Cost of Living Comparison Between Bangkok and Krabi Cost of Living Comparison Between Bangkok and Krabi

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,068 in Bangkok versus $1,001 in Krabi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,732 in Bangkok versus $1,452 in Krabi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,396 in Bangkok versus $1,903 in Krabi.

Living in Bangkok is roughly 7% more expensive than Krabi, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Bangkok 20% lower, Krabi 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.17 ฿103

$3.12 ฿102

1.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.33 ฿991

$24.63 ฿804

23.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.27 ฿205

$6.03 ฿197

3.98%

Cappuccino

$2.51 ฿81.9

$2.67 ฿87.3

-5.99%

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

$0.68 ฿22.34

$0.95 ฿30.88

-28.42%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 ฿8.79

$0.40 ฿12.98

-32.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.44 ฿79.6

$2.39 ฿78.0

2.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.94 ฿129

$2.83 ฿92.4

39.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.80 ฿58.8

$2.51 ฿82.1

-28.29%

White Bread (500g)

$1.39 ฿45.38

$2.45 ฿80.0

-43.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.42 ฿46.22

$1.94 ฿63.5

-26.80%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿73.8

$2.16 ฿70.6

4.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.40 ฿601

$27.55 ฿900

-33.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.01 ฿98.4

$3.61 ฿118

-16.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.38 ฿306

$7.83 ฿256

19.80%

Apples (1kg)

$3.55 ฿116

$2.47 ฿80.5

43.72%

Banana (1kg)

$1.76 ฿57.6

$0.89 ฿28.91

97.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$1.89 ฿61.8

16.93%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.84 ฿59.9

$1.95 ฿63.6

-5.64%

Potato (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$1.50 ฿48.88

9.33%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿48.88

$1.35 ฿44.09

11.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.31 ฿42.67

$1.48 ฿48.42

-11.49%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.10

$0.44 ฿14.51

18.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.25 ฿139

$3.65 ฿119

16.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.02 ฿490

$10.98 ฿358

36.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.9

$1.70 ฿55.6

5.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.39 ฿111

$3.12 ฿102

8.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.19 ฿39.00

$1.20 ฿39.20

-0.83%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$36.43 ฿1,190

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.10 ฿35.84

$1.11 ฿36.11

-0.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.20 ฿39.07

$1.19 ฿38.77

0.84%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.13 ฿200

$6.15 ฿201

-0.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 ฿40.88

$1.20 ฿39.19

4.17%

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

$37.3K ฿1.2M

$28.2K ฿921.3K

32.33%

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

$28.6K ฿934.5K

$27.9K ฿912.0K

2.47%

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

$91.9 ฿3,000

$43.78 ฿1,430

109.80%

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

$12.96 ฿423

$12.83 ฿419

1.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.67 ฿577

$27.96 ฿913

-36.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.9 ฿1,759

$40.95 ฿1,338

31.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.68 ฿349

$12.26 ฿400

-12.89%

Cinema Ticket

$7.90 ฿258

$6.78 ฿222

16.52%

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

$601 ฿19.6K

$213 ฿6,951

182.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.2K ฿432.6K

$7,852 ฿256.4K

68.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.0 ฿1,863

$32.98 ฿1,077

72.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.28 ฿1,250

$34.73 ฿1,134

10.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 ฿3,376

$108 ฿3,528

-4.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$95.0 ฿3,103

$76.3 ฿2,491

24.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$669 ฿21.9K

$498 ฿16.3K

34.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$326 ฿10.7K

$372 ฿12.1K

-12.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,877 ฿61.3K

$596 ฿19.5K

214.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$843 ฿27.5K

$445 ฿14.5K

89.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,307 ฿206.0K

$1,212 ฿39.6K

420.35%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,371 ฿110.1K

$1,070 ฿35.0K

214.95%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$747 ฿24.4K

$732 ฿23.9K

2.08%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Krabi: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $669 in Bangkok and $498 in Krabi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bangkok pays 2% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $30.00 in Bangkok vs $25.00 in Krabi. Groceries flip the comparison at $257 vs $280, with Bangkok 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 Krabi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bangkok and Krabi differ by about 7% in total monthly costs ($1,068 vs $1,001 including rent). Krabi is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Bangkok pays 2% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $669 in Bangkok versus $498 in Krabi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Bangkok pay roughly 9% 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 $1,001 in Krabi – a 7% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,001 in Krabi versus $1,068 in Bangkok, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Krabi but tight or insufficient in Bangkok. The gap between the two cities makes Krabi 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 Krabi 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 Krabi gentler on the wallet – expenses run 7% less than in Bangkok. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.