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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,096 in Koh Phan Ghan versus $854 in Chiang Rai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,945 in Koh Phan Ghan versus $1,296 in Chiang Rai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,794 in Koh Phan Ghan versus $1,738 in Chiang Rai.

Living in Koh Phan Ghan is roughly 28% more expensive than Chiang Rai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Koh Phan Ghan 18% lower, Chiang Rai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.22 ฿138

$2.02 ฿65.9

108.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.00 ฿1,339

$15.11 ฿494

171.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.88 ฿257

$6.29 ฿205

25.28%

Cappuccino

$2.76 ฿90.3

$1.42 ฿46.44

94.37%

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

$0.61 ฿19.95

$0.57 ฿18.49

7.02%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.63

$0.28 ฿9.05

28.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.25 ฿73.4

$1.86 ฿60.8

20.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.35 ฿109

$3.73 ฿122

-10.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 ฿67.0

$1.65 ฿54.0

24.24%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 ฿57.0

$1.58 ฿51.6

10.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.08 ฿68.1

$1.20 ฿39.16

73.33%

Eggs

$2.12 ฿69.2

$1.89 ฿61.7

12.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.91 ฿618

$15.89 ฿519

19.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.60 ฿118

$3.14 ฿102

14.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.82 ฿419

$10.87 ฿355

17.94%

Apples (1kg)

$3.16 ฿103

$2.51 ฿81.8

25.90%

Banana (1kg)

$1.54 ฿50.4

$1.04 ฿34.04

48.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.29 ฿74.9

$1.68 ฿54.9

36.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.91 ฿62.4

$0.95 ฿31.10

101.05%

Potato (1kg)

$1.46 ฿47.61

$1.34 ฿43.60

8.96%

Onion (1kg)

$1.43 ฿46.72

$1.11 ฿36.19

28.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.92 ฿29.93

$0.67 ฿21.78

37.31%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.08

$0.53 ฿17.25

-7.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.24 ฿138

$3.74 ฿122

13.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.11 ฿592

$18.59 ฿607

-2.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 ฿56.6

$1.76 ฿57.4

-1.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.56 ฿83.7

$3.17 ฿104

-19.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.27 ฿41.41

$0.80 ฿26.26

58.75%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.40 ฿764

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.69 ฿87.8

$1.37 ฿44.74

96.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.87 ฿28.57

$1.29 ฿42.03

-32.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.31 ฿402

$8.17 ฿267

50.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.17 ฿38.23

$1.24 ฿40.50

-5.65%

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

$24.7K ฿805.1K

$20.6K ฿673.2K

19.61%

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

$30.5K ฿997.3K

$22.2K ฿724.0K

37.74%

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

$122 ฿3,984

$50.4 ฿1,645

142.22%

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

$13.49 ฿441

$14.20 ฿464

-5.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.78 ฿614

$15.52 ฿507

21.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.1 ฿1,964

$50.1 ฿1,636

20.09%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.94 ฿553

$12.38 ฿404

36.83%

Cinema Ticket

$9.15 ฿299

$3.64 ฿119

151.37%

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

$693 ฿22.6K

$310 ฿10.1K

123.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.0K ฿522.2K

$7,725 ฿252.3K

106.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 ฿1,892

$56.3 ฿1,840

2.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.07 ฿1,113

$26.75 ฿874

27.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$116 ฿3,775

$72.6 ฿2,371

59.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.4 ฿2,723

$70.1 ฿2,290

18.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$425 ฿13.9K

$271 ฿8,857

56.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$313 ฿10.2K

$260 ฿8,506

20.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,432 ฿46.8K

$766 ฿25.0K

86.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,044 ฿34.1K

$495 ฿16.2K

111.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,558 ฿83.5K

$1,984 ฿64.8K

28.91%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,826 ฿59.6K

$991 ฿32.4K

84.20%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$744 ฿24.3K

$603 ฿19.7K

23.40%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Chiang Rai: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $425 in Koh Phan Ghan and $271 in Chiang Rai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Koh Phan Ghan pays 23% 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: $41.00 in Koh Phan Ghan vs $15.00 in Chiang Rai for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $279 vs $238 per month, with Chiang Rai cheaper across the board.

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 Rai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Koh Phan Ghan and Chiang Rai differ by about 28% in total monthly costs ($1,096 vs $854 including rent). Chiang Rai is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Koh Phan Ghan pays 23% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $425 in Koh Phan Ghan versus $271 in Chiang Rai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $693 in Koh Phan Ghan versus $310 in Chiang Rai. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Chiang Rai – a meal for two runs $15.00 versus $41.00 in Koh Phan Ghan. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $854 in Chiang Rai versus $1,096 in Koh Phan Ghan, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Chiang Rai but tight or insufficient in Koh Phan Ghan. The gap between the two cities makes Chiang Rai 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, Koh Phan Ghan and Chiang Rai 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 Chiang Rai gentler on the wallet – expenses run 28% less than in Koh Phan Ghan. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.