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: $854 in Chiang Rai versus $1,096 in Koh Phan Ghan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,296 in Chiang Rai versus $1,945 in Koh Phan Ghan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,738 in Chiang Rai versus $2,794 in Koh Phan Ghan.

Living in Chiang Rai costs roughly 22% less than in Koh Phan Ghan, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Chiang Rai 36% lower, Koh Phan Ghan 18% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.02 ฿65.9

$4.22 ฿138

-52.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$15.11 ฿494

$41.00 ฿1,339

-63.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.29 ฿205

$7.88 ฿257

-20.18%

Cappuccino

$1.42 ฿46.44

$2.76 ฿90.3

-48.55%

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

$0.57 ฿18.49

$0.61 ฿19.95

-6.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.28 ฿9.05

$0.36 ฿11.63

-22.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.86 ฿60.8

$2.25 ฿73.4

-17.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿122

$3.35 ฿109

11.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿54.0

$2.05 ฿67.0

-19.51%

White Bread (500g)

$1.58 ฿51.6

$1.75 ฿57.0

-9.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 ฿39.16

$2.08 ฿68.1

-42.31%

Eggs

$1.89 ฿61.7

$2.12 ฿69.2

-10.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.89 ฿519

$18.91 ฿618

-15.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.14 ฿102

$3.60 ฿118

-12.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.87 ฿355

$12.82 ฿419

-15.21%

Apples (1kg)

$2.51 ฿81.8

$3.16 ฿103

-20.57%

Banana (1kg)

$1.04 ฿34.04

$1.54 ฿50.4

-32.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.68 ฿54.9

$2.29 ฿74.9

-26.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.95 ฿31.10

$1.91 ฿62.4

-50.26%

Potato (1kg)

$1.34 ฿43.60

$1.46 ฿47.61

-8.22%

Onion (1kg)

$1.11 ฿36.19

$1.43 ฿46.72

-22.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿21.78

$0.92 ฿29.93

-27.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.25

$0.49 ฿16.08

8.16%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.74 ฿122

$4.24 ฿138

-11.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.59 ฿607

$18.11 ฿592

2.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 ฿57.4

$1.73 ฿56.6

1.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 ฿104

$2.56 ฿83.7

23.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.80 ฿26.26

$1.27 ฿41.41

-37.01%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.40 ฿764

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.37 ฿44.74

$2.69 ฿87.8

-49.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿42.03

$0.87 ฿28.57

48.28%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.17 ฿267

$12.31 ฿402

-33.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 ฿40.50

$1.17 ฿38.23

5.98%

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

$20.6K ฿673.2K

$24.7K ฿805.1K

-16.39%

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

$22.2K ฿724.0K

$30.5K ฿997.3K

-27.40%

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

$50.4 ฿1,645

$122 ฿3,984

-58.71%

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

$14.20 ฿464

$13.49 ฿441

5.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.52 ฿507

$18.78 ฿614

-17.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.1 ฿1,636

$60.1 ฿1,964

-16.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.38 ฿404

$16.94 ฿553

-26.92%

Cinema Ticket

$3.64 ฿119

$9.15 ฿299

-60.22%

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

$310 ฿10.1K

$693 ฿22.6K

-55.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,725 ฿252.3K

$16.0K ฿522.2K

-51.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.3 ฿1,840

$57.9 ฿1,892

-2.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.75 ฿874

$34.07 ฿1,113

-21.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.6 ฿2,371

$116 ฿3,775

-37.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.1 ฿2,290

$83.4 ฿2,723

-15.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$271 ฿8,857

$425 ฿13.9K

-36.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$260 ฿8,506

$313 ฿10.2K

-16.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$766 ฿25.0K

$1,432 ฿46.8K

-46.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$495 ฿16.2K

$1,044 ฿34.1K

-52.61%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,984 ฿64.8K

$2,558 ฿83.5K

-22.43%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$991 ฿32.4K

$1,826 ฿59.6K

-45.71%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$603 ฿19.7K

$744 ฿24.3K

-18.97%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

-6.19%

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

Last update for Chiang Rai: May 31, 2026

Last update for Koh Phan Ghan: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $271 in Chiang Rai and $425 in Koh Phan Ghan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Koh Phan Ghan pays 23% 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 $41.00 in Koh Phan Ghan for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $238 vs $279 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 28% in total monthly costs ($854 vs $1,096 including rent). Chiang Rai is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Koh Phan Ghan earns 23% less. 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: $271 in Chiang Rai versus $425 in Koh Phan Ghan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $310 in Chiang Rai versus $693 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 $41.00 in Koh Phan Ghan. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $854 in Chiang Rai versus $1,096 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 28% less than in Koh Phan Ghan. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.