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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,159 in Bangkok versus $2,019 in Koh Phi Phi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,862 in Bangkok versus $3,360 in Koh Phi Phi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,564 in Bangkok versus $4,701 in Koh Phi Phi.

Living in Bangkok costs roughly 43% less than in Koh Phi Phi, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Bangkok is 16% below, Koh Phi Phi is 46% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.01 ฿99.3

$6.95 ฿230

-56.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.47 ฿1,205

$49.96 ฿1,651

-27.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.59 ฿251

$13.17 ฿435

-42.37%

Cappuccino

$2.89 ฿95.4

$4.41 ฿146

-34.47%

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

$0.69 ฿22.96

$1.26 ฿41.54

-45.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.38 ฿12.43

$0.69 ฿22.65

-44.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.68 ฿88.7

$3.59 ฿119

-25.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.69 ฿155

$5.80 ฿192

-19.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.00 ฿66.0

$2.17 ฿71.8

-7.83%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿51.9

$1.72 ฿56.7

-8.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.54 ฿50.8

$1.92 ฿63.6

-19.79%

Eggs

$2.55 ฿84.2

$2.69 ฿88.8

-5.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.38 ฿574

$23.72 ฿784

-26.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.69 ฿122

$4.10 ฿135

-10.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.13 ฿467

$13.45 ฿444

5.06%

Apples (1kg)

$4.27 ฿141

$3.48 ฿115

22.70%

Banana (1kg)

$1.93 ฿63.8

$2.01 ฿66.3

-3.98%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.88 ฿95.2

$2.74 ฿90.6

5.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.98 ฿65.5

$2.64 ฿87.1

-25.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.72 ฿56.8

$1.85 ฿61.2

-7.03%

Onion (1kg)

$1.61 ฿53.3

$1.63 ฿54.0

-1.23%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.26 ฿41.68

$1.31 ฿43.22

-3.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 ฿18.68

$0.70 ฿23.09

-18.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.45 ฿147

$5.23 ฿173

-14.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.31 ฿506

$22.78 ฿753

-32.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 ฿60.9

$2.23 ฿73.8

-17.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.38 ฿112

$3.57 ฿118

-5.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.08 ฿35.70

$3.10 ฿102

-65.16%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$36.43 ฿1,204

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.07 ฿35.46

$4.38 ฿145

-75.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.25 ฿41.19

$1.51 ฿49.89

-17.22%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.96 ฿197

$5.52 ฿182

7.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.46 ฿48.11

$2.07 ฿68.4

-29.47%

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

$32.0K ฿1.1M

$39.0K ฿1.3M

-17.88%

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

$28.0K ฿925.4K

$38.5K ฿1.3M

-27.29%

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

$107 ฿3,546

$113 ฿3,723

-4.76%

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

$14.75 ฿487

$12.14 ฿401

21.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.52 ฿612

$19.56 ฿646

-5.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.7 ฿2,004

$64.7 ฿2,136

-6.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.82 ฿622

$13.28 ฿439

41.72%

Cinema Ticket

$7.84 ฿259

$9.10 ฿301

-13.85%

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

$553 ฿18.3K

$686 ฿22.7K

-19.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.3K ฿570.3K

$14.3K ฿472.9K

20.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$74.6 ฿2,466

$67.8 ฿2,241

10.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.46 ฿1,469

$30.34 ฿1,002

46.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.4 ฿3,250

$103 ฿3,414

-4.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$115 ฿3,807

$95.3 ฿3,149

20.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$699 ฿23.1K

$1,652 ฿54.6K

-57.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$362 ฿12.0K

$1,082 ฿35.8K

-66.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,043 ฿67.5K

$4,617 ฿152.5K

-55.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$742 ฿24.5K

$2,737 ฿90.4K

-72.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,019 ฿198.9K

$7,967 ฿263.2K

-24.46%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,238 ฿107.0K

$5,686 ฿187.9K

-43.06%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$638 ฿21.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.38

5.57

-3.41%

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

Last update for Bangkok: September 6, 2026

Last update for Koh Phi Phi: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $699 in Bangkok and $1,652 in Koh Phi Phi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $36.00 in Bangkok vs $50.0 in Koh Phi Phi for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $286 vs $329 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 Phi Phi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bangkok and Koh Phi Phi differ by about 74% in total monthly costs ($1,159 vs $2,019 including rent). Bangkok is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,739 in Bangkok and $3,028 in Koh Phi Phi 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: $699 in Bangkok versus $1,652 in Koh Phi Phi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 15% higher in Koh Phi Phi. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,159 per month in Bangkok versus $2,019 in Koh Phi Phi – a 74% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,159 in Bangkok versus $2,019 in Koh Phi Phi, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Bangkok but tight or insufficient in Koh Phi Phi. The gap between the two cities makes Bangkok 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 Phi Phi 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 Bangkok gentler on the wallet – expenses run 74% less than in Koh Phi Phi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.