Cost of Living Comparison Between Bangkok and Koh Chang Cost of Living Comparison Between Bangkok and Koh Chang

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,068 in Bangkok versus $992 in Koh Chang.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,732 in Bangkok versus $1,797 in Koh Chang.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,396 in Bangkok versus $2,602 in Koh Chang.

Living in Bangkok is roughly 8% more expensive than Koh Chang, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Bangkok 20% lower, Koh Chang 26% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.17 ฿103

$3.75 ฿122

-15.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.33 ฿991

$37.64 ฿1,229

-19.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.27 ฿205

$7.06 ฿231

-11.19%

Cappuccino

$2.51 ฿81.9

$2.44 ฿79.8

2.87%

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

$0.68 ฿22.34

$0.56 ฿18.21

21.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 ฿8.79

$0.29 ฿9.38

-6.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.44 ฿79.6

$1.92 ฿62.7

27.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.94 ฿129

$2.94 ฿96.1

34.01%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.80 ฿58.8

$2.02 ฿65.9

-10.89%

White Bread (500g)

$1.39 ฿45.38

$1.63 ฿53.2

-14.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.42 ฿46.22

$2.04 ฿66.6

-30.39%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿73.8

$1.99 ฿65.1

13.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.40 ฿601

$17.84 ฿583

3.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.01 ฿98.4

$3.36 ฿110

-10.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.38 ฿306

$11.95 ฿390

-21.51%

Apples (1kg)

$3.55 ฿116

$3.06 ฿99.8

16.01%

Banana (1kg)

$1.76 ฿57.6

$1.52 ฿49.74

15.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$2.11 ฿68.8

4.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.84 ฿59.9

$1.89 ฿61.8

-2.65%

Potato (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$1.39 ฿45.26

17.99%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿48.88

$1.29 ฿42.26

16.28%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.31 ฿42.67

$0.94 ฿30.78

39.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.10

$0.47 ฿15.39

10.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.25 ฿139

$3.87 ฿127

9.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.02 ฿490

$17.25 ฿563

-12.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.9

$1.59 ฿51.8

13.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.39 ฿111

$2.43 ฿79.4

39.51%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.19 ฿39.00

$1.08 ฿35.42

10.19%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$36.43 ฿1,190

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.10 ฿35.84

$2.43 ฿79.5

-54.73%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.20 ฿39.07

$0.84 ฿27.27

42.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.13 ฿200

$10.93 ฿357

-43.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 ฿40.88

$1.07 ฿34.96

16.82%

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

$37.3K ฿1.2M

$22.3K ฿726.9K

67.72%

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

$28.6K ฿934.5K

$27.0K ฿881.0K

6.08%

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

$91.9 ฿3,000

$118 ฿3,865

-22.38%

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

$12.96 ฿423

$13.09 ฿428

-0.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.67 ฿577

$17.49 ฿571

1.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.9 ฿1,759

$52.4 ฿1,712

2.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.68 ฿349

$14.66 ฿479

-27.15%

Cinema Ticket

$7.90 ฿258

$7.76 ฿253

1.80%

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

$601 ฿19.6K

$634 ฿20.7K

-5.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.2K ฿432.6K

$14.2K ฿464.2K

-6.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.0 ฿1,863

$54.9 ฿1,794

3.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.28 ฿1,250

$32.48 ฿1,061

17.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 ฿3,376

$107 ฿3,501

-3.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$95.0 ฿3,103

$81.9 ฿2,676

15.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$669 ฿21.9K

$406 ฿13.3K

64.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$326 ฿10.7K

$288 ฿9,391

13.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,877 ฿61.3K

$1,326 ฿43.3K

41.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$843 ฿27.5K

$965 ฿31.5K

-12.61%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,307 ฿206.0K

$2,429 ฿79.3K

159.69%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,371 ฿110.1K

$1,710 ฿55.8K

97.13%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$747 ฿24.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.84

5.33

9.57%

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

Last update for Bangkok: May 31, 2026

Last update for Koh Chang: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $669 in Bangkok and $406 in Koh Chang. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $30.00 in Bangkok vs $38.00 in Koh Chang for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $257 vs $264 per month, with Bangkok 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 Koh Chang: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bangkok and Koh Chang differ by about 8% in total monthly costs ($1,068 vs $992 including rent). Koh Chang is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,602 in Bangkok and $1,488 in Koh Chang 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: $669 in Bangkok versus $406 in Koh Chang. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Bangkok pay roughly 3% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $1,068 per month in Bangkok versus $992 in Koh Chang – a 8% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $992 in Koh Chang versus $1,068 in Bangkok, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Koh Chang but tight or insufficient in Bangkok. The gap between the two cities makes Koh Chang 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 Koh Chang 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 Koh Chang gentler on the wallet – expenses run 8% less than in Bangkok. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.