok 22% lower, Khon Kaen 42% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.15 ฿103

$1.56 ฿51.0

101.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.45 ฿996

$31.24 ฿1,022

-2.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.09 ฿199

$6.29 ฿206

-3.18%

Cappuccino

$2.47 ฿80.8

$1.62 ฿53.0

52.47%

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

$0.73 ฿23.77

$0.61 ฿20.04

19.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 ฿8.81

$0.29 ฿9.43

-6.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.44 ฿79.7

$1.86 ฿60.8

31.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.01 ฿131

$5.56 ฿182

-27.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.86 ฿60.9

$1.66 ฿54.3

12.05%

White Bread (500g)

$1.36 ฿44.33

$1.26 ฿41.35

7.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.32

$0.97 ฿31.59

52.58%

Eggs

$2.19 ฿71.8

$2.52 ฿82.4

-13.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.29 ฿598

$18.24 ฿596

0.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.97 ฿97.0

$3.02 ฿98.7

-1.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.11 ฿298

$10.86 ฿355

-16.11%

Apples (1kg)

$3.43 ฿112

$3.17 ฿104

8.20%

Banana (1kg)

$1.79 ฿58.6

$0.89 ฿29.09

101.12%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.22 ฿72.5

$1.51 ฿49.23

47.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.84 ฿60.2

$1.25 ฿40.82

47.20%

Potato (1kg)

$1.60 ฿52.3

$1.90 ฿62.0

-15.79%

Onion (1kg)

$1.44 ฿46.99

$1.19 ฿39.04

21.01%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.36 ฿44.50

$0.95 ฿31.05

43.16%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.08

$0.48 ฿15.77

2.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.50 ฿147

$4.36 ฿142

3.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.67 ฿545

$19.23 ฿629

-13.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.85 ฿60.6

$1.81 ฿59.3

2.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.25 ฿106

$2.43 ฿79.5

33.74%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.24 ฿40.69

$0.90 ฿29.45

37.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$37.06 ฿1,212

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.05 ฿34.34

$1.07 ฿34.86

-1.87%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.15 ฿37.66

$1.20 ฿39.15

-4.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.10 ฿199

$6.22 ฿203

-1.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.21 ฿39.54

$1.31 ฿42.71

-7.63%

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

$36.8K ฿1.2M

$46.1K ฿1.5M

-20.26%

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

$28.9K ฿946.3K

$28.1K ฿919.6K

2.91%

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

$91.2 ฿2,981

$64.4 ฿2,107

41.49%

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

$12.62 ฿413

$22.96 ฿751

-45.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.30 ฿566

$23.54 ฿770

-26.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.4 ฿1,746

$62.3 ฿2,036

-14.24%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.42 ฿341

$12.04 ฿394

-13.46%

Cinema Ticket

$7.84 ฿257

$6.07 ฿198

29.16%

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

$609 ฿19.9K

$297 ฿9,726

104.83%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.2K ฿431.9K

$9,261 ฿302.8K

42.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.5 ฿1,914

$30.59 ฿1,000

91.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.25 ฿1,283

$41.13 ฿1,345

-4.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 ฿3,475

$78.1 ฿2,554

36.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 ฿3,031

$65.6 ฿2,144

41.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$683 ฿22.3K

$256 ฿8,386

166.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$321 ฿10.5K

$169 ฿5,511

90.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,855 ฿60.7K

$756 ฿24.7K

145.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$830 ฿27.1K

$431 ฿14.1K

92.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,006 ฿196.4K

$1,869 ฿61.1K

221.30%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,220 ฿105.3K

$1,683 ฿55.0K

91.32%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$774 ฿25.3K

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Khon Kaen: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $683 in Bangkok and $256 in Khon Kaen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $30.00 in Bangkok vs $31.00 in Khon Kaen. Groceries flip the comparison at $258 vs $249, with Khon Kaen 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 Khon Kaen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bangkok and Khon Kaen differ by about 34% in total monthly costs ($1,048 vs $780 including rent). Khon Kaen is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,572 in Bangkok and $1,170 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: $683 in Bangkok versus $256 in Khon Kaen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 4% higher in Bangkok. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,048 per month in Bangkok versus $780 in Khon Kaen – a 34% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $780 in Khon Kaen versus $1,048 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 34% less than in Bangkok. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.