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: $1,069 in Bangkok versus $772 in Ubon Ratchathani.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,749 in Bangkok versus $1,397 in Ubon Ratchathani.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,430 in Bangkok versus $2,023 in Ubon Ratchathani.

Living in Bangkok is roughly 38% more expensive than in Ubon Ratchathani, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Bangkok 20% lower, Ubon Ratchathani 42% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.10 ฿104

$3.15 ฿106

-1.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.67 ฿1,034

$24.35 ฿821

25.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.99 ฿202

$6.29 ฿212

-4.77%

Cappuccino

$2.57 ฿86.7

$1.88 ฿63.2

36.70%

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

$0.71 ฿24.08

$1.07 ฿35.91

-33.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 ฿9.85

$0.49 ฿16.44

-40.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.52 ฿85.1

$2.41 ฿81.1

4.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.90 ฿131

$2.94 ฿99.2

32.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.80 ฿60.8

$1.76 ฿59.4

2.27%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 ฿47.52

$1.39 ฿46.75

1.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.43 ฿48.04

$1.32 ฿44.57

8.33%

Eggs

$2.22 ฿74.9

$2.23 ฿75.3

-0.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.18 ฿613

$18.55 ฿625

-1.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.09 ฿104

$3.04 ฿103

1.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.56 ฿322

$11.01 ฿371

-13.17%

Apples (1kg)

$3.46 ฿117

$3.15 ฿106

9.84%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 ฿57.6

$1.25 ฿42.20

36.80%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.21 ฿74.5

$1.95 ฿65.8

13.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.92 ฿64.8

$1.52 ฿51.3

26.32%

Potato (1kg)

$1.66 ฿56.1

$1.53 ฿51.5

8.50%

Onion (1kg)

$1.42 ฿47.91

$1.24 ฿41.96

14.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.30 ฿43.93

$0.99 ฿33.32

31.31%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.67

$0.52 ฿17.60

-5.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.39 ฿148

$4.15 ฿140

5.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.08 ฿610

$13.55 ฿457

33.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.8

$1.73 ฿58.5

7.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.26 ฿110

$2.79 ฿94.2

16.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.24 ฿41.95

$0.95 ฿31.98

30.53%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$37.00 ฿1,247

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.06 ฿35.76

$1.07 ฿36.00

-0.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.19 ฿40.06

$1.20 ฿40.36

-0.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.04 ฿203

$6.07 ฿205

-0.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 ฿40.57

$1.26 ฿42.42

-4.76%

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

$36.7K ฿1.2M

$27.5K ฿927.9K

33.44%

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

$28.5K ฿959.7K

$27.6K ฿931.6K

3.01%

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

$91.2 ฿3,073

$77.4 ฿2,609

17.81%

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

$12.60 ฿425

$13.05 ฿440

-3.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.51 ฿590

$15.26 ฿514

14.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.7 ฿1,777

$49.08 ฿1,654

7.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.32 ฿348

$12.41 ฿418

-16.84%

Cinema Ticket

$7.85 ฿264

$7.14 ฿241

9.94%

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

$597 ฿20.1K

$293 ฿9,873

103.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.1K ฿443.0K

$9,857 ฿332.3K

33.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.8 ฿1,982

$33.51 ฿1,130

75.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.02 ฿1,281

$35.19 ฿1,186

8.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 ฿3,575

$99.6 ฿3,358

6.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.5 ฿3,118

$71.2 ฿2,400

29.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$677 ฿22.8K

$244 ฿8,235

177.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$321 ฿10.8K

$162 ฿5,448

98.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,915 ฿64.6K

$829 ฿27.9K

131.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$853 ฿28.7K

$661 ฿22.3K

29.04%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,042 ฿203.7K

$2,133 ฿71.9K

183.28%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,306 ฿111.5K

$1,277 ฿43.1K

158.83%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$621 ฿20.9K

$360 ฿12.1K

72.36%

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 19, 2026

Last update for Ubon Ratchathani: July 19, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $677 in Bangkok and $244 in Ubon Ratchathani. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bangkok pays 72% 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: $31.00 in Bangkok vs $24.00 in Ubon Ratchathani for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $262 vs $247 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 38% in total monthly costs ($1,069 vs $772 including rent). Ubon Ratchathani is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 72% higher in Bangkok, 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: $677 in Bangkok versus $244 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 $1,069 per month in Bangkok versus $772 in Ubon Ratchathani – a 38% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $772 in Ubon Ratchathani versus $1,069 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 38% less than in Bangkok. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.