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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,098 in Koh Tao versus $1,061 in Koh Phan Ghan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,952 in Koh Tao versus $1,908 in Koh Phan Ghan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,806 in Koh Tao versus $2,754 in Koh Phan Ghan.

Living in Koh Tao is roughly 3% more expensive than in Koh Phan Ghan, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities sit below the global median: Koh Tao 18% lower, Koh Phan Ghan 21% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.01 ฿135

$4.07 ฿137

-1.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.97 ฿1,345

$42.11 ฿1,417

-5.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.31 ฿246

$7.60 ฿256

-3.82%

Cappuccino

$2.61 ฿87.7

$2.63 ฿88.5

-0.76%

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

$0.57 ฿19.33

$0.62 ฿20.85

-8.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 ฿11.27

$0.35 ฿11.87

-5.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.15 ฿72.4

$2.27 ฿76.2

-5.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 ฿104

$3.26 ฿110

-4.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.06 ฿69.2

$2.13 ฿71.5

-3.29%

White Bread (500g)

$1.73 ฿58.2

$1.73 ฿58.1

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.15 ฿72.3

$2.14 ฿71.9

0.47%

Eggs

$2.14 ฿72.1

$2.12 ฿71.5

0.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.36 ฿618

$18.40 ฿619

-0.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.46 ฿117

$3.57 ฿120

-3.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.41 ฿418

$12.48 ฿420

-0.56%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿109

Banana (1kg)

$1.60 ฿53.9

$1.61 ฿54.3

-0.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.27 ฿76.3

$2.29 ฿76.9

-0.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.95 ฿65.7

$1.92 ฿64.6

1.56%

Potato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿51.0

$1.46 ฿49.02

4.11%

Onion (1kg)

$1.43 ฿48.14

$1.39 ฿46.64

2.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.91 ฿30.62

$0.98 ฿32.82

-7.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 ฿16.78

$0.49 ฿16.59

2.04%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.24 ฿143

$4.07 ฿137

4.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.89 ฿602

$17.94 ฿604

-0.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 ฿59.5

$1.69 ฿56.9

4.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 ฿88.0

$2.61 ฿87.7

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.23 ฿41.41

$1.28 ฿43.24

-3.91%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.74 ฿92.1

$2.70 ฿90.8

1.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.95 ฿32.08

$0.93 ฿31.34

2.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.72 ฿428

$12.52 ฿421

1.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 ฿39.91

$1.23 ฿41.28

-3.25%

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

$25.0K ฿842.1K

$24.8K ฿833.8K

0.99%

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

$29.7K ฿998.7K

$29.7K ฿1.0M

-0.13%

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

$123 ฿4,148

$122 ฿4,097

1.25%

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

$13.63 ฿459

$13.51 ฿455

0.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.36 ฿618

$18.67 ฿628

-1.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$64.6 ฿2,172

$61.8 ฿2,079

4.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.54 ฿590

$17.15 ฿577

2.27%

Cinema Ticket

$9.27 ฿312

$8.66 ฿292

7.04%

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

$688 ฿23.2K

$700 ฿23.5K

-1.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿533.3K

$15.8K ฿532.3K

0.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.7 ฿2,007

$58.9 ฿1,980

1.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.06 ฿1,180

$34.51 ฿1,161

1.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 ฿3,794

$117 ฿3,935

-3.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.3 ฿2,905

$84.2 ฿2,832

2.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$462 ฿15.6K

$438 ฿14.8K

5.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$327 ฿11.0K

$309 ฿10.4K

5.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,523 ฿51.2K

$1,438 ฿48.4K

5.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,125 ฿37.9K

$1,043 ฿35.1K

7.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,599 ฿87.4K

$2,510 ฿84.5K

3.52%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,899 ฿63.9K

$1,776 ฿59.8K

6.87%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$721 ฿24.3K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

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

Last update for Koh Tao: July 11, 2026

Last update for Koh Phan Ghan: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $462 in Koh Tao and $438 in Koh Phan Ghan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $40.00 in Koh Tao vs $42.00 in Koh Phan Ghan for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $276 vs $277 per month, with Koh Tao 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 Tao vs Koh Phan Ghan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Koh Tao and Koh Phan Ghan differ by about 3% in total monthly costs ($1,098 vs $1,061 including rent). Koh Phan Ghan is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,647 in Koh Tao and $1,592 in Koh Phan Ghan 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: $462 in Koh Tao versus $438 in Koh Phan Ghan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Koh Tao pay roughly 0% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $1,098 per month in Koh Tao versus $1,061 in Koh Phan Ghan – a 3% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,061 in Koh Phan Ghan versus $1,098 in Koh Tao, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Koh Phan Ghan but tight or insufficient in Koh Tao. The gap between the two cities makes Koh Phan Ghan 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 Tao and Koh Phan Ghan 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 Koh Phan Ghan gentler on the wallet – expenses run 3% less than in Koh Tao. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.