Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Sakon Nakhon and Koh Phangan

For one person, living is cheaper in Sakon Nakhon: $896 a month against $1,103 in Koh Phangan, rent and utilities included – about $2,500 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

Sakon Nakhon, Thailand
Koh Phangan, Thailand
Sakon Nakhon
🇹🇭 Thailand
$896
/mo nomad
Koh Phangan
🇹🇭 Thailand
$1,103
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Sakon Nakhon and in Koh Phangan

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Sakon Nakhon and in Koh Phangan actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $896 in Sakon Nakhon versus $1,103 in Koh Phangan.

  • Sakon Nakhon $896
  • Koh Phangan $1,103

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,416 in Sakon Nakhon versus $1,874 in Koh Phangan.

  • Sakon Nakhon $1,416
  • Koh Phangan $1,874

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,937 in Sakon Nakhon versus $2,646 in Koh Phangan.

  • Sakon Nakhon $1,937
  • Koh Phangan $2,646

Living in Sakon Nakhon costs roughly 19% less than in Koh Phangan, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both cities sit below the global median: Sakon Nakhon 34% lower, Koh Phangan 19% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Sakon Nakhon
Koh Phangan
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$1.46 ฿49.20
$3.88 ฿131
-62.37%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$14.98 ฿505
$28.98 ฿977
-48.31%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$2.89 ฿97.5
$7.88 ฿266
-63.32%
Cappuccino
$1.46 ฿49.23
$2.46 ฿83.0
-40.65%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.73 ฿24.55
$0.80 ฿27.01
-8.75%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.25 ฿8.38
$0.44 ฿14.87
-43.18%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.01 ฿67.9
$2.25 ฿75.9
-10.67%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.12 ฿71.5
$3.26 ฿110
-34.97%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Sakon Nakhon
Koh Phangan
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.38 ฿80.1
$1.59 ฿53.5
49.69%
White Bread (500g)
$1.28 ฿43.15
$1.38 ฿46.50
-7.25%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.21 ฿40.73
$1.44 ฿48.40
-15.97%
Eggs
$2.10 ฿70.7
$2.00 ฿67.2
5.00%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.51 ฿354
$18.46 ฿622
-43.07%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$2.48 ฿83.7
$3.29 ฿111
-24.62%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.38 ฿350
$10.67 ฿360
-2.72%
Apples (1kg)
$3.11 ฿105
$2.72 ฿91.6
14.34%
Banana (1kg)
$1.16 ฿39.24
$1.54 ฿51.9
-24.68%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.13 ฿71.9
$2.07 ฿69.7
2.90%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.86 ฿62.8
$1.93 ฿65.1
-3.63%
Potato (1kg)
$1.46 ฿49.20
$1.44 ฿48.53
1.39%
Onion (1kg)
$1.45 ฿48.72
$1.23 ฿41.59
17.89%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.54 ฿18.25
$1.07 ฿35.92
-49.53%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.51 ฿17.10
$0.48 ฿16.02
6.25%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.35 ฿147
$4.04 ฿136
7.67%
Wine (Bottle)
$17.49 ฿589
$17.83 ฿601
-1.91%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.66 ฿56.0
$1.70 ฿57.4
-2.35%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.76 ฿93.0
$2.65 ฿89.4
4.15%
🚌 Getting Around
Sakon Nakhon
Koh Phangan
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.87 ฿29.25
$1.32 ฿44.55
-34.09%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$49.08 ฿1,654
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.46 ฿49.31
$2.61 ฿88.1
-44.06%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.10 ฿37.19
$0.96 ฿32.37
14.58%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.36 ฿181
$3.32 ฿112
61.45%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.26 ฿42.54
$1.33 ฿44.90
-5.26%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.3K ฿887.7K
$23.5K ฿793.5K
11.87%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$27.4K ฿921.7K
$23.7K ฿797.8K
15.53%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Sakon Nakhon
Koh Phangan
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$83.2 ฿2,803
$98.0 ฿3,304
-15.15%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$10.13 ฿342
$11.12 ฿375
-8.90%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$15.68 ฿528
$16.94 ฿571
-7.44%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Sakon Nakhon
Koh Phangan
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$48.92 ฿1,649
$67.7 ฿2,281
-27.73%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$12.06 ฿407
$10.81 ฿364
11.56%
Cinema Ticket
$3.54 ฿119
$7.68 ฿259
-53.91%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Sakon Nakhon
Koh Phangan
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$660 ฿22.2K
$478 ฿16.1K
37.88%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$11.0K ฿370.3K
$11.6K ฿390.9K
-5.27%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Sakon Nakhon
Koh Phangan
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$19.47 ฿656
$62.1 ฿2,093
-68.66%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$6.67 ฿225
$28.52 ฿961
-76.61%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$118 ฿3,988
$96.0 ฿3,236
23.27%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$74.1 ฿2,497
$86.5 ฿2,915
-14.33%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Sakon Nakhon
Koh Phangan
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$410 ฿13.8K
$498 ฿16.8K
-17.80%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$336 ฿11.3K
$348 ฿11.7K
-3.39%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,219 ฿41.1K
$1,349 ฿45.5K
-9.61%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$752 ฿25.4K
$1,007 ฿34.0K
-25.32%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,173 ฿73.2K
$2,927 ฿98.6K
-25.77%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,814 ฿61.1K
$2,098 ฿70.7K
-13.53%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Sakon Nakhon
Koh Phangan
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$741 ฿25.0K
$724 ฿24.4K
2.40%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.57
5.57
-

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

Last update for Sakon Nakhon: October 26, 2026

Last update for Koh Phangan: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Sakon Nakhon
$336
Koh Phangan
$348 3.5% $12
Groceries & Markets
Sakon Nakhon
$230
Koh Phangan
$254 10.7% $25
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Sakon Nakhon
$109
Koh Phangan
$126 15.7% $17
Clothing & Footwear
Sakon Nakhon
$98
Koh Phangan
$123 25% $25
Eating Out
Sakon Nakhon
$56
Koh Phangan
$107 90.7% $51
Sport & Entertainment
Sakon Nakhon
$56
Koh Phangan
$83 48.3% $27
Getting Around
Sakon Nakhon
$10 *
Koh Phangan
$62 491% $51

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $410 in Sakon Nakhon and $498 in Koh Phangan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $15 in Sakon Nakhon vs $29 in Koh Phangan for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $230 vs $254 per month, with Sakon Nakhon cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇹🇭 Sakon Nakhon
🇹🇭 Koh Phangan
🕒 Local time
12:39 12:39 PM
12:39 12:39 PM
Same time as Sakon Nakhon
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
53,100
💱 Currency
Thai Baht THB ฿
Thai Baht THB ฿
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

Thai Baht exchange rates as of November 3, 2026: 1 USD = 33.7 THB (100 THB = 2.97 USD). 1 EUR = 37.77 THB (100 THB = 2.65 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Sakon Nakhon Koh Phangan 940 km ≈ 1 h 45 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Sakon Nakhon
  • Koh Phangan

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Sakon Nakhon vs Koh Phangan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Sakon Nakhon and in Koh Phangan?
Total monthly costs including rent come to $896 in Sakon Nakhon and $1,103 in Koh Phangan, so Sakon Nakhon is about 19% cheaper – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
What salary covers living expenses in Sakon Nakhon compared to Koh Phangan?
You’d need roughly $1,343 in Sakon Nakhon and $1,654 in Koh Phangan 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.
How do apartment prices compare in Sakon Nakhon and in Koh Phangan?
Rent for a central apartment: $410 in Sakon Nakhon versus $498 in Koh Phangan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Supermarket bills run roughly 11% higher in Koh Phangan. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Which city is more expensive overall: Sakon Nakhon or Koh Phangan?
All in, you’ll spend $896 per month in Sakon Nakhon versus $1,103 in Koh Phangan – Sakon Nakhon is about 19% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.
How does quality of life compare between Sakon Nakhon and Koh Phangan?
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.
Is Sakon Nakhon or Koh Phangan safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Sakon Nakhon and Koh Phangan are both considered safe, so it’s unlikely to be the deciding factor between them.

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