Cost of Living Comparison Between Koh Phan Ghan and Chiang Mai Cost of Living Comparison Between Koh Phan Ghan and Chiang Mai

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,061 per month in Koh Phan Ghan vs $861 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,908 per month in Koh Phan Ghan vs $1,350 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,754 per month in Koh Phan Ghan vs $1,838 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Koh Phan Ghan costs about 23% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Koh Phan Ghan and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Koh Phan Ghan 21% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.07 ฿137

$1.96 ฿65.7

107.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.11 ฿1,414

$18.35 ฿616

129.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.60 ฿255

$7.48 ฿251

1.60%

Cappuccino

$2.63 ฿88.3

$2.02 ฿67.7

30.20%

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

$0.62 ฿20.80

$0.85 ฿28.45

-27.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.84

$0.36 ฿11.94

-2.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.27 ฿76.1

$2.14 ฿71.7

6.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.26 ฿109

$3.59 ฿121

-9.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.13 ฿71.4

$1.65 ฿55.4

29.09%

White Bread (500g)

$1.73 ฿58.0

$1.57 ฿52.6

10.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.14 ฿71.7

$1.19 ฿39.95

79.83%

Eggs

$2.12 ฿71.3

$1.94 ฿65.0

9.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.40 ฿618

$16.19 ฿544

13.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.57 ฿120

$2.99 ฿100

19.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.48 ฿419

$10.94 ฿367

14.08%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿108

$2.71 ฿91.0

19.19%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ฿54.2

$1.17 ฿39.18

37.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.29 ฿76.7

$1.69 ฿56.6

35.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.92 ฿64.5

$1.60 ฿53.9

20.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.91

$1.38 ฿46.45

5.80%

Onion (1kg)

$1.39 ฿46.53

$1.20 ฿40.38

15.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.75

$0.67 ฿22.46

46.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.55

$0.56 ฿18.70

-12.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.07 ฿137

$4.64 ฿156

-12.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.94 ฿602

$17.62 ฿591

1.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 ฿56.7

$1.86 ฿62.4

-9.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 ฿87.5

$3.30 ฿111

-20.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.28 ฿43.14

$0.88 ฿29.63

45.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.34 ฿649

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.70 ฿90.6

$1.36 ฿45.82

98.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.93 ฿31.26

$1.34 ฿44.90

-30.60%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.52 ฿420

$8.21 ฿276

52.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿41.19

$1.22 ฿41.11

0.82%

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

$24.8K ฿831.8K

$21.4K ฿716.8K

16.04%

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

$29.7K ฿997.7K

$22.5K ฿756.3K

31.91%

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

$122 ฿4,087

$70.7 ฿2,372

72.28%

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

$13.51 ฿454

$14.04 ฿471

-3.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.67 ฿627

$17.49 ฿587

6.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.8 ฿2,074

$42.15 ฿1,415

46.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.15 ฿576

$6.88 ฿231

149.27%

Cinema Ticket

$8.66 ฿291

$5.92 ฿199

46.28%

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

$700 ฿23.5K

$309 ฿10.4K

126.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿531.0K

$14.9K ฿499.5K

6.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.9 ฿1,976

$55.8 ฿1,872

5.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.51 ฿1,158

$26.11 ฿877

32.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$117 ฿3,925

$83.0 ฿2,787

40.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.2 ฿2,825

$70.5 ฿2,365

19.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$438 ฿14.7K

$432 ฿14.5K

1.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$309 ฿10.4K

$239 ฿8,020

29.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,438 ฿48.3K

$822 ฿27.6K

74.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,043 ฿35.0K

$512 ฿17.2K

103.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,510 ฿84.3K

$1,915 ฿64.3K

31.11%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,776 ฿59.6K

$1,467 ฿49.3K

21.08%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$721 ฿24.2K

$579 ฿19.4K

24.46%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

6.60%

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

Last update for Koh Phan Ghan: July 14, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $438 in Koh Phan Ghan versus $432 in Chiang Mai. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 24% higher in Koh Phan Ghan, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Koh Phan Ghan versus $18.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $277 vs $243 – making Chiang Mai the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Phan Ghan vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Koh Phan Ghan costs about 23% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,592 per month in Koh Phan Ghan and $1,292 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Chiang Mai, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Koh Phan Ghan and $18.00 in Chiang Mai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 14% more in Koh Phan Ghan, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $861, than in Koh Phan Ghan at $1,061. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Koh Phan Ghan it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $861 versus $1,061 in Koh Phan Ghan. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Chiang Mai. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Koh Phan Ghan makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.