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: $1,174 in Bangkok versus $757 in Hat Yai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,833 in Bangkok versus $1,347 in Hat Yai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,492 in Bangkok versus $1,937 in Hat Yai.

Living in Bangkok is roughly 55% more expensive than in Hat Yai, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Bangkok 14% lower, Hat Yai 45% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.94 ฿98.1

$3.11 ฿104

-5.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.58 ฿1,221

$45.26 ฿1,511

-19.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.22 ฿241

$3.75 ฿125

92.53%

Cappuccino

$2.92 ฿97.5

$2.93 ฿97.8

-0.34%

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

$0.68 ฿22.61

$1.36 ฿45.31

-50.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.34 ฿11.21

$0.54 ฿17.99

-37.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.79 ฿93.1

$1.85 ฿61.6

50.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.42 ฿148

$3.70 ฿123

19.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.96 ฿65.3

$1.54 ฿51.5

27.27%

White Bread (500g)

$1.55 ฿51.9

$1.27 ฿42.26

22.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.9

$1.30 ฿43.40

19.23%

Eggs

$2.54 ฿84.7

$2.56 ฿85.5

-0.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.35 ฿579

$22.81 ฿761

-23.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.60 ฿120

$2.39 ฿79.9

50.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.18 ฿473

$11.36 ฿379

24.82%

Apples (1kg)

$4.25 ฿142

$2.62 ฿87.6

62.21%

Banana (1kg)

$1.87 ฿62.3

$1.48 ฿49.51

26.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.76 ฿92.1

$2.00 ฿66.8

38.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿67.8

$1.89 ฿63.0

7.41%

Potato (1kg)

$1.71 ฿57.2

$1.51 ฿50.5

13.25%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 ฿51.4

$1.03 ฿34.41

49.51%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.27 ฿42.38

$1.13 ฿37.68

12.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 ฿17.89

$0.39 ฿12.93

38.46%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.53 ฿151

$4.33 ฿145

4.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.17 ฿506

$15.37 ฿513

-1.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 ฿58.8

$1.79 ฿59.7

-1.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.36 ฿112

$1.97 ฿65.7

70.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.08 ฿36.06

$0.64 ฿21.36

68.75%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.57 ฿1,187

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.07 ฿35.63

$1.32 ฿44.15

-18.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.23 ฿41.09

$1.14 ฿38.16

7.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.88 ฿196

$3.92 ฿131

50.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 ฿47.14

$1.37 ฿45.62

2.92%

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

$32.2K ฿1.1M

$18.8K ฿628.5K

71.18%

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

$27.6K ฿921.7K

$44.8K ฿1.5M

-38.42%

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

$104 ฿3,479

$85.1 ฿2,840

22.52%

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

$14.74 ฿492

$11.67 ฿389

26.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.02 ฿602

$9.98 ฿333

80.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$58.3 ฿1,947

$47.83 ฿1,596

21.97%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 ฿623

$14.23 ฿475

31.20%

Cinema Ticket

$7.34 ฿245

$7.26 ฿242

1.10%

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

$551 ฿18.4K

$562 ฿18.8K

-2.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.1K ฿570.9K

$11.2K ฿374.9K

52.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$72.2 ฿2,409

$38.36 ฿1,280

88.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.71 ฿1,426

$27.62 ฿922

54.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.5 ฿3,220

$72.3 ฿2,414

33.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 ฿3,815

$100.0 ฿3,336

14.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$691 ฿23.1K

$277 ฿9,256

149.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$352 ฿11.7K

$110 ฿3,669

220.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,014 ฿67.2K

$745 ฿24.9K

170.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$761 ฿25.4K

$411 ฿13.7K

85.24%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,994 ฿200.1K

$2,004 ฿66.9K

199.17%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,225 ฿107.7K

$1,619 ฿54.1K

99.18%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$628 ฿21.0K

$468 ฿15.6K

34.14%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.38

6.36

-15.41%

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

Last update for Bangkok: September 13, 2026

Last update for Hat Yai: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $691 in Bangkok and $277 in Hat Yai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bangkok pays 34% 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: $37.00 in Bangkok vs $45.00 in Hat Yai. Groceries flip the comparison at $283 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 55% in total monthly costs ($1,174 vs $757 including rent). Hat Yai is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 34% higher in Bangkok, 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: $691 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 10% higher in Bangkok. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,174 per month in Bangkok versus $757 in Hat Yai – a 55% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $757 in Hat Yai versus $1,174 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 55% less than in Bangkok. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.