Ko Pha Ngan vs Roi Et: Which City Wins for Expats in 2026?
Ko Pha Ngan ranks meaningfully higher on safety. Use our tool below to personalize the estimate based on your income and lifestyle.
Ko Pha Ngan is approximately 4.1x more expensive than Roi Et based on cost of living including rent. This makes Roi Et a more budget-friendly option for expats considering a move.
Roi Et has a FIRE Score of N/A/100, indicating its suitability for financial independence and early retirement. The city's safety index is 72, which is relatively safe.
Recommended profile: Roi Et is well-suited for retirees seeking a balanced lifestyle.
About Ko Pha Ngan
Ko Pha Ngan is a small island play that only makes sense if you can work remotely and earn well above the local average monthly net salary of $720/mo, because a single adult's non-rent costs run about $650/mo and a one-bedroom in the center asks $609/mo. The upside is real: utilities at $57/mo, internet at $17/mo, a $4 restaurant meal, and an 86/100 overall expat score with an 88/100 FIRE score. The catch is that heavy rain from October to December and a retiree score of 73/100 mean this is a digital nomad and early-retirement pick, not a year-round paradise for everyone.
About Thailand
Thailand is best for retirees seeking low costs, with a Retirement Visa requiring only a $30,000 foreign exchange deposit or monthly income. Living costs are a third of US norms: a single person spends $603/month excluding rent, and a 1-bedroom in a city center is $475. However, the main trade-off is no clear pathway to citizenship, and political stability is weak perceptions remain weak.
$2,066/mo
Cost of Living (Without Rent)
Rent Per Month
Attractiveness
City Details
About Roi Et
Roi Et is dirt cheap and safe, with a 1-bedroom in the center at $149/mo and a safety index of 72, but the expat community is very few and English proficiency is limited, so expect to learn some Thai fast. The nearest airport is 158 km away in UBP, which makes weekend escapes a chore, and an air quality index of 68 plus fair healthcare are real trade-offs. For a retiree on a local salary of $891/mo, the numbers work beautifully, but digital nomads and social butterflies will find 35 thousand people and 60 Mbps internet a bit thin.
About Thailand
Thailand is best for retirees seeking low costs, with a Retirement Visa requiring only a $30,000 foreign exchange deposit or monthly income. Living costs are a third of US norms: a single person spends $603/month excluding rent, and a 1-bedroom in a city center is $475. However, the main trade-off is no clear pathway to citizenship, and political stability is weak perceptions remain weak.
$2,705/mo
Cost of Living (Without Rent)
Rent Per Month
Attractiveness
City Details
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| Metric | Ko Pha Ngan | Roi Et |
|---|---|---|
| 1BR Apartment (Center) | $609.02 | $148.5 |
| 1BR Apartment (Outside) | $631.3 | $59.4 |
| 3BR Apartment (Center) | $1856.78 | $222.75 |
| 3BR Apartment (Outside) | $1762.7 | $148.5 |
| Safety Index | 85 | 72 |
| Internet Speed | 50.3Mbps | 60Mbps |
| Walkability Score | N/A | N/A |
Monthly cost by categoryOne person, computed from each city's own average prices
| Category | Ko Pha Ngan | Roi Et |
|---|---|---|
| Total (rent included) | N/A | $305/mo |
| Excluding rent | N/A | $246/mo |
| Rent | N/A | $59.00/mo |
| Groceries | N/A | $91.00/mo |
| Dining out | N/A | $19.00/mo |
| Entertainment & lifestyle | N/A | $62.00/mo |
| Utilities & connectivity | N/A | $74.00/mo |
| Transport | N/A | N/A |
Usage-based estimates from this city's own average prices. A row marked N/A means that city is missing data, so no figure is shown instead of a stale one.
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Ko Pha Ngan vs Roi Et -- Frequently Asked Questions
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