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: $1,048 in Bangkok versus $886 in Phetchabun.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,756 in Bangkok versus $1,455 in Phetchabun.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,464 in Bangkok versus $2,024 in Phetchabun.

Living in Bangkok is roughly 18% more expensive than Phetchabun, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Bangkok 22% lower, Phetchabun 34% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.15 ฿102

$1.88 ฿61.2

67.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.45 ฿990

$27.80 ฿904

9.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.09 ฿198

$6.67 ฿217

-8.70%

Cappuccino

$2.47 ฿80.4

$1.26 ฿41.00

96.03%

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

$0.73 ฿23.63

$0.69 ฿22.34

5.80%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 ฿8.76

$0.24 ฿7.83

12.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.44 ฿79.2

$2.47 ฿80.4

-1.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.01 ฿131

$3.78 ฿123

6.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.86 ฿60.5

$1.75 ฿56.8

6.29%

White Bread (500g)

$1.36 ฿44.08

$1.33 ฿43.26

2.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.04

$1.31 ฿42.49

12.98%

Eggs

$2.19 ฿71.3

$2.23 ฿72.6

-1.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.29 ฿595

$18.68 ฿607

-2.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.97 ฿96.4

$2.97 ฿96.7

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.11 ฿296

$10.79 ฿351

-15.57%

Apples (1kg)

$3.43 ฿112

$3.17 ฿103

8.20%

Banana (1kg)

$1.79 ฿58.3

$1.26 ฿40.96

42.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.22 ฿72.1

$1.95 ฿63.4

13.85%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.84 ฿59.9

$1.55 ฿50.3

18.71%

Potato (1kg)

$1.60 ฿52.0

$1.47 ฿47.81

8.84%

Onion (1kg)

$1.44 ฿46.71

$1.22 ฿39.55

18.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.36 ฿44.24

$1.02 ฿33.02

33.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿15.98

$0.52 ฿16.87

-5.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.50 ฿146

$4.27 ฿139

5.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.67 ฿542

$17.26 ฿561

-3.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.85 ฿60.3

$1.80 ฿58.6

2.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.25 ฿106

$2.78 ฿90.5

16.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.24 ฿40.45

$0.94 ฿30.52

31.91%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$37.06 ฿1,205

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.05 ฿34.14

$1.09 ฿35.52

-3.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.15 ฿37.44

$1.15 ฿37.49

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.10 ฿198

$6.15 ฿200

-0.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.21 ฿39.31

$1.28 ฿41.51

-5.47%

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

$36.8K ฿1.2M

$27.2K ฿884.4K

35.19%

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

$28.9K ฿940.8K

$27.7K ฿901.9K

4.31%

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

$91.2 ฿2,964

$76.9 ฿2,500

18.53%

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

$12.62 ฿410

$13.53 ฿440

-6.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.30 ฿562

$18.53 ฿602

-6.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.4 ฿1,736

$48.99 ฿1,593

9.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.42 ฿339

$12.12 ฿394

-14.03%

Cinema Ticket

$7.84 ฿255

$6.89 ฿224

13.79%

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

$609 ฿19.8K

$297 ฿9,641

105.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.2K ฿429.4K

$9,569 ฿311.1K

38.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.5 ฿1,903

$33.13 ฿1,077

76.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.25 ฿1,276

$34.87 ฿1,134

12.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 ฿3,455

$97.5 ฿3,169

9.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 ฿3,014

$71.0 ฿2,307

30.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$683 ฿22.2K

$420 ฿13.7K

62.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$321 ฿10.4K

$282 ฿9,168

13.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,855 ฿60.3K

$822 ฿26.7K

125.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$830 ฿27.0K

$652 ฿21.2K

27.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,006 ฿195.3K

$2,151 ฿69.9K

179.16%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,220 ฿104.7K

$1,601 ฿52.0K

101.16%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$774 ฿25.2K

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Phetchabun: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $683 in Bangkok and $420 in Phetchabun. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $30.00 in Bangkok vs $28.00 in Phetchabun for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $258 vs $253 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 18% in total monthly costs ($1,048 vs $886 including rent). Phetchabun is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,572 in Bangkok and $1,328 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: $683 in Bangkok versus $420 in Phetchabun. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 2% higher in Bangkok. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,048 per month in Bangkok versus $886 in Phetchabun – a 18% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $886 in Phetchabun versus $1,048 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 18% less than in Bangkok. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.