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: $1,046 in Bangkok versus $992 in Krabi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,754 in Bangkok versus $1,457 in Krabi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,461 in Bangkok versus $1,923 in Krabi.

Living in Bangkok is roughly 5% more expensive than in Krabi, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Bangkok 22% lower, Krabi 26% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.02 ฿101

$3.16 ฿106

-4.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$31.34 ฿1,054

$24.53 ฿825

27.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.15 ฿207

$6.11 ฿205

0.65%

Cappuccino

$2.47 ฿83.0

$2.60 ฿87.6

-5.00%

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

$0.69 ฿23.14

$0.95 ฿32.10

-27.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 ฿9.01

$0.39 ฿13.18

-30.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.52 ฿84.7

$2.44 ฿82.1

3.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.07 ฿137

$2.79 ฿94.0

45.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 ฿63.0

$2.58 ฿86.7

-27.52%

White Bread (500g)

$1.34 ฿45.06

$2.55 ฿85.8

-47.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.46 ฿49.07

$1.95 ฿65.6

-25.13%

Eggs

$2.19 ฿73.6

$2.16 ฿72.5

1.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.12 ฿610

$26.75 ฿900

-32.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.06 ฿103

$3.64 ฿122

-15.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.62 ฿324

$7.92 ฿266

21.46%

Apples (1kg)

$3.53 ฿119

$2.34 ฿78.5

50.85%

Banana (1kg)

$1.76 ฿59.2

$0.89 ฿29.98

97.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.27 ฿76.4

$1.91 ฿64.4

18.85%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.86 ฿62.7

$2.02 ฿68.0

-7.92%

Potato (1kg)

$1.64 ฿55.2

$1.53 ฿51.3

7.19%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿49.93

$1.36 ฿45.78

8.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.34 ฿45.20

$1.49 ฿50.1

-10.07%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 ฿16.69

$0.47 ฿15.93

6.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.43 ฿149

$3.57 ฿120

24.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.10 ฿609

$10.68 ฿359

69.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 ฿59.5

$1.70 ฿57.3

4.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.40 ฿114

$3.14 ฿106

8.28%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.19 ฿40.16

$1.26 ฿42.21

-5.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$36.61 ฿1,231

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.06 ฿35.81

$1.10 ฿36.91

-3.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.19 ฿39.98

$1.14 ฿38.42

4.39%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.03 ฿203

$6.31 ฿212

-4.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 ฿42.14

$1.14 ฿38.50

9.65%

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

$37.2K ฿1.3M

$27.3K ฿919.2K

36.09%

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

$28.3K ฿951.3K

$27.0K ฿906.7K

4.92%

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

$91.6 ฿3,079

$44.55 ฿1,498

105.50%

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

$12.61 ฿424

$12.92 ฿434

-2.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.20 ฿578

$27.62 ฿929

-37.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.1 ฿1,753

$41.17 ฿1,385

26.57%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.49 ฿353

$12.22 ฿411

-14.16%

Cinema Ticket

$7.88 ฿265

$6.61 ฿222

19.21%

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

$603 ฿20.3K

$219 ฿7,363

175.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.4K ฿450.1K

$7,680 ฿258.3K

74.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.5 ฿1,968

$33.29 ฿1,120

75.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.64 ฿1,299

$34.33 ฿1,155

12.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 ฿3,525

$106 ฿3,575

-1.39%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$93.7 ฿3,152

$77.4 ฿2,603

21.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$684 ฿23.0K

$495 ฿16.7K

38.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$324 ฿10.9K

$363 ฿12.2K

-10.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,905 ฿64.1K

$589 ฿19.8K

223.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$829 ฿27.9K

$444 ฿14.9K

86.81%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,056 ฿203.7K

$1,182 ฿39.7K

412.42%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,313 ฿111.4K

$1,046 ฿35.2K

216.73%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$622 ฿20.9K

$692 ฿23.3K

-10.19%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Krabi: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $684 in Bangkok and $495 in Krabi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Krabi pays 11% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $31.00 in Bangkok vs $25.00 in Krabi. Groceries flip the comparison at $263 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 5% in total monthly costs ($1,046 vs $992 including rent). Krabi is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 11% lower in Krabi. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $684 in Bangkok versus $495 in Krabi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Bangkok pay roughly 6% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $1,046 per month in Bangkok versus $992 in Krabi – a 5% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $992 in Krabi versus $1,046 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 5% less than in Bangkok. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.