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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $874 in Pai versus $1,096 in Koh Phan Ghan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,441 in Pai versus $1,945 in Koh Phan Ghan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,009 in Pai versus $2,794 in Koh Phan Ghan.

Living in Pai costs roughly 20% less than in Koh Phan Ghan, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Pai 35% lower, Koh Phan Ghan 18% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.15 ฿103

$4.22 ฿138

-25.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.77 ฿809

$41.00 ฿1,339

-39.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.06 ฿231

$7.88 ฿257

-10.41%

Cappuccino

$2.09 ฿68.2

$2.76 ฿90.3

-24.28%

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

$0.65 ฿21.16

$0.61 ฿19.95

6.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿12.15

$0.36 ฿11.63

2.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.18 ฿71.2

$2.25 ฿73.4

-3.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.65 ฿119

$3.35 ฿109

8.96%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.69 ฿55.2

$2.05 ฿67.0

-17.56%

White Bread (500g)

$1.35 ฿44.20

$1.75 ฿57.0

-22.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.26 ฿41.23

$2.08 ฿68.1

-39.42%

Eggs

$2.06 ฿67.2

$2.12 ฿69.2

-2.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.35 ฿567

$18.91 ฿618

-8.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.96 ฿96.8

$3.60 ฿118

-17.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.78 ฿352

$12.82 ฿419

-15.91%

Apples (1kg)

$2.92 ฿95.3

$3.16 ฿103

-7.59%

Banana (1kg)

$1.23 ฿40.28

$1.54 ฿50.4

-20.13%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.92 ฿62.6

$2.29 ฿74.9

-16.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 ฿49.01

$1.91 ฿62.4

-21.47%

Potato (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.48

$1.46 ฿47.61

1.37%

Onion (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.65

$1.43 ฿46.72

-15.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 ฿33.02

$0.92 ฿29.93

9.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.80

$0.49 ฿16.08

4.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.39 ฿143

$4.24 ฿138

3.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.80 ฿614

$18.11 ฿592

3.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.3

$1.73 ฿56.6

2.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 ฿87.6

$2.56 ฿83.7

4.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.97 ฿31.55

$1.27 ฿41.41

-23.62%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.10 ฿35.89

$2.69 ฿87.8

-59.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.19 ฿38.92

$0.87 ฿28.57

36.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.12 ฿200

$12.31 ฿402

-50.28%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 ฿40.65

$1.17 ฿38.23

5.98%

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

$27.8K ฿908.5K

$24.7K ฿805.1K

12.84%

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

$27.2K ฿887.2K

$30.5K ฿997.3K

-11.03%

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

$72.9 ฿2,382

$122 ฿3,984

-40.21%

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

$13.31 ฿435

$13.49 ฿441

-1.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.33 ฿599

$18.78 ฿614

-2.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.65 ฿1,622

$60.1 ฿1,964

-17.44%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.29 ฿401

$16.94 ฿553

-27.45%

Cinema Ticket

$6.95 ฿227

$9.15 ฿299

-24.04%

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

$299 ฿9,759

$693 ฿22.6K

-56.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,327 ฿304.6K

$16.0K ฿522.2K

-41.67%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$32.43 ฿1,059

$57.9 ฿1,892

-44.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.24 ฿1,118

$34.07 ฿1,113

0.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.4 ฿2,723

$116 ฿3,775

-27.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$66.0 ฿2,154

$83.4 ฿2,723

-20.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$453 ฿14.8K

$425 ฿13.9K

6.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$262 ฿8,570

$313 ฿10.2K

-16.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$819 ฿26.7K

$1,432 ฿46.8K

-42.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$667 ฿21.8K

$1,044 ฿34.1K

-36.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,499 ฿81.6K

$2,558 ฿83.5K

-2.30%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,797 ฿58.7K

$1,826 ฿59.6K

-1.62%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$744 ฿24.3K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.45

5.33

2.25%

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

Last update for Pai: May 31, 2026

Last update for Koh Phan Ghan: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $453 in Pai and $425 in Koh Phan Ghan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $25.00 in Pai vs $41.00 in Koh Phan Ghan for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $249 vs $279 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

Pai vs Koh Phan Ghan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Pai and Koh Phan Ghan differ by about 25% in total monthly costs ($874 vs $1,096 including rent). Pai is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,311 in Pai and $1,644 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: $453 in Pai versus $425 in Koh Phan Ghan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 12% higher in Koh Phan Ghan. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $874 per month in Pai versus $1,096 in Koh Phan Ghan – a 25% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $874 in Pai versus $1,096 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, Pai 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 Pai 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.