Cost of Living Comparison Between Karaj and Nonthaburi Cost of Living Comparison Between Karaj and Nonthaburi

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $530 in Karaj versus $866 in Nonthaburi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $973 in Karaj versus $1,389 in Nonthaburi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,417 in Karaj versus $1,911 in Nonthaburi.

Living in Karaj costs roughly 39% less than in Nonthaburi, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Karaj 60% lower, Nonthaburi 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.12 $4.12

$2.99 ฿97.6

37.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$17.95 $17.95

$21.38 ฿698

-16.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.94 $4.94

$5.99 ฿196

-17.53%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.62 $0.62

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.05 $1.05

Cappuccino

$1.32 $1.32

$2.10 ฿68.5

-37.14%

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

$0.45 $0.45

$0.67 ฿21.89

-32.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.04 $1.04

$0.29 ฿9.59

258.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.94 ฿63.5

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.65 ฿119

Milk (1 liter)

$0.58 $0.58

$1.52 ฿49.63

-61.84%

White Bread (500g)

$0.53 $0.53

$1.41 ฿45.93

-62.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.84 $1.84

$1.26 ฿41.16

46.03%

Eggs

$0.99 $0.99

$2.24 ฿73.2

-55.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.48 $3.48

$18.67 ฿610

-81.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.35 $3.35

$2.73 ฿89.1

22.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.81 $10.81

$9.42 ฿308

14.76%

Apples (1kg)

$0.82 $0.82

$3.54 ฿116

-76.84%

Banana (1kg)

$1.42 $1.42

$1.72 ฿56.3

-17.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.77 $0.77

$1.89 ฿61.8

-59.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.46 $0.46

$1.56 ฿51.0

-70.51%

Potato (1kg)

$0.41 $0.41

$1.66 ฿54.2

-75.30%

Onion (1kg)

$0.46 $0.46

$1.44 ฿47.16

-68.06%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.59 $0.59

$1.09 ฿35.62

-45.87%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.19 $0.19

$0.49 ฿15.98

-61.22%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$0.62 $0.62

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.45 $0.45

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.33 $1.33

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.54 $2.54

$4.34 ฿142

-41.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.67 ฿479

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.0

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.40 ฿111

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.23 $0.23

$0.96 ฿31.34

-76.04%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$13.13 $13.13

$36.70 ฿1,199

-64.22%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.31 $0.31

$1.05 ฿34.38

-70.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.31 $0.31

$1.17 ฿38.31

-73.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.60 $2.60

$4.12 ฿135

-36.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.77 $0.77

$1.34 ฿43.83

-42.54%

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

$79.9K $79.9K

$36.7K ฿1.2M

117.50%

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

$54.5K $54.5K

$28.0K ฿915.8K

94.25%

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

$13.83 $13.83

$88.0 ฿2,875

-84.29%

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

$2.22 $2.22

$12.99 ฿424

-82.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$5.61 $5.61

$17.36 ฿567

-67.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.62 $22.62

$54.4 ฿1,778

-58.44%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.97 $9.97

$12.05 ฿393

-17.26%

Cinema Ticket

$1.52 $1.52

$6.34 ฿207

-76.03%

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

$130 $130

$418 ฿13.6K

-68.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$833 $833

$13.4K ฿437.6K

-93.78%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$25.27 $25.27

$30.59 ฿999

-17.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.25 $34.25

$38.67 ฿1,263

-11.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.7 $96.7

$106 ฿3,463

-8.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$59.3 $59.3

$86.8 ฿2,834

-31.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$370 $370

$723 ฿23.6K

-48.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$191 $191

$188 ฿6,154

1.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$866 $866

$847 ฿27.7K

2.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$611 $611

$440 ฿14.4K

38.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,245 $1,245

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$537 $537

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$247 $247

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

22.67

5.84

288.18%

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

Last update for Karaj: June 2, 2026

Last update for Nonthaburi: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $370 in Karaj and $723 in Nonthaburi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $18.00 in Karaj vs $21.00 in Nonthaburi for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $107 vs $248 per month, with Karaj cheaper across the board.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated March 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Karaj vs Nonthaburi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Karaj and Nonthaburi differ by about 64% in total monthly costs ($530 vs $866 including rent). Karaj is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $794 in Karaj and $1,299 in Nonthaburi to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $370 in Karaj versus $723 in Nonthaburi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 132% higher in Nonthaburi. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Karaj – a meal for two runs $18.00 versus $21.00 in Nonthaburi. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $530 in Karaj versus $866 in Nonthaburi, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Karaj but tight or insufficient in Nonthaburi. The gap between the two cities makes Karaj 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, Karaj and Nonthaburi 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 Karaj gentler on the wallet – expenses run 64% less than in Nonthaburi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.