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: $1,068 in Bangkok versus $781 in Ubon Ratchathani.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,732 in Bangkok versus $1,408 in Ubon Ratchathani.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,396 in Bangkok versus $2,034 in Ubon Ratchathani.

Living in Bangkok is roughly 37% more expensive than 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

$3.17 ฿104

$2.99 ฿98.0

6.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.33 ฿995

$24.81 ฿814

22.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.27 ฿206

$6.35 ฿208

-1.26%

Cappuccino

$2.51 ฿82.3

$1.95 ฿63.9

28.72%

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

$0.68 ฿22.43

$1.10 ฿35.99

-38.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 ฿8.82

$0.53 ฿17.32

-49.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.44 ฿80.0

$2.39 ฿78.4

2.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.94 ฿129

$2.86 ฿93.8

37.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.80 ฿59.0

$1.67 ฿54.9

7.78%

White Bread (500g)

$1.39 ฿45.56

$1.40 ฿45.93

-0.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.42 ฿46.40

$1.26 ฿41.22

12.70%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿74.1

$2.24 ฿73.4

0.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.40 ฿603

$18.18 ฿596

1.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.01 ฿98.8

$3.12 ฿102

-3.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.38 ฿308

$10.98 ฿360

-14.57%

Apples (1kg)

$3.55 ฿116

$3.21 ฿105

10.59%

Banana (1kg)

$1.76 ฿57.9

$1.22 ฿40.00

44.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.21 ฿72.4

$1.96 ฿64.3

12.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.84 ฿60.2

$1.60 ฿52.5

15.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.7

$1.49 ฿48.80

10.07%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿49.07

$1.21 ฿39.58

23.97%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.31 ฿42.84

$0.99 ฿32.41

32.32%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.17

$0.48 ฿15.89

8.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.25 ฿140

$4.30 ฿141

-1.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.02 ฿492

$14.02 ฿460

7.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿59.2

$1.76 ฿57.6

2.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.39 ฿111

$2.76 ฿90.5

22.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.19 ฿39.16

$0.96 ฿31.48

23.96%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$36.43 ฿1,195

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.10 ฿35.99

$1.06 ฿34.66

3.77%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.20 ฿39.23

$1.16 ฿37.88

3.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.13 ฿201

$6.00 ฿197

2.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 ฿41.04

$1.24 ฿40.62

0.81%

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

$37.3K ฿1.2M

$27.6K ฿904.0K

35.40%

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

$28.6K ฿938.2K

$27.3K ฿896.8K

4.62%

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

$91.9 ฿3,012

$75.1 ฿2,464

22.24%

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

$12.96 ฿425

$12.89 ฿423

0.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.67 ฿579

$15.15 ฿497

16.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.9 ฿1,766

$48.88 ฿1,603

10.17%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.68 ฿350

$12.13 ฿398

-11.95%

Cinema Ticket

$7.90 ฿259

$7.24 ฿238

9.12%

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

$601 ฿19.7K

$302 ฿9,915

98.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.2K ฿434.3K

$9,663 ฿316.9K

37.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.0 ฿1,870

$34.14 ฿1,119

67.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.28 ฿1,255

$34.44 ฿1,129

11.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 ฿3,390

$98.9 ฿3,243

4.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$95.0 ฿3,115

$69.9 ฿2,290

36.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$669 ฿22.0K

$248 ฿8,143

169.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$326 ฿10.7K

$163 ฿5,341

100.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,877 ฿61.5K

$825 ฿27.1K

127.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$843 ฿27.6K

$666 ฿21.8K

26.57%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,307 ฿206.8K

$1,725 ฿56.6K

265.68%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,371 ฿110.5K

$1,338 ฿43.9K

151.90%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$747 ฿24.5K

$371 ฿12.2K

101.55%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Ubon Ratchathani: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $669 in Bangkok and $248 in Ubon Ratchathani. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bangkok pays 102% 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: $30.00 in Bangkok vs $25.00 in Ubon Ratchathani for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $257 vs $246 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 37% in total monthly costs ($1,068 vs $781 including rent). Ubon Ratchathani is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Bangkok pays 102% 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: $669 in Bangkok versus $248 in Ubon Ratchathani. 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 $1,068 per month in Bangkok versus $781 in Ubon Ratchathani – a 37% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $781 in Ubon Ratchathani versus $1,068 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 37% less than in Bangkok. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.