Which is cheaper, what exactly is cheaper, and how it feels on your money · Updated September 2026
| Item | Bangkok | Koh Phangan | Cheaper |
|---|---|---|---|
| Local mealper person | ฿ 70$2.12 | ฿ 100$3.03 | Bangkok −30% |
| Street food1 item | ฿ 32$0.97 | ฿ 45$1.36 | Bangkok −29% |
| Restaurant dinnerper person | ฿ 400$12.1 | ฿ 450$13.6 | Bangkok −11% |
| Coffeeone cup | ฿ 80$2.42 | ฿ 85$2.58 | Bangkok −6% |
| Beerone bottle | ฿ 90$2.73 | ฿ 100$3.03 | Bangkok −10% |
| Cocktail & wineone cup | ฿ 230$6.97 | ฿ 260$7.88 | Bangkok −12% |
| Bottled water | ฿ 10$0.3 | ฿ 12$0.36 | Bangkok −17% |
| Convenience store1 snack or drink | ฿ 25$0.76 | ฿ 30$0.91 | Bangkok −17% |
| Taxi5 km in town | ฿ 52$1.58 | ฿ 200$6.06 | Bangkok −74% |
| Tuk-tuk / moto taxishort hop | ฿ 66$2 | ฿ 100$3.03 | Bangkok −34% |
| Transitone ride | ฿ 30$0.91 | ฿ 100$3.03 | Bangkok −70% |
| Scooter rentalper day | ฿ 260$7.88 | ฿ 250$7.58 | similar |
| Hotel night3-star | ฿ 1,400$42.4 | ฿ 1,500$45.5 | Bangkok −7% |
| Studio rent (month) | ฿ 16,000$485 | ฿ 15,000$455 | Koh Phangan −6% |
| Laundry | ฿ 50$1.52 | ฿ 50$1.52 | similar |
| SIM card1 week data | ฿ 260$7.88 | ฿ 250$7.58 | similar |
| Haircutcut | ฿ 120$3.64 | ฿ 120$3.64 | similar |
| Massage1 hour | ฿ 330$10 | ฿ 350$10.6 | Bangkok −6% |
| Half-day tourper person | ฿ 990$30 | ฿ 1,200$36.4 | Bangkok −18% |
| Entry ticketTourist town | ฿ 260$7.88 | ฿ 200$6.06 | Koh Phangan −23% |
Reference prices start as estimates from published price levels; items with 3+ traveler reports use the median of real reports. Hostels and local eateries cut both by 30%+.
Bangkok is 23% cheaper than Koh Phangan. Daily budget $71.9 vs $91.1; a month $1,556 vs $1,867.
With a short-term studio and living costs, Bangkok is about $1,556 and Koh Phangan about $1,867 per month.
They start as estimates informed by published price levels; any item with 3+ traveler reports switches to the median of real reports. Live reports are in the app.