Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Bangkok and Krabi

For one person, living is cheaper in Krabi: $1,006 a month against $1,125 in Bangkok, rent and utilities included – about $1,400 less a year. The total is higher in Bangkok despite lower rent and utilities.

Bangkok, Thailand
Krabi, Thailand
Bangkok
🇹🇭 Thailand
$1,125
/mo nomad
Krabi
🇹🇭 Thailand
$1,006
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Bangkok and in Krabi

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Bangkok and in Krabi actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,125 in Bangkok versus $1,006 in Krabi.

  • Bangkok $1,125
  • Krabi $1,006

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,837 in Bangkok versus $1,391 in Krabi.

  • Bangkok $1,837
  • Krabi $1,391

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,549 in Bangkok versus $1,775 in Krabi.

  • Bangkok $2,549
  • Krabi $1,775

Living in Bangkok is roughly 12% more expensive than in Krabi, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both cities sit below the global median: Bangkok 17% lower, Krabi 26% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Bangkok
Krabi
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.90 ฿98.1
$2.94 ฿99.4
-1.36%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$35.48 ฿1,198
$18.85 ฿637
88.22%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.37 ฿249
$8.48 ฿286
-13.09%
Cappuccino
$2.73 ฿92.2
$1.75 ฿59.2
56.00%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.67 ฿22.75
$1.05 ฿35.46
-36.19%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.32 ฿10.96
$0.43 ฿14.56
-25.58%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.63 ฿88.8
$1.79 ฿60.5
46.93%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.54 ฿153
$2.32 ฿78.5
95.69%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Bangkok
Krabi
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.85 ฿62.3
$2.25 ฿76.0
-17.78%
White Bread (500g)
$1.48 ฿49.98
$1.50 ฿50.6
-1.33%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.41 ฿47.61
$2.07 ฿69.9
-31.88%
Eggs
$2.60 ฿87.9
$1.88 ฿63.6
38.30%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$17.29 ฿584
$16.05 ฿542
7.73%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.55 ฿120
$2.76 ฿93.2
28.62%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.69 ฿428
$7.80 ฿264
62.69%
Apples (1kg)
$3.70 ฿125
$2.37 ฿80.2
56.12%
Banana (1kg)
$1.72 ฿58.2
$1.03 ฿34.91
66.99%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.74 ฿92.6
$2.21 ฿74.7
23.98%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.96 ฿66.3
$1.44 ฿48.56
36.11%
Potato (1kg)
$1.67 ฿56.5
$1.39 ฿46.97
20.14%
Onion (1kg)
$1.51 ฿50.9
$1.29 ฿43.51
17.05%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.27 ฿42.88
$1.47 ฿49.51
-13.61%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.50 ฿16.96
$0.51 ฿17.35
-1.96%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.80 ฿162
$4.53 ฿153
5.96%
Wine (Bottle)
$14.88 ฿503
$10.43 ฿352
42.67%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.84 ฿62.1
$1.74 ฿58.9
5.75%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.22 ฿109
$2.46 ฿83.1
30.89%
🚌 Getting Around
Bangkok
Krabi
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.02 ฿34.33
$0.93 ฿31.28
9.68%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$35.37 ฿1,194
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.05 ฿35.48
$2.34 ฿79.1
-55.13%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.20 ฿40.66
$1.78 ฿60.2
-32.58%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$6.10 ฿206
$6.06 ฿205
0.66%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.43 ฿48.30
$1.37 ฿46.34
4.38%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$30.8K ฿1.0M
$21.7K ฿733.6K
41.66%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.9K ฿907.8K
$24.4K ฿825.4K
9.98%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Bangkok
Krabi
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$109 ฿3,668
$69.1 ฿2,333
57.20%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$14.94 ฿504
$11.47 ฿387
30.25%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.05 ฿610
$24.42 ฿825
-26.09%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Bangkok
Krabi
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$56.3 ฿1,900
$61.9 ฿2,090
-9.07%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.45 ฿623
$9.09 ฿307
102.97%
Cinema Ticket
$7.46 ฿252
$7.33 ฿248
1.77%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Bangkok
Krabi
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$802 ฿27.1K
-
-
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$17.0K ฿573.2K
$8,136 ฿274.7K
108.65%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Bangkok
Krabi
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$71.5 ฿2,416
$14.70 ฿496
386.67%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$42.12 ฿1,422
$15.01 ฿507
180.61%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$97.1 ฿3,279
$74.3 ฿2,509
30.69%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$107 ฿3,604
$74.5 ฿2,515
43.31%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Bangkok
Krabi
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$713 ฿24.1K
$339 ฿11.5K
110.19%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$347 ฿11.7K
$414 ฿14.0K
-16.17%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,219 ฿74.9K
$700 ฿23.6K
217.28%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$820 ฿27.7K
$509 ฿17.2K
61.05%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$5,948 ฿200.9K
$1,186 ฿40.1K
401.55%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,151 ฿106.4K
$1,017 ฿34.4K
209.74%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Bangkok
Krabi
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$612 ฿20.7K
$708 ฿23.9K
-13.53%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.25
7.4
-29.05%

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

Last update for Bangkok: October 25, 2026

Last update for Krabi: October 24, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Bangkok
$347
Krabi
$414 19.3% $67
Groceries & Markets
Bangkok
$271
Krabi
$226 16.6% $45
Clothing & Footwear
Bangkok
$143
Krabi
$80 43.8% $63
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Bangkok
$142
Krabi
$105 25.9% $37
Eating Out
Bangkok
$104
Krabi
$90 14.2% $15
Sport & Entertainment
Bangkok
$71
Krabi
$77 7.5% $5.4
Getting Around
Bangkok
$47
Krabi
$15 * 67.8% $32

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $713 in Bangkok and $339 in Krabi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Krabi pays 16% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $35 in Bangkok vs $19 in Krabi for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $271 vs $226 per month, with Krabi cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇹🇭 Bangkok
🇹🇭 Krabi
🕒 Local time
17:57 5:57 PM
17:57 5:57 PM
Same time as Bangkok
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
5,666,264 Capital
50,000
💱 Currency
Thai Baht THB ฿
Thai Baht THB ฿
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 33.77 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.58 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Bangkok Krabi 660 km ≈ 1 h 15 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Bangkok
  • Krabi

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
What is the total cost difference between living in Bangkok and in Krabi?
Bangkok and Krabi differ by about 12% in total monthly costs ($1,125 vs $1,006 including rent). Krabi is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city has better-paying jobs?
On paper, salaries run 14% lower in Bangkok. That’s worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How do apartment prices compare in Bangkok and in Krabi?
Rent for a central apartment: $713 in Bangkok versus $339 in Krabi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
Dining out is cheaper in Krabi – a meal for two runs $19 versus $35 in Bangkok. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Which city is more expensive overall: Bangkok or Krabi?
All in, you’ll spend $1,125 per month in Bangkok versus $1,006 in Krabi – a 12% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
How far does $2,000 go in Bangkok compared to Krabi?
Either city works on $2,000 a month, though Krabi gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.
How does quality of life compare between Bangkok and Krabi?
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.
Is Bangkok or Krabi safer for residents?
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.

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