Cost of Living Comparison Between Bangkok and Hat Yai Cost of Living Comparison Between Bangkok and Hat Yai

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,048 in Bangkok versus $753 in Hat Yai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,756 in Bangkok versus $1,336 in Hat Yai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,464 in Bangkok versus $1,918 in Hat Yai.

Living in Bangkok is roughly 39% more expensive than Hat Yai, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Bangkok 22% lower, Hat Yai 44% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.15 ฿103

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.45 ฿996

$46.81 ฿1,531

-34.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.09 ฿199

$4.35 ฿142

40.00%

Cappuccino

$2.47 ฿80.8

$2.68 ฿87.6

-7.84%

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

$0.73 ฿23.77

$1.16 ฿37.77

-37.07%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 ฿8.81

$0.44 ฿14.49

-38.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.44 ฿79.7

$1.82 ฿59.4

34.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.01 ฿131

$3.78 ฿124

6.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.86 ฿60.9

$1.50 ฿49.20

24.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.36 ฿44.33

$1.28 ฿41.75

6.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.32

$1.33 ฿43.58

11.28%

Eggs

$2.19 ฿71.8

$2.46 ฿80.6

-10.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.29 ฿598

$22.82 ฿746

-19.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.97 ฿97.0

$2.36 ฿77.2

25.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.11 ฿298

$11.78 ฿385

-22.67%

Apples (1kg)

$3.43 ฿112

$2.66 ฿87.0

28.95%

Banana (1kg)

$1.79 ฿58.6

$1.42 ฿46.57

26.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.22 ฿72.5

$1.96 ฿64.0

13.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.84 ฿60.2

$1.55 ฿50.6

18.71%

Potato (1kg)

$1.60 ฿52.3

$1.53 ฿50.1

4.58%

Onion (1kg)

$1.44 ฿46.99

$1.07 ฿34.89

34.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.36 ฿44.50

$1.50 ฿49.04

-9.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.08

$0.36 ฿11.77

36.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.50 ฿147

$4.57 ฿149

-1.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.67 ฿545

$15.32 ฿501

8.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.85 ฿60.6

$1.80 ฿58.8

2.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.25 ฿106

$1.97 ฿64.4

64.97%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.24 ฿40.69

$0.63 ฿20.75

96.83%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$37.06 ฿1,212

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.05 ฿34.34

$1.06 ฿34.61

-0.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.15 ฿37.66

$1.16 ฿37.82

-0.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.10 ฿199

$6.07 ฿198

0.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.21 ฿39.54

$1.30 ฿42.59

-6.92%

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

$36.8K ฿1.2M

$19.5K ฿637.1K

88.78%

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

$28.9K ฿946.3K

$46.3K ฿1.5M

-37.45%

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

$91.2 ฿2,981

$87.3 ฿2,854

4.43%

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

$12.62 ฿413

$13.48 ฿441

-6.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.30 ฿566

$9.85 ฿322

75.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.4 ฿1,746

$49.18 ฿1,608

8.58%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.42 ฿341

$11.99 ฿392

-13.09%

Cinema Ticket

$7.84 ฿257

$7.33 ฿240

6.96%

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

$609 ฿19.9K

$294 ฿9,618

107.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.2K ฿431.9K

$9,758 ฿319.1K

35.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.5 ฿1,914

$39.00 ฿1,275

50.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.25 ฿1,283

$27.31 ฿893

43.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 ฿3,475

$71.4 ฿2,334

48.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 ฿3,031

$71.4 ฿2,336

29.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$683 ฿22.3K

$277 ฿9,064

146.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$321 ฿10.5K

$115 ฿3,750

179.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,855 ฿60.7K

$753 ฿24.6K

146.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$830 ฿27.1K

$404 ฿13.2K

105.41%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,006 ฿196.4K

$2,198 ฿71.9K

173.21%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,220 ฿105.3K

$1,351 ฿44.2K

138.33%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$774 ฿25.3K

$473 ฿15.5K

63.80%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.84

6.36

-8.18%

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

Last update for Bangkok: April 27, 2026

Last update for Hat Yai: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $683 in Bangkok and $277 in Hat Yai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bangkok pays 64% 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: $30.00 in Bangkok vs $47.00 in Hat Yai. Groceries flip the comparison at $258 vs $257, with Hat Yai cheaper for home cooking.

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

Bangkok vs Hat Yai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bangkok and Hat Yai differ by about 39% in total monthly costs ($1,048 vs $753 including rent). Hat Yai is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Bangkok pays 64% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $683 in Bangkok versus $277 in Hat Yai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 1% higher in Bangkok. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,048 per month in Bangkok versus $753 in Hat Yai – a 39% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $753 in Hat Yai versus $1,048 in Bangkok, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Hat Yai but tight or insufficient in Bangkok. The gap between the two cities makes Hat Yai 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, Bangkok and Hat Yai 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 Hat Yai gentler on the wallet – expenses run 39% less than in Bangkok. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.