Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Rai and Koh Phan Ghan Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Rai and Koh Phan Ghan

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $735 in Chiang Rai versus $1,071 in Koh Phan Ghan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,157 in Chiang Rai versus $1,770 in Koh Phan Ghan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,580 in Chiang Rai versus $2,469 in Koh Phan Ghan.

Living in Chiang Rai costs roughly 31% less than in Koh Phan Ghan, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Chiang Rai 47% lower, Koh Phan Ghan 22% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.09 ฿68.7

$4.19 ฿138

-50.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$15.44 ฿508

$29.63 ฿974

-47.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.46 ฿180

$7.81 ฿257

-30.09%

Cappuccino

$1.34 ฿44.14

$2.55 ฿83.9

-47.45%

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

$0.66 ฿21.78

$0.76 ฿24.92

-13.16%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.28 ฿9.16

$0.41 ฿13.43

-31.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.71 ฿56.2

$2.13 ฿70.0

-19.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 ฿118

$3.45 ฿113

4.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.02 ฿66.5

$1.76 ฿57.8

14.77%

White Bread (500g)

$1.59 ฿52.3

$1.40 ฿46.06

13.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.24 ฿40.86

$1.52 ฿50.1

-18.42%

Eggs

$1.86 ฿61.2

$2.11 ฿69.5

-11.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.01 ฿526

$18.82 ฿619

-14.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.92 ฿96.0

$3.28 ฿108

-10.98%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.04 ฿330

$10.77 ฿354

-6.78%

Apples (1kg)

$2.67 ฿88.0

$2.87 ฿94.4

-6.97%

Banana (1kg)

$0.82 ฿27.12

$1.64 ฿53.9

-50.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.57 ฿51.5

$2.16 ฿71.2

-27.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.95 ฿31.30

$1.98 ฿65.2

-52.02%

Potato (1kg)

$1.25 ฿41.10

$1.47 ฿48.41

-14.97%

Onion (1kg)

$1.07 ฿35.18

$1.29 ฿42.30

-17.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.74 ฿24.42

$1.09 ฿35.82

-32.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 ฿17.77

$0.56 ฿18.48

-3.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.96 ฿130

$4.15 ฿137

-4.58%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.42 ฿606

$18.31 ฿602

0.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 ฿56.9

$1.71 ฿56.4

1.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 ฿95.9

$2.78 ฿91.4

5.04%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.87 ฿28.56

$2.03 ฿66.9

-57.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.78 ฿749

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.25 ฿40.96

$2.78 ฿91.5

-55.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.54 ฿17.64

$0.98 ฿32.10

-44.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.39 ฿78.6

$3.54 ฿116

-32.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 ฿44.70

$1.34 ฿44.08

1.49%

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

$21.5K ฿708.4K

$24.7K ฿811.8K

-12.73%

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

$27.7K ฿911.2K

$24.6K ฿810.4K

12.43%

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

$64.3 ฿2,115

$104 ฿3,407

-37.91%

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

$13.42 ฿441

$11.43 ฿376

17.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$14.04 ฿462

$17.69 ฿582

-20.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.89 ฿1,180

$53.0 ฿1,744

-32.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.09 ฿200

$11.02 ฿362

-44.74%

Cinema Ticket

$3.13 ฿103

$7.84 ฿258

-60.08%

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

$793 ฿26.1K

$571 ฿18.8K

38.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K ฿489.6K

$11.8K ฿388.5K

26.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.4 ฿1,853

$65.4 ฿2,149

-13.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.52 ฿839

$29.41 ฿967

-13.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.0 ฿2,499

$96.6 ฿3,175

-21.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.4 ฿2,414

$90.6 ฿2,978

-18.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$235 ฿7,724

$513 ฿16.9K

-54.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$155 ฿5,104

$342 ฿11.2K

-54.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.9K

$1,463 ฿48.1K

-64.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$363 ฿11.9K

$846 ฿27.8K

-57.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,973 ฿64.9K

$2,507 ฿82.4K

-21.28%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$977 ฿32.1K

$1,812 ฿59.6K

-46.09%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$612 ฿20.1K

$732 ฿24.1K

-16.39%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

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

Last update for Chiang Rai: September 8, 2026

Last update for Koh Phan Ghan: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $235 in Chiang Rai and $513 in Koh Phan Ghan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Koh Phan Ghan pays 20% 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: $15.00 in Chiang Rai vs $30.00 in Koh Phan Ghan for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $237 vs $263 per month, with Chiang Rai 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

Chiang Rai vs Koh Phan Ghan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Rai and Koh Phan Ghan differ by about 46% in total monthly costs ($735 vs $1,071 including rent). Chiang Rai is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 20% lower in Koh Phan Ghan. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $235 in Chiang Rai versus $513 in Koh Phan Ghan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $793 in Chiang Rai versus $571 in Koh Phan Ghan. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Chiang Rai – a meal for two runs $15.00 versus $30.00 in Koh Phan Ghan. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $735 in Chiang Rai versus $1,071 in Koh Phan Ghan, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Chiang Rai but tight or insufficient in Koh Phan Ghan. The gap between the two cities makes Chiang Rai 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, Chiang Rai and Koh Phan Ghan 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 Chiang Rai gentler on the wallet – expenses run 46% less than in Koh Phan Ghan. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.