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: $1,061 in Koh Phan Ghan versus $846 in Chiang Rai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,908 in Koh Phan Ghan versus $1,308 in Chiang Rai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,754 in Koh Phan Ghan versus $1,770 in Chiang Rai.

Living in Koh Phan Ghan is roughly 25% more expensive than in Chiang Rai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Koh Phan Ghan 21% lower, Chiang Rai 37% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.07 ฿137

$2.02 ฿68.0

101.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.11 ฿1,416

$15.38 ฿517

173.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.60 ฿256

$6.22 ฿209

22.19%

Cappuccino

$2.63 ฿88.5

$1.48 ฿49.92

77.70%

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

$0.62 ฿20.84

$0.62 ฿20.71

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.86

$0.30 ฿10.19

16.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.27 ฿76.2

$1.90 ฿64.0

19.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.26 ฿110

$3.79 ฿127

-13.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.13 ฿71.5

$1.72 ฿57.8

23.84%

White Bread (500g)

$1.73 ฿58.1

$1.61 ฿54.2

7.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.14 ฿71.9

$1.19 ฿40.08

79.83%

Eggs

$2.12 ฿71.5

$1.98 ฿66.6

7.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.40 ฿619

$15.77 ฿530

16.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.57 ฿120

$3.04 ฿102

17.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.48 ฿420

$10.91 ฿367

14.39%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿108

$2.57 ฿86.4

25.68%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ฿54.3

$1.05 ฿35.31

53.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.29 ฿76.9

$1.71 ฿57.6

33.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.92 ฿64.6

$0.90 ฿30.38

113.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.46 ฿49.00

$1.35 ฿45.33

8.15%

Onion (1kg)

$1.39 ฿46.61

$1.10 ฿36.88

26.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.81

$0.68 ฿22.81

44.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.58

$0.57 ฿19.04

-14.04%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.07 ฿137

$3.65 ฿123

11.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.94 ฿603

$18.06 ฿607

-0.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 ฿56.8

$1.84 ฿62.0

-8.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 ฿87.6

$3.31 ฿111

-21.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.28 ฿43.21

$0.78 ฿26.37

64.10%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.55 ฿792

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.70 ฿90.7

$1.41 ฿47.30

91.49%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.93 ฿31.32

$1.30 ฿43.58

-28.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.52 ฿421

$7.80 ฿262

60.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿41.26

$1.23 ฿41.28

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

$24.8K ฿833.3K

$20.3K ฿682.3K

22.13%

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

$29.7K ฿999.4K

$22.4K ฿753.6K

32.63%

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

$122 ฿4,095

$50.5 ฿1,699

140.99%

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

$13.51 ฿454

$13.75 ฿462

-1.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.67 ฿628

$15.32 ฿515

21.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.8 ฿2,078

$48.68 ฿1,637

26.93%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.15 ฿577

$12.29 ฿413

39.54%

Cinema Ticket

$8.66 ฿291

$3.65 ฿123

137.26%

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

$700 ฿23.5K

$304 ฿10.2K

130.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿531.9K

$7,700 ฿259.0K

105.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.9 ฿1,979

$56.4 ฿1,898

4.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.51 ฿1,160

$26.38 ฿887

30.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$117 ฿3,932

$72.3 ฿2,431

61.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.2 ฿2,830

$69.7 ฿2,345

20.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$438 ฿14.7K

$266 ฿8,946

64.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$309 ฿10.4K

$258 ฿8,663

20.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,438 ฿48.4K

$763 ฿25.7K

88.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,043 ฿35.1K

$499 ฿16.8K

109.04%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,510 ฿84.4K

$1,918 ฿64.5K

30.86%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,776 ฿59.7K

$951 ฿32.0K

86.80%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$721 ฿24.2K

$607 ฿20.4K

18.76%

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 Rai: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $438 in Koh Phan Ghan and $266 in Chiang Rai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Koh Phan Ghan pays 19% 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: $42.00 in Koh Phan Ghan vs $15.00 in Chiang Rai for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $277 vs $239 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 25% in total monthly costs ($1,061 vs $846 including rent). Chiang Rai is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 19% higher in Koh Phan Ghan, 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: $438 in Koh Phan Ghan versus $266 in Chiang Rai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $700 in Koh Phan Ghan versus $304 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 $42.00 in Koh Phan Ghan. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $846 in Chiang Rai versus $1,061 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 25% less than in Koh Phan Ghan. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.