Cost of Living Comparison Between Bangkok and Ubon Ratchathani Cost of Living Comparison Between Bangkok and Ubon Ratchathani

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,057 in Bangkok versus $790 in Ubon Ratchathani.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,760 in Bangkok versus $1,425 in Ubon Ratchathani.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,463 in Bangkok versus $2,060 in Ubon Ratchathani.

Living in Bangkok is roughly 34% more expensive than Ubon Ratchathani, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Bangkok 21% lower, Ubon Ratchathani 41% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.99 ฿95.8

$3.01 ฿96.6

-0.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$31.17 ฿999

$24.29 ฿779

28.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.28 ฿201

$6.39 ฿205

-1.72%

Cappuccino

$2.49 ฿79.9

$1.86 ฿59.5

33.87%

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

$0.71 ฿22.80

$1.06 ฿34.00

-33.02%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 ฿8.64

$0.49 ฿15.82

-44.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.53 ฿81.1

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.91 ฿125

$2.84 ฿91.2

37.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.78 ฿57.1

$1.74 ฿55.9

2.30%

White Bread (500g)

$1.33 ฿42.77

$1.33 ฿42.61

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.42 ฿45.37

$1.31 ฿42.15

8.40%

Eggs

$2.24 ฿71.7

$2.16 ฿69.2

3.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.30 ฿587

$18.38 ฿589

-0.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.98 ฿95.4

$3.09 ฿99.0

-3.56%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.16 ฿294

$10.60 ฿340

-13.58%

Apples (1kg)

$3.57 ฿114

$3.10 ฿99.4

15.16%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 ฿55.2

$1.26 ฿40.55

36.51%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.23 ฿71.4

$1.89 ฿60.6

17.99%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.87 ฿59.9

$1.59 ฿50.9

17.61%

Potato (1kg)

$1.64 ฿52.5

$1.48 ฿47.30

10.81%

Onion (1kg)

$1.42 ฿45.62

$1.21 ฿38.65

17.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.34 ฿43.07

$1.03 ฿32.96

30.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿16.99

$0.48 ฿15.34

10.42%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.42 ฿142

$4.19 ฿134

5.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.88 ฿541

$13.98 ฿448

20.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿59.6

$1.72 ฿55.1

8.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.28 ฿105

$2.67 ฿85.6

22.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.20 ฿38.62

$0.95 ฿30.51

26.32%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$37.64 ฿1,207

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.06 ฿33.85

$1.11 ฿35.49

-4.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.15 ฿36.86

$1.15 ฿36.74

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.08 ฿195

$6.17 ฿198

-1.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 ฿38.05

$1.28 ฿41.11

-7.03%

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

$37.3K ฿1.2M

$27.7K ฿888.5K

34.46%

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

$29.3K ฿939.5K

$27.0K ฿865.8K

8.51%

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

$90.1 ฿2,889

$75.9 ฿2,432

18.78%

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

$12.99 ฿416

$13.05 ฿418

-0.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.33 ฿556

$15.08 ฿483

14.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.7 ฿1,721

$49.50 ฿1,587

8.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.40 ฿334

$12.28 ฿394

-15.31%

Cinema Ticket

$7.93 ฿254

$6.91 ฿222

14.76%

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

$610 ฿19.6K

$294 ฿9,438

107.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.5K ฿433.0K

$9,474 ฿303.7K

42.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.6 ฿1,847

$33.84 ฿1,085

70.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.26 ฿1,259

$34.40 ฿1,103

14.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 ฿3,406

$97.4 ฿3,122

9.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.0 ฿2,950

$70.6 ฿2,264

30.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$681 ฿21.8K

$242 ฿7,750

181.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$328 ฿10.5K

$166 ฿5,307

97.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,910 ฿61.2K

$809 ฿25.9K

136.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$830 ฿26.6K

$652 ฿20.9K

27.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,095 ฿195.4K

$2,288 ฿73.4K

166.35%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,193 ฿102.4K

$1,520 ฿48.7K

110.00%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$787 ฿25.2K

$400 ฿12.8K

96.85%

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 12, 2026

Last update for Ubon Ratchathani: April 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $681 in Bangkok and $242 in Ubon Ratchathani. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bangkok pays 97% 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: $31 in Bangkok vs $24 in Ubon Ratchathani for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $259 vs $244 per month, with Ubon Ratchathani 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 Ubon Ratchathani: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bangkok and Ubon Ratchathani differ by about 34% in total monthly costs ($1,057 vs $790 including rent). Ubon Ratchathani is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Bangkok pays 97% 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: $681 in Bangkok versus $242 in Ubon Ratchathani. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 6% higher in Bangkok. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,057 per month in Bangkok versus $790 in Ubon Ratchathani – a 34% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $790 in Ubon Ratchathani versus $1,057 in Bangkok, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Ubon Ratchathani but tight or insufficient in Bangkok. The gap between the two cities makes Ubon Ratchathani 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 Ubon Ratchathani 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 Ubon Ratchathani gentler on the wallet – expenses run 34% less than in Bangkok. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.