Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chon Buri and Koh Phangan

For one person, living is cheaper in Chon Buri: $814 a month against $1,024 in Koh Phangan, rent and utilities included – about $2,500 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

Chon Buri
🇹🇭 Thailand
$814
/mo nomad
Koh Phangan
🇹🇭 Thailand
$1,024
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chon Buri 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 Chon Buri and in Koh Phangan actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $814 in Chon Buri versus $1,024 in Koh Phangan.

  • Chon Buri $814
  • Koh Phangan $1,024

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,358 in Chon Buri versus $1,693 in Koh Phangan.

  • Chon Buri $1,358
  • Koh Phangan $1,693

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,903 in Chon Buri versus $2,361 in Koh Phangan.

  • Chon Buri $1,903
  • Koh Phangan $2,361

Living in Chon Buri costs roughly 21% less than in Koh Phangan, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both cities sit below the global median: Chon Buri 40% lower, Koh Phangan 24% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Chon Buri
Koh Phangan
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$1.88 ฿63.0
$3.97 ฿133
-52.64%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$16.18 ฿541
$29.08 ฿972
-44.36%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.67 ฿256
$7.90 ฿264
-2.91%
Cappuccino
$1.77 ฿59.1
$2.53 ฿84.5
-30.04%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.74 ฿24.75
$0.87 ฿28.98
-14.94%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.35 ฿11.60
$0.42 ฿13.98
-16.67%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.77 ฿59.3
$2.21 ฿73.9
-19.91%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.90 ฿96.8
$3.45 ฿115
-15.94%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Chon Buri
Koh Phangan
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.49 ฿49.76
$1.58 ฿52.9
-5.70%
White Bread (500g)
$1.30 ฿43.31
$1.39 ฿46.52
-6.47%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.22 ฿40.78
$1.50 ฿50.0
-18.67%
Eggs
$1.92 ฿64.2
$2.05 ฿68.5
-6.34%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.38 ฿414
$18.33 ฿613
-32.46%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$2.44 ฿81.5
$3.31 ฿111
-26.28%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.33 ฿345
$10.35 ฿346
-0.19%
Apples (1kg)
$3.56 ฿119
$2.81 ฿93.9
26.69%
Banana (1kg)
$0.93 ฿31.14
$1.66 ฿55.3
-43.98%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.45 ฿81.9
$2.11 ฿70.4
16.11%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.63 ฿54.4
$2.05 ฿68.5
-20.49%
Potato (1kg)
$1.99 ฿66.5
$1.46 ฿48.81
36.30%
Onion (1kg)
$1.04 ฿34.82
$1.32 ฿44.04
-21.21%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.75 ฿25.22
$1.06 ฿35.46
-29.25%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.45 ฿15.01
$0.52 ฿17.45
-13.46%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.35 ฿146
$4.20 ฿140
3.57%
Wine (Bottle)
$13.97 ฿467
$17.36 ฿580
-19.53%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.61 ฿53.8
$1.76 ฿58.7
-8.52%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.80 ฿60.2
$2.67 ฿89.4
-32.58%
🚌 Getting Around
Chon Buri
Koh Phangan
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.99 ฿33.10
$2.06 ฿68.9
-51.94%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.31 ฿77.3
$2.64 ฿88.3
-12.50%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.52 ฿50.9
$0.92 ฿30.81
65.22%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$6.10 ฿204
$3.47 ฿116
75.79%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.32 ฿44.07
$1.32 ฿44.17
-
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.6K ฿889.2K
$23.8K ฿796.2K
11.68%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$22.2K ฿743.1K
$24.5K ฿818.5K
-9.21%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Chon Buri
Koh Phangan
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$83.6 ฿2,795
$98.4 ฿3,287
-14.99%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$9.07 ฿303
$11.11 ฿371
-18.36%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$23.73 ฿793
$16.91 ฿565
40.33%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Chon Buri
Koh Phangan
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$46.24 ฿1,545
$52.8 ฿1,764
-12.41%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$13.98 ฿467
$10.82 ฿362
29.21%
Cinema Ticket
$6.56 ฿219
$7.69 ฿257
-14.69%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Chon Buri
Koh Phangan
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$727 ฿24.3K
$560 ฿18.7K
29.85%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$11.0K ฿367.4K
$11.7K ฿391.0K
-6.03%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Chon Buri
Koh Phangan
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$6.05 ฿202
$63.7 ฿2,129
-90.50%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$36.20 ฿1,210
$28.59 ฿955
26.62%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$72.8 ฿2,431
$95.9 ฿3,205
-24.15%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$54.7 ฿1,828
$86.9 ฿2,905
-37.07%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Chon Buri
Koh Phangan
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$531 ฿17.8K
$509 ฿17.0K
4.44%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$251 ฿8,398
$326 ฿10.9K
-22.96%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,096 ฿36.6K
$1,464 ฿48.9K
-25.12%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$721 ฿24.1K
$833 ฿27.8K
-13.45%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,662 ฿55.6K
$2,509 ฿83.9K
-33.75%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,462 ฿48.9K
$1,781 ฿59.5K
-17.94%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Chon Buri
Koh Phangan
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$590 ฿19.7K
$713 ฿23.8K
-17.18%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3
5.57
-46.14%

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

Last update for Chon Buri: October 18, 2026

Last update for Koh Phangan: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Chon Buri
$251
Koh Phangan
$326 29.8% $75
Groceries & Markets
Chon Buri
$218
Koh Phangan
$256 17.2% $37
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Chon Buri
$116
Koh Phangan
$126 8.6% $10
Eating Out
Chon Buri
$78
Koh Phangan
$109 39% $31
Clothing & Footwear
Chon Buri
$76
Koh Phangan
$124 62.1% $47
Sport & Entertainment
Chon Buri
$59
Koh Phangan
$68 14.8% $8.8
Getting Around
Chon Buri
$14 *
Koh Phangan
$16 * 11.7% $1.6

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 $531 in Chon Buri and $509 in Koh Phangan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Koh Phangan pays 21% 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: $16.00 in Chon Buri vs $29.00 in Koh Phangan for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $218 vs $256 per month, with Chon Buri cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇹🇭 Chon Buri
🇹🇭 Koh Phangan
🕒 Local time
18:39 6:39 PM
18:39 6:39 PM
Same time as Chon Buri
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
70,364
💱 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 20, 2026: 1 USD = 33.42 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.57 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Chon Buri Koh Phangan 410 km
From you
  • Chon Buri
  • 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
Chon Buri vs Koh Phangan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Chon Buri or Koh Phangan?
Chon Buri wins on cost – living expenses run 26% lower than in Koh Phangan. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Chon Buri the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Chon Buri or in Koh Phangan?
On paper, salaries run 21% lower in Koh Phangan. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Chon Buri compared to Koh Phangan?
Rent for a central apartment: $531 in Chon Buri versus $509 in Koh Phangan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do childcare costs compare in Chon Buri and in Koh Phangan?
Childcare runs $727 in Chon Buri versus $560 in Koh Phangan. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
How do dining costs compare in Chon Buri and in Koh Phangan?
Dining out is cheaper in Chon Buri – a meal for two runs $16.00 versus $29.00 in Koh Phangan. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Chon Buri or in Koh Phangan?
At $814 in Chon Buri versus $1,024 in Koh Phangan, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Chon Buri but tight or insufficient in Koh Phangan. The gap between the two cities makes Chon Buri the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city offers a better quality of life: Chon Buri or 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.
How safe is Chon Buri compared to Koh Phangan?
Safety-wise, Chon Buri 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 more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Chon Buri gentler on the wallet – expenses run 26% less than in Koh Phangan. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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