Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Koh Chang and Bangkok

For one person, living is cheaper in Koh Chang: $1,021 a month against $1,125 in Bangkok, rent and utilities included – about $1,200 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

Koh Chang, Thailand
Bangkok, Thailand
Koh Chang
🇹🇭 Thailand
$1,021
/mo nomad
Bangkok
🇹🇭 Thailand
$1,125
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Koh Chang and in Bangkok

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,021 in Koh Chang versus $1,125 in Bangkok.

  • Koh Chang $1,021
  • Bangkok $1,125

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,720 in Koh Chang versus $1,837 in Bangkok.

  • Koh Chang $1,720
  • Bangkok $1,837

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,418 in Koh Chang versus $2,549 in Bangkok.

  • Koh Chang $2,418
  • Bangkok $2,549

Living in Koh Chang costs roughly 9% less than in Bangkok, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Koh Chang 25% lower, Bangkok 17% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Koh Chang
Bangkok
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.47 ฿117
$2.90 ฿98.0
19.66%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$26.30 ฿887
$35.48 ฿1,197
-25.87%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.04 ฿238
$7.37 ฿249
-4.48%
Cappuccino
$2.18 ฿73.5
$2.73 ฿92.2
-20.15%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.75 ฿25.32
$0.67 ฿22.73
11.94%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.37 ฿12.34
$0.32 ฿10.95
15.62%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.00 ฿67.7
$2.63 ฿88.8
-23.95%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.00 ฿101
$4.54 ฿153
-33.92%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Koh Chang
Bangkok
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.48 ฿49.99
$1.85 ฿62.3
-20.00%
White Bread (500g)
$1.25 ฿42.30
$1.48 ฿49.93
-15.54%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.37 ฿46.38
$1.41 ฿47.56
-2.84%
Eggs
$1.89 ฿63.7
$2.60 ฿87.8
-27.31%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$17.29 ฿583
$17.29 ฿583
-
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.05 ฿103
$3.55 ฿120
-14.08%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.19 ฿344
$12.69 ฿428
-19.70%
Apples (1kg)
$2.68 ฿90.5
$3.70 ฿125
-27.57%
Banana (1kg)
$1.53 ฿51.7
$1.72 ฿58.2
-11.05%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.95 ฿65.8
$2.74 ฿92.5
-28.83%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.85 ฿62.4
$1.96 ฿66.2
-5.61%
Potato (1kg)
$1.29 ฿43.64
$1.67 ฿56.5
-22.75%
Onion (1kg)
$1.24 ฿41.71
$1.51 ฿50.8
-17.88%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.01 ฿34.03
$1.27 ฿42.84
-20.47%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.49 ฿16.67
$0.50 ฿16.95
-2.00%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.77 ฿127
$4.80 ฿162
-21.46%
Wine (Bottle)
$16.75 ฿565
$14.88 ฿502
12.57%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.56 ฿52.7
$1.84 ฿62.0
-15.22%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.46 ฿83.0
$3.22 ฿109
-23.60%
🚌 Getting Around
Koh Chang
Bangkok
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.21 ฿40.90
$1.02 ฿34.30
18.63%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$38.34 ฿1,294
$35.37 ฿1,193
8.40%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.43 ฿81.9
$1.05 ฿35.45
131.43%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.85 ฿28.76
$1.20 ฿40.62
-29.17%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$2.93 ฿98.9
$6.10 ฿206
-51.97%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.14 ฿38.46
$1.43 ฿48.26
-20.28%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.7K ฿732.9K
$30.8K ฿1.0M
-29.42%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$20.9K ฿706.8K
$26.9K ฿906.9K
-22.07%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Koh Chang
Bangkok
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$94.6 ฿3,190
$109 ฿3,665
-12.94%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$10.67 ฿360
$14.94 ฿504
-28.58%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$16.02 ฿540
$18.05 ฿609
-11.25%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Koh Chang
Bangkok
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$58.0 ฿1,957
$56.3 ฿1,899
3.06%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$9.00 ฿304
$18.45 ฿623
-51.22%
Cinema Ticket
$6.49 ฿219
$7.46 ฿252
-13.00%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Koh Chang
Bangkok
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$422 ฿14.2K
$802 ฿27.1K
-47.35%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$10.2K ฿343.4K
$17.0K ฿572.7K
-40.04%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Koh Chang
Bangkok
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$60.3 ฿2,035
$71.5 ฿2,414
-15.67%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$26.66 ฿900
$42.12 ฿1,421
-36.70%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$89.3 ฿3,014
$97.1 ฿3,276
-7.99%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$81.5 ฿2,750
$107 ฿3,601
-23.62%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Koh Chang
Bangkok
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$469 ฿15.8K
$713 ฿24.1K
-34.29%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$327 ฿11.0K
$347 ฿11.7K
-5.74%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,292 ฿43.6K
$2,219 ฿74.9K
-41.78%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$917 ฿30.9K
$820 ฿27.6K
11.91%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,704 ฿91.2K
$5,948 ฿200.7K
-54.55%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,904 ฿64.2K
$3,151 ฿106.3K
-39.58%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Koh Chang
Bangkok
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$612 ฿20.7K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.57
5.25
6.10%

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

Last update for Koh Chang: October 26, 2026

Last update for Bangkok: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Koh Chang
$327
Bangkok
$347 6.1% $20
Groceries & Markets
Koh Chang
$240
Bangkok
$271 12.8% $31
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Koh Chang
$121
Bangkok
$142 16.8% $20
Clothing & Footwear
Koh Chang
$116
Bangkok
$143 23.1% $27
Eating Out
Koh Chang
$95
Bangkok
$104 9.3% $8.9
Sport & Entertainment
Koh Chang
$71
Bangkok
$71 0.3% $0.2
Getting Around
Koh Chang
$50
Bangkok
$47 6.8% $3.4

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $469 in Koh Chang and $713 in Bangkok. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $26 in Koh Chang vs $35 in Bangkok for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $240 vs $271 per month, with Koh Chang cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇹🇭 Koh Chang
🇹🇭 Bangkok
🕒 Local time
05:28 5:28 AM
05:28 5:28 AM
Same time as Koh Chang
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
8,500
5,666,264 Capital
💱 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 31, 2026: 1 USD = 33.74 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.67 THB (100 THB = 2.65 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Koh Chang Bangkok 280 km
From you
  • Koh Chang
  • Bangkok

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
Koh Chang vs Bangkok: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Koh Chang and in Bangkok?
Total monthly costs including rent come to $1,021 in Koh Chang and $1,125 in Bangkok, so Koh Chang is about 9% cheaper – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
What salary covers living expenses in Koh Chang compared to Bangkok?
You’d need roughly $1,531 in Koh Chang and $1,687 in Bangkok 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.
How do apartment prices compare in Koh Chang and in Bangkok?
Rent for a central apartment: $469 in Koh Chang versus $713 in Bangkok. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
Dining out is cheaper in Koh Chang – a meal for two runs $26 versus $35 in Bangkok. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Which city is more expensive overall: Koh Chang or Bangkok?
All in, you’ll spend $1,021 per month in Koh Chang versus $1,125 in Bangkok – Koh Chang is about 9% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.
How far does $2,000 go in Koh Chang compared to Bangkok?
Either city works on $2,000 a month, though Koh Chang gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.
How does quality of life compare between Koh Chang and Bangkok?
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.
Is Koh Chang or Bangkok safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Koh Chang and Bangkok are both considered safe, so it’s unlikely to be the deciding factor between them.

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