Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubon Ratchathani and Bangkok Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubon Ratchathani and Bangkok

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $790 in Ubon Ratchathani versus $1,057 in Bangkok.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,425 in Ubon Ratchathani versus $1,760 in Bangkok.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,060 in Ubon Ratchathani versus $2,463 in Bangkok.

Living in Ubon Ratchathani costs roughly 25% less than in Bangkok, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Ubon Ratchathani 41% lower, Bangkok 21% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.01 ฿96.6

$2.99 ฿95.8

0.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.29 ฿779

$31.17 ฿999

-22.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.39 ฿205

$6.28 ฿201

1.75%

Cappuccino

$1.86 ฿59.5

$2.49 ฿79.9

-25.30%

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

$1.06 ฿34.00

$0.71 ฿22.80

49.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿15.82

$0.27 ฿8.64

81.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.53 ฿81.1

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 ฿91.2

$3.91 ฿125

-27.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 ฿55.9

$1.78 ฿57.1

-2.25%

White Bread (500g)

$1.33 ฿42.61

$1.33 ฿42.77

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.31 ฿42.15

$1.42 ฿45.37

-7.75%

Eggs

$2.16 ฿69.2

$2.24 ฿71.7

-3.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.38 ฿589

$18.30 ฿587

0.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.09 ฿99.0

$2.98 ฿95.4

3.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.60 ฿340

$9.16 ฿294

15.72%

Apples (1kg)

$3.10 ฿99.4

$3.57 ฿114

-13.17%

Banana (1kg)

$1.26 ฿40.55

$1.72 ฿55.2

-26.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.89 ฿60.6

$2.23 ฿71.4

-15.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿50.9

$1.87 ฿59.9

-14.97%

Potato (1kg)

$1.48 ฿47.30

$1.64 ฿52.5

-9.76%

Onion (1kg)

$1.21 ฿38.65

$1.42 ฿45.62

-14.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 ฿32.96

$1.34 ฿43.07

-23.13%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿15.34

$0.53 ฿16.99

-9.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 ฿134

$4.42 ฿142

-5.20%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.98 ฿448

$16.88 ฿541

-17.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 ฿55.1

$1.86 ฿59.6

-7.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.67 ฿85.6

$3.28 ฿105

-18.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.95 ฿30.51

$1.20 ฿38.62

-20.83%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$37.64 ฿1,207

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.11 ฿35.49

$1.06 ฿33.85

4.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.15 ฿36.74

$1.15 ฿36.86

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.17 ฿198

$6.08 ฿195

1.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 ฿41.11

$1.19 ฿38.05

7.56%

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

$27.7K ฿888.5K

$37.3K ฿1.2M

-25.63%

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

$27.0K ฿865.8K

$29.3K ฿939.5K

-7.85%

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

$75.9 ฿2,432

$90.1 ฿2,889

-15.81%

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

$13.05 ฿418

$12.99 ฿416

0.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.08 ฿483

$17.33 ฿556

-12.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.50 ฿1,587

$53.7 ฿1,721

-7.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.28 ฿394

$10.40 ฿334

18.08%

Cinema Ticket

$6.91 ฿222

$7.93 ฿254

-12.86%

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

$294 ฿9,438

$610 ฿19.6K

-51.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,474 ฿303.7K

$13.5K ฿433.0K

-29.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$33.84 ฿1,085

$57.6 ฿1,847

-41.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.40 ฿1,103

$39.26 ฿1,259

-12.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.4 ฿3,122

$106 ฿3,406

-8.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.6 ฿2,264

$92.0 ฿2,950

-23.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$242 ฿7,750

$681 ฿21.8K

-64.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$166 ฿5,307

$328 ฿10.5K

-49.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$809 ฿25.9K

$1,910 ฿61.2K

-57.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$652 ฿20.9K

$830 ฿26.6K

-21.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,288 ฿73.4K

$6,095 ฿195.4K

-62.46%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,520 ฿48.7K

$3,193 ฿102.4K

-52.38%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$400 ฿12.8K

$787 ฿25.2K

-49.20%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.45

5.84

-6.68%

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

Last update for Ubon Ratchathani: April 12, 2026

Last update for Bangkok: April 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $242 in Ubon Ratchathani and $681 in Bangkok. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bangkok pays 97% 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: $24 in Ubon Ratchathani vs $31 in Bangkok for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $244 vs $259 per month, with Ubon Ratchathani 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

Ubon Ratchathani vs Bangkok: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ubon Ratchathani and Bangkok differ by about 34% in total monthly costs ($790 vs $1,057 including rent). Ubon Ratchathani is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Bangkok earns 97% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $242 in Ubon Ratchathani versus $681 in Bangkok. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

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

All in, you'll spend $790 per month in Ubon Ratchathani versus $1,057 in Bangkok – a 34% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $790 in Ubon Ratchathani versus $1,057 in Bangkok, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Ubon Ratchathani but tight or insufficient in Bangkok. The gap between the two cities makes Ubon Ratchathani 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, Ubon Ratchathani and Bangkok 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 Ubon Ratchathani gentler on the wallet – expenses run 34% less than in Bangkok. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.