Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Koh Phangan and Chanthaburi

For one person, living is cheaper in Chanthaburi: $977 a month against $1,103 in Koh Phangan, rent and utilities included – about $1,500 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

Koh Phangan, Thailand
Chanthaburi, Thailand
Koh Phangan
🇹🇭 Thailand
$1,103
/mo nomad
Chanthaburi
🇹🇭 Thailand
$977
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Koh Phangan and in Chanthaburi

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,103 in Koh Phangan versus $977 in Chanthaburi.

  • Koh Phangan $1,103
  • Chanthaburi $977

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,874 in Koh Phangan versus $1,588 in Chanthaburi.

  • Koh Phangan $1,874
  • Chanthaburi $1,588

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,646 in Koh Phangan versus $2,199 in Chanthaburi.

  • Koh Phangan $2,646
  • Chanthaburi $2,199

Living in Koh Phangan is roughly 13% more expensive than in Chanthaburi, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both cities sit below the global median: Koh Phangan 19% lower, Chanthaburi 28% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Koh Phangan
Chanthaburi
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.88 ฿131
$1.21 ฿40.89
220.66%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$28.98 ฿977
$35.42 ฿1,194
-18.18%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.88 ฿266
$6.58 ฿222
19.76%
Cappuccino
$2.46 ฿83.0
$1.46 ฿49.14
68.49%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.80 ฿27.01
$0.52 ฿17.63
53.85%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.44 ฿14.87
$0.31 ฿10.59
41.94%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.25 ฿75.9
$1.68 ฿56.8
33.93%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.26 ฿110
$4.53 ฿153
-28.04%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Koh Phangan
Chanthaburi
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.59 ฿53.5
$1.51 ฿51.0
5.30%
White Bread (500g)
$1.38 ฿46.50
$1.52 ฿51.1
-9.21%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.44 ฿48.40
$0.87 ฿29.28
65.52%
Eggs
$2.00 ฿67.2
$2.10 ฿70.8
-4.76%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$18.46 ฿622
$17.28 ฿582
6.83%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.29 ฿111
$3.60 ฿121
-8.61%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.67 ฿360
$13.16 ฿444
-18.92%
Apples (1kg)
$2.72 ฿91.6
$3.91 ฿132
-30.43%
Banana (1kg)
$1.54 ฿51.9
$1.74 ฿58.8
-11.49%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.07 ฿69.7
$2.81 ฿94.8
-26.33%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.93 ฿65.1
$1.99 ฿66.9
-3.02%
Potato (1kg)
$1.44 ฿48.53
$1.18 ฿39.90
22.03%
Onion (1kg)
$1.23 ฿41.59
$1.50 ฿50.4
-18.00%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.07 ฿35.92
$1.23 ฿41.32
-13.01%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.48 ฿16.02
$0.52 ฿17.66
-7.69%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.04 ฿136
$4.84 ฿163
-16.53%
Wine (Bottle)
$17.83 ฿601
$14.65 ฿494
21.71%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.70 ฿57.4
$1.71 ฿57.5
-0.58%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.65 ฿89.4
$3.30 ฿111
-19.70%
🚌 Getting Around
Koh Phangan
Chanthaburi
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.32 ฿44.55
$0.91 ฿30.61
45.05%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$49.08 ฿1,654
$88.4 ฿2,978
-44.46%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.61 ฿88.1
$1.02 ฿34.27
155.88%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.96 ฿32.37
$1.07 ฿36.00
-10.28%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$3.32 ฿112
$6.05 ฿204
-45.12%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.33 ฿44.90
$1.19 ฿40.22
11.76%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$23.5K ฿793.5K
$31.7K ฿1.1M
-25.77%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.7K ฿797.8K
$23.5K ฿790.6K
0.91%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Koh Phangan
Chanthaburi
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$98.0 ฿3,304
$109 ฿3,667
-9.92%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.12 ฿375
$3.50 ฿118
217.71%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$16.94 ฿571
$10.30 ฿347
64.47%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Koh Phangan
Chanthaburi
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$67.7 ฿2,281
$47.68 ฿1,607
41.97%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$10.81 ฿364
$13.10 ฿442
-17.48%
Cinema Ticket
$7.68 ฿259
$5.49 ฿185
39.89%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Koh Phangan
Chanthaburi
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$478 ฿16.1K
$564 ฿19.0K
-15.12%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$11.6K ฿390.9K
$16.3K ฿550.4K
-28.98%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Koh Phangan
Chanthaburi
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$62.1 ฿2,093
$7.39 ฿249
740.60%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$28.52 ฿961
$35.59 ฿1,199
-19.87%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$96.0 ฿3,236
$68.0 ฿2,291
41.23%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$86.5 ฿2,915
$20.61 ฿695
319.75%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Koh Phangan
Chanthaburi
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$498 ฿16.8K
$426 ฿14.4K
16.95%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$348 ฿11.7K
$305 ฿10.3K
14.00%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,349 ฿45.5K
$1,166 ฿39.3K
15.72%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,007 ฿34.0K
$700 ฿23.6K
43.97%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,927 ฿98.6K
$1,936 ฿65.2K
51.19%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,098 ฿70.7K
$1,445 ฿48.7K
45.17%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Koh Phangan
Chanthaburi
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$724 ฿24.4K
-
-
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 Phangan: October 25, 2026

Last update for Chanthaburi: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Koh Phangan
$348
Chanthaburi
$305 12.3% $43
Groceries & Markets
Koh Phangan
$254
Chanthaburi
$265 4.2% $11
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Koh Phangan
$126
Chanthaburi
$123 2.8% $3.5
Clothing & Footwear
Koh Phangan
$123
Chanthaburi
$59 51.8% $64
Eating Out
Koh Phangan
$107
Chanthaburi
$68 36.7% $39
Sport & Entertainment
Koh Phangan
$83
Chanthaburi
$59 29.4% $24
Getting Around
Koh Phangan
$62
Chanthaburi
$98 59.2% $37

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $498 in Koh Phangan and $426 in Chanthaburi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $29 in Koh Phangan vs $35 in Chanthaburi for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $254 vs $265 per month, with Koh Phangan cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇹🇭 Koh Phangan
🇹🇭 Chanthaburi
🕒 Local time
09:13 9:13 AM
09:13 9:13 AM
Same time as Koh Phangan
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
27,602
💱 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 29, 2026: 1 USD = 33.7 THB (100 THB = 2.97 USD). 1 EUR = 37.52 THB (100 THB = 2.67 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Koh Phangan Chanthaburi 390 km
From you
  • Koh Phangan
  • Chanthaburi

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 Phangan vs Chanthaburi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Koh Phangan and in Chanthaburi?
Total monthly costs including rent come to $1,103 in Koh Phangan and $977 in Chanthaburi, so Chanthaburi is about 11% cheaper – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
What salary covers living expenses in Koh Phangan compared to Chanthaburi?
You’d need roughly $1,654 in Koh Phangan and $1,465 in Chanthaburi 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 Phangan and in Chanthaburi?
Rent for a central apartment: $498 in Koh Phangan versus $426 in Chanthaburi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do commuting costs compare in Koh Phangan and in Chanthaburi?
A monthly transit pass in Koh Phangan runs roughly 44% less than in Chanthaburi. The price difference matters if you commute daily and watch your budget.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Koh Phangan and Chanthaburi?
Childcare runs $478 in Koh Phangan versus $564 in Chanthaburi. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
How does quality of life compare between Koh Phangan and Chanthaburi?
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 Phangan or Chanthaburi safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Koh Phangan and Chanthaburi are both considered safe, so it’s unlikely to be the deciding factor between them.

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