Cost of Living Comparison Between Koh Phan Ghan and Pai Cost of Living Comparison Between Koh Phan Ghan and Pai

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,071 in Koh Phan Ghan versus $882 in Pai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,770 in Koh Phan Ghan versus $1,460 in Pai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,469 in Koh Phan Ghan versus $2,038 in Pai.

Living in Koh Phan Ghan is roughly 22% more expensive than in Pai, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Koh Phan Ghan 22% lower, Pai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.19 ฿138

$3.17 ฿105

32.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.63 ฿979

$24.52 ฿810

20.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.81 ฿258

$7.15 ฿236

9.23%

Cappuccino

$2.55 ฿84.3

$2.08 ฿68.8

22.60%

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

$0.76 ฿25.04

$0.69 ฿22.81

10.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.41 ฿13.49

$0.38 ฿12.45

7.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ฿70.3

$2.12 ฿70.0

0.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.45 ฿114

$3.56 ฿118

-3.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.76 ฿58.1

$1.68 ฿55.6

4.76%

White Bread (500g)

$1.40 ฿46.29

$1.35 ฿44.63

3.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.52 ฿50.4

$1.30 ฿42.97

16.92%

Eggs

$2.11 ฿69.9

$2.02 ฿66.8

4.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.82 ฿622

$16.98 ฿561

10.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.28 ฿108

$3.12 ฿103

5.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.77 ฿356

$10.85 ฿358

-0.74%

Apples (1kg)

$2.87 ฿94.8

$2.93 ฿96.9

-2.05%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ฿54.1

$1.19 ฿39.18

37.82%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.16 ฿71.5

$1.84 ฿60.9

17.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.98 ฿65.5

$1.51 ฿49.87

31.13%

Potato (1kg)

$1.47 ฿48.64

$1.50 ฿49.63

-2.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.29 ฿42.51

$1.22 ฿40.22

5.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.09 ฿36.00

$0.97 ฿32.21

12.37%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.57

$0.48 ฿15.71

16.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 ฿137

$4.43 ฿146

-6.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.31 ฿605

$18.78 ฿621

-2.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 ฿56.6

$1.81 ฿59.9

-5.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿91.8

$2.82 ฿93.3

-1.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.03 ฿67.2

$0.95 ฿31.41

113.68%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.78 ฿92.0

$1.09 ฿36.03

155.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.98 ฿32.25

$1.14 ฿37.72

-14.04%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.54 ฿117

$6.23 ฿206

-43.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ฿44.30

$1.27 ฿41.87

5.51%

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

$24.7K ฿815.7K

$27.5K ฿907.2K

-10.09%

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

$24.6K ฿814.4K

$26.7K ฿882.2K

-7.69%

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

$104 ฿3,424

$72.2 ฿2,386

43.48%

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

$11.43 ฿378

$13.16 ฿435

-13.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.69 ฿585

$18.30 ฿605

-3.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.0 ฿1,752

$50.1 ฿1,655

5.85%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.02 ฿364

$14.21 ฿469

-22.45%

Cinema Ticket

$7.84 ฿259

$6.98 ฿231

12.32%

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

$571 ฿18.9K

$298 ฿9,861

91.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.8K ฿390.4K

$9,576 ฿316.4K

23.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$65.4 ฿2,159

$31.98 ฿1,057

104.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.41 ฿972

$34.25 ฿1,132

-14.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.6 ฿3,191

$83.9 ฿2,772

15.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.6 ฿2,992

$65.7 ฿2,170

37.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$513 ฿17.0K

$454 ฿15.0K

13.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$342 ฿11.3K

$271 ฿8,942

26.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,463 ฿48.3K

$820 ฿27.1K

78.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$846 ฿28.0K

$661 ฿21.8K

28.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,507 ฿82.8K

$2,435 ฿80.4K

2.97%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,812 ฿59.9K

$1,799 ฿59.5K

0.68%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$732 ฿24.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

5.45

2.20%

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

Last update for Koh Phan Ghan: September 7, 2026

Last update for Pai: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $513 in Koh Phan Ghan and $454 in Pai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $30.00 in Koh Phan Ghan vs $25.00 in Pai for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $263 vs $248 per month, with Pai 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 Pai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Koh Phan Ghan and Pai differ by about 22% in total monthly costs ($1,071 vs $882 including rent). Pai is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,607 in Koh Phan Ghan and $1,322 in Pai 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $513 in Koh Phan Ghan versus $454 in Pai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 6% higher in Koh Phan Ghan. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,071 per month in Koh Phan Ghan versus $882 in Pai – a 22% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $882 in Pai versus $1,071 in Koh Phan Ghan, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Pai but tight or insufficient in Koh Phan Ghan. The gap between the two cities makes Pai 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 Pai 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 Pai gentler on the wallet – expenses run 22% less than in Koh Phan Ghan. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.