Cost of Living Comparison Between Bangkok and Phetchabun Cost of Living Comparison Between Bangkok and Phetchabun

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,052 in Bangkok versus $900 in Phetchabun.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,764 in Bangkok versus $1,450 in Phetchabun.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,475 in Bangkok versus $2,000 in Phetchabun.

Living in Bangkok is roughly 17% more expensive than in Phetchabun, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Bangkok 21% lower, Phetchabun 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.05 ฿102

$1.88 ฿62.8

62.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$31.41 ฿1,048

$27.54 ฿919

14.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.29 ฿210

$6.49 ฿217

-3.08%

Cappuccino

$2.59 ฿86.3

$1.26 ฿41.94

105.56%

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

$0.73 ฿24.26

$0.68 ฿22.57

7.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 ฿9.71

$0.24 ฿8.04

20.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.52 ฿83.9

$2.53 ฿84.2

-0.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.09 ฿137

$3.65 ฿122

12.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.88 ฿62.6

$1.76 ฿58.7

6.82%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 ฿47.01

$1.35 ฿45.02

4.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.41 ฿47.16

$1.28 ฿42.67

10.16%

Eggs

$2.27 ฿75.7

$2.14 ฿71.3

6.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.60 ฿621

$18.80 ฿627

-1.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.10 ฿103

$2.95 ฿98.4

5.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.41 ฿314

$10.81 ฿361

-12.95%

Apples (1kg)

$3.48 ฿116

$3.28 ฿109

6.10%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 ฿57.9

$1.24 ฿41.52

40.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.27 ฿75.8

$1.88 ฿62.6

20.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.92 ฿64.0

$1.60 ฿53.3

20.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.61 ฿53.6

$1.52 ฿50.7

5.92%

Onion (1kg)

$1.42 ฿47.42

$1.21 ฿40.51

17.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.32 ฿44.03

$0.99 ฿33.02

33.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.48

$0.48 ฿16.17

2.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.26 ฿142

$4.33 ฿144

-1.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.69 ฿590

$18.06 ฿602

-2.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 ฿61.3

$1.75 ฿58.3

5.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 ฿111

$2.75 ฿91.6

21.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.20 ฿39.98

$0.95 ฿31.76

26.32%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$37.06 ฿1,236

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.07 ฿35.63

$1.09 ฿36.50

-1.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.19 ฿39.80

$1.19 ฿39.60

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.34 ฿211

$6.12 ฿204

3.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 ฿39.58

$1.23 ฿40.87

-3.25%

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

$36.2K ฿1.2M

$28.2K ฿941.3K

28.44%

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

$29.4K ฿979.5K

$27.8K ฿928.0K

5.55%

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

$89.8 ฿2,994

$75.8 ฿2,529

18.39%

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

$12.94 ฿432

$13.95 ฿465

-7.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.52 ฿584

$18.84 ฿629

-7.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.4 ฿1,747

$50.2 ฿1,673

4.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.74 ฿358

$12.00 ฿400

-10.50%

Cinema Ticket

$7.87 ฿263

$7.14 ฿238

10.22%

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

$606 ฿20.2K

$304 ฿10.1K

99.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.4K ฿445.8K

$9,592 ฿320.0K

39.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.8 ฿1,928

$33.82 ฿1,128

70.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.18 ฿1,307

$34.52 ฿1,151

13.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 ฿3,521

$99.9 ฿3,333

5.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$94.8 ฿3,161

$70.1 ฿2,339

35.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$662 ฿22.1K

$430 ฿14.3K

54.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$328 ฿10.9K

$283 ฿9,445

15.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,852 ฿61.8K

$823 ฿27.4K

125.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$843 ฿28.1K

$658 ฿21.9K

28.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,134 ฿204.6K

$1,748 ฿58.3K

250.88%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,207 ฿107.0K

$1,820 ฿60.7K

76.26%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$625 ฿20.9K

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 25, 2026

Last update for Phetchabun: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $662 in Bangkok and $430 in Phetchabun. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $31.00 in Bangkok vs $28.00 in Phetchabun for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $264 vs $255 per month, with Phetchabun 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 Phetchabun: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bangkok and Phetchabun differ by about 17% in total monthly costs ($1,052 vs $900 including rent). Phetchabun is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,578 in Bangkok and $1,350 in Phetchabun 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: $662 in Bangkok versus $430 in Phetchabun. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 4% higher in Bangkok. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,052 per month in Bangkok versus $900 in Phetchabun – a 17% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $900 in Phetchabun versus $1,052 in Bangkok, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Phetchabun but tight or insufficient in Bangkok. The gap between the two cities makes Phetchabun 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 Phetchabun 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 Phetchabun gentler on the wallet – expenses run 17% less than in Bangkok. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.