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: $1,030 in Bangkok versus $1,913 in Koh Phi Phi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,738 in Bangkok versus $3,716 in Koh Phi Phi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,446 in Bangkok versus $5,518 in Koh Phi Phi.

Living in Bangkok costs roughly 46% less than in Koh Phi Phi, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Bangkok is 23% below, Koh Phi Phi is 42% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.04 ฿98.9

$7.01 ฿228

-56.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$31.35 ฿1,021

$70.5 ฿2,297

-55.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.99 ฿195

$12.81 ฿417

-53.24%

Cappuccino

$2.48 ฿80.9

$4.63 ฿151

-46.44%

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

$0.72 ฿23.33

$1.09 ฿35.49

-33.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 ฿9.53

$0.58 ฿19.02

-50.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.52 ฿82.2

$3.62 ฿118

-30.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.96 ฿129

$5.62 ฿183

-29.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.86 ฿60.7

$2.69 ฿87.5

-30.86%

White Bread (500g)

$1.39 ฿45.41

$2.25 ฿73.2

-38.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.41 ฿46.04

$2.71 ฿88.3

-47.97%

Eggs

$2.24 ฿73.0

$2.66 ฿86.6

-15.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.21 ฿593

$23.59 ฿768

-22.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.09 ฿101

$4.41 ฿144

-29.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.64 ฿314

$15.65 ฿510

-38.40%

Apples (1kg)

$3.39 ฿110

$3.99 ฿130

-15.04%

Banana (1kg)

$1.77 ฿57.8

$1.95 ฿63.6

-9.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.30 ฿74.9

$2.89 ฿94.0

-20.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.86 ฿60.6

$2.39 ฿78.0

-22.18%

Potato (1kg)

$1.65 ฿53.7

$1.91 ฿62.1

-13.61%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿48.82

$1.73 ฿56.4

-13.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.35 ฿44.09

$1.18 ฿38.34

14.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿15.91

$0.61 ฿19.92

-19.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.24 ฿138

$5.09 ฿166

-16.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.14 ฿493

$23.06 ฿751

-34.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.87 ฿60.9

$2.11 ฿68.7

-11.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 ฿107

$3.25 ฿106

1.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.25 ฿40.69

$1.98 ฿64.4

-36.87%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$36.61 ฿1,192

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.10 ฿35.98

$4.41 ฿144

-75.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.19 ฿38.78

$1.45 ฿47.15

-17.93%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.29 ฿205

$19.54 ฿636

-67.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 ฿39.13

$1.83 ฿59.7

-34.43%

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

$36.3K ฿1.2M

$38.4K ฿1.3M

-5.44%

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

$28.9K ฿942.3K

$46.1K ฿1.5M

-37.21%

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

$88.8 ฿2,893

$136 ฿4,419

-34.52%

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

$12.72 ฿414

$15.31 ฿499

-16.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.43 ฿568

$20.16 ฿657

-13.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.1 ฿1,728

$72.0 ฿2,345

-26.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.58 ฿345

$20.34 ฿663

-47.98%

Cinema Ticket

$7.62 ฿248

$10.76 ฿350

-29.18%

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

$604 ฿19.7K

$819 ฿26.7K

-26.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.3K ฿433.5K

$19.0K ฿617.3K

-29.78%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.5 ฿1,905

$60.9 ฿1,982

-3.91%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.59 ฿1,257

$36.87 ฿1,201

4.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$107 ฿3,485

$119 ฿3,878

-10.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.9 ฿3,027

$87.3 ฿2,842

6.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$659 ฿21.5K

$1,333 ฿43.4K

-50.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$329 ฿10.7K

$987 ฿32.1K

-66.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,894 ฿61.7K

$4,472 ฿145.7K

-57.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$842 ฿27.4K

$3,321 ฿108.2K

-74.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,432 ฿209.5K

$8,079 ฿263.1K

-20.38%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,416 ฿111.3K

$5,792 ฿188.7K

-41.03%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$750 ฿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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Koh Phi Phi: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $659 in Bangkok and $1,333 in Koh Phi Phi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $31.00 in Bangkok vs $71.0 in Koh Phi Phi for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $258 vs $350 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 86% in total monthly costs ($1,030 vs $1,913 including rent). Bangkok 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 $2,870 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: $659 in Bangkok versus $1,333 in Koh Phi Phi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 36% higher in Koh Phi Phi. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,030 per month in Bangkok versus $1,913 in Koh Phi Phi – a 86% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,030 in Bangkok versus $1,913 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 86% less than in Koh Phi Phi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.