Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chaiyaphum and Koh Phangan

For one person, living is cheaper in Chaiyaphum: $915 a month against $1,103 in Koh Phangan, rent and utilities included – about $2,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

Chaiyaphum, Thailand
Koh Phangan, Thailand
Chaiyaphum
🇹🇭 Thailand
$915
/mo nomad
Koh Phangan
🇹🇭 Thailand
$1,103
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chaiyaphum and in Koh Phangan

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Chaiyaphum and in Koh Phangan actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $915 in Chaiyaphum versus $1,103 in Koh Phangan.

  • Chaiyaphum $915
  • Koh Phangan $1,103

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,534 in Chaiyaphum versus $1,874 in Koh Phangan.

  • Chaiyaphum $1,534
  • Koh Phangan $1,874

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,153 in Chaiyaphum versus $2,646 in Koh Phangan.

  • Chaiyaphum $2,153
  • Koh Phangan $2,646

Living in Chaiyaphum costs roughly 17% less than in Koh Phangan, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both cities sit below the global median: Chaiyaphum 33% lower, Koh Phangan 19% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Chaiyaphum
Koh Phangan
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$1.16 ฿39.20
$3.88 ฿131
-70.10%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$35.17 ฿1,188
$28.98 ฿979
21.36%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$6.30 ฿213
$7.88 ฿266
-20.05%
Cappuccino
$1.17 ฿39.66
$2.46 ฿83.2
-52.44%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.46 ฿15.60
$0.80 ฿27.06
-42.50%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.37 ฿12.34
$0.44 ฿14.90
-15.91%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.70 ฿91.2
$2.25 ฿76.0
20.00%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.55 ฿154
$3.26 ฿110
39.57%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Chaiyaphum
Koh Phangan
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.83 ฿61.9
$1.59 ฿53.6
15.09%
White Bread (500g)
$1.48 ฿50.1
$1.38 ฿46.60
7.25%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.40 ฿47.21
$1.44 ฿48.50
-2.78%
Eggs
$1.51 ฿51.0
$2.00 ฿67.4
-24.50%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$17.62 ฿595
$18.46 ฿623
-4.55%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.67 ฿124
$3.29 ฿111
11.55%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.24 ฿447
$10.67 ฿360
24.09%
Apples (1kg)
$3.90 ฿132
$2.72 ฿91.7
43.38%
Banana (1kg)
$0.62 ฿20.90
$1.54 ฿52.0
-59.74%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.72 ฿91.9
$2.07 ฿69.9
31.40%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.94 ฿65.5
$1.93 ฿65.3
0.52%
Potato (1kg)
$1.74 ฿58.9
$1.44 ฿48.63
20.83%
Onion (1kg)
$1.56 ฿52.6
$1.23 ฿41.67
26.83%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.28 ฿43.16
$1.07 ฿35.99
19.63%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.29 ฿9.75
$0.48 ฿16.06
-39.58%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.82 ฿163
$4.04 ฿136
19.31%
Wine (Bottle)
$15.03 ฿508
$17.83 ฿602
-15.70%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.82 ฿61.5
$1.70 ฿57.5
7.06%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.22 ฿109
$2.65 ฿89.6
21.51%
🚌 Getting Around
Chaiyaphum
Koh Phangan
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.92 ฿31.03
$1.32 ฿44.64
-30.30%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$49.08 ฿1,657
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.07 ฿36.07
$2.61 ฿88.3
-59.00%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.17 ฿39.49
$0.96 ฿32.44
21.87%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.83 ฿197
$3.32 ฿112
75.60%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.08 ฿36.37
$1.33 ฿44.99
-18.80%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$31.7K ฿1.1M
$23.5K ฿795.2K
34.51%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.7K ฿902.3K
$23.7K ฿799.5K
12.87%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Chaiyaphum
Koh Phangan
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$44.02 ฿1,486
$98.0 ฿3,311
-55.10%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$10.98 ฿371
$11.12 ฿376
-1.26%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$11.68 ฿395
$16.94 ฿572
-31.05%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Chaiyaphum
Koh Phangan
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$47.96 ฿1,620
$67.7 ฿2,286
-29.15%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$13.14 ฿444
$10.81 ฿365
21.55%
Cinema Ticket
$7.57 ฿256
$7.68 ฿259
-1.43%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Chaiyaphum
Koh Phangan
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$560 ฿18.9K
$478 ฿16.2K
16.96%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$16.1K ฿544.8K
$11.6K ฿391.7K
39.07%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Chaiyaphum
Koh Phangan
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$69.9 ฿2,361
$62.1 ฿2,098
12.52%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$42.21 ฿1,426
$28.52 ฿963
48.00%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$100 ฿3,391
$96.0 ฿3,242
4.58%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$106 ฿3,588
$86.5 ฿2,922
22.81%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Chaiyaphum
Koh Phangan
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$431 ฿14.6K
$498 ฿16.8K
-13.39%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$301 ฿10.2K
$348 ฿11.7K
-13.50%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,130 ฿38.2K
$1,349 ฿45.6K
-16.20%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$695 ฿23.5K
$1,007 ฿34.0K
-31.01%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,943 ฿65.6K
$2,927 ฿98.8K
-33.60%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,456 ฿49.2K
$2,098 ฿70.9K
-30.61%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Chaiyaphum
Koh Phangan
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$446 ฿15.0K
$724 ฿24.4K
-38.44%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.25
5.57
-5.75%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Chaiyaphum: October 24, 2026

Last update for Koh Phangan: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Chaiyaphum
$301
Koh Phangan
$348 15.6% $47
Groceries & Markets
Chaiyaphum
$262
Koh Phangan
$254 3% $7.8
Clothing & Footwear
Chaiyaphum
$143
Koh Phangan
$123 14.3% $21
Eating Out
Chaiyaphum
$68
Koh Phangan
$107 57% $39
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Chaiyaphum
$67
Koh Phangan
$126 89.1% $59
Sport & Entertainment
Chaiyaphum
$63
Koh Phangan
$83 31.6% $20
Getting Around
Chaiyaphum
$11 *
Koh Phangan
$62 483% $51

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $431 in Chaiyaphum and $498 in Koh Phangan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Koh Phangan pays 62% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $35 in Chaiyaphum vs $29 in Koh Phangan for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $262 vs $254 per month, with Koh Phangan cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇹🇭 Chaiyaphum
🇹🇭 Koh Phangan
🕒 Local time
17:22 5:22 PM
17:22 5:22 PM
Same time as Chaiyaphum
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
42,436
💱 Currency
Thai Baht THB ฿
Thai Baht THB ฿
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 33.77 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.58 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Chaiyaphum Koh Phangan 710 km ≈ 1 h 30 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Chaiyaphum
  • Koh Phangan

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Chaiyaphum vs Koh Phangan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Chaiyaphum cheaper than Koh Phangan?
Chaiyaphum is cheaper overall, especially in transport, eating out, and leisure. The 21% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Chaiyaphum or Koh Phangan?
On paper, salaries run 38% lower in Chaiyaphum. That’s worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
What is the rent difference between Chaiyaphum and Koh Phangan?
Rent for a central apartment: $431 in Chaiyaphum versus $498 in Koh Phangan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $560 in Chaiyaphum versus $478 in Koh Phangan. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Is eating out cheaper in Chaiyaphum or in Koh Phangan?
Dining out is cheaper in Koh Phangan – a meal for two runs $29 versus $35 in Chaiyaphum. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Is it better to live in Chaiyaphum or in Koh Phangan?
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.
Which city is safer, Chaiyaphum or Koh Phangan?
Safety-wise, Chaiyaphum and Koh Phangan are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
It comes down to priorities – Chaiyaphum wins on affordability, Koh Phangan on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.

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