Cost of Living Comparison Between Bangkok and Nakhon Ratchasima Cost of Living Comparison Between Bangkok and Nakhon Ratchasima

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,068 in Bangkok versus $778 in Nakhon Ratchasima.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,732 in Bangkok versus $1,277 in Nakhon Ratchasima.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,396 in Bangkok versus $1,776 in Nakhon Ratchasima.

Living in Bangkok is roughly 37% more expensive than Nakhon Ratchasima, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Bangkok 20% lower, Nakhon Ratchasima 42% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.17 ฿103

$2.91 ฿95.2

8.93%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.33 ฿991

$27.63 ฿902

9.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.27 ฿205

$6.26 ฿204

0.16%

Cappuccino

$2.51 ฿81.9

$1.99 ฿65.1

26.13%

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

$0.68 ฿22.34

$0.60 ฿19.44

13.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 ฿8.79

$0.37 ฿12.24

-27.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.44 ฿79.6

$1.84 ฿60.0

32.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.94 ฿129

$2.51 ฿81.8

56.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.80 ฿58.8

$1.72 ฿56.3

4.65%

White Bread (500g)

$1.39 ฿45.38

$1.30 ฿42.43

6.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.42 ฿46.22

$1.26 ฿41.21

12.70%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿73.8

$1.59 ฿51.8

42.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.40 ฿601

$15.41 ฿503

19.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.01 ฿98.4

$3.42 ฿112

-11.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.38 ฿306

$11.41 ฿373

-17.79%

Apples (1kg)

$3.55 ฿116

$3.32 ฿108

6.93%

Banana (1kg)

$1.76 ฿57.6

$1.32 ฿43.25

33.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$1.98 ฿64.6

11.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.84 ฿59.9

$1.44 ฿47.07

27.78%

Potato (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$1.51 ฿49.21

8.61%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿48.88

$1.22 ฿39.76

22.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.31 ฿42.67

$1.37 ฿44.75

-4.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.10

$0.36 ฿11.71

44.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.25 ฿139

$3.02 ฿98.5

40.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.02 ฿490

$17.08 ฿558

-12.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.9

$1.69 ฿55.2

6.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.39 ฿111

$2.36 ฿77.1

43.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.19 ฿39.00

$0.48 ฿15.77

147.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$36.43 ฿1,190

$20.09 ฿656

81.33%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.10 ฿35.84

$1.07 ฿34.92

2.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.20 ฿39.07

$1.34 ฿43.61

-10.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.13 ฿200

$7.63 ฿249

-19.66%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 ฿40.88

$1.25 ฿40.67

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

$37.3K ฿1.2M

$81.4K ฿2.7M

-54.12%

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

$28.6K ฿934.5K

$27.3K ฿891.8K

4.79%

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

$91.9 ฿3,000

$78.6 ฿2,567

16.84%

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

$12.96 ฿423

$13.86 ฿453

-6.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.67 ฿577

$18.13 ฿592

-2.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.9 ฿1,759

$49.04 ฿1,602

9.81%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.68 ฿349

$15.27 ฿499

-30.06%

Cinema Ticket

$7.90 ฿258

$4.96 ฿162

59.27%

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

$601 ฿19.6K

$188 ฿6,143

219.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.2K ฿432.6K

$9,267 ฿302.7K

42.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.0 ฿1,863

$30.52 ฿997

86.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.28 ฿1,250

$19.33 ฿631

98.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 ฿3,376

$78.8 ฿2,575

31.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$95.0 ฿3,103

$43.58 ฿1,423

117.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$669 ฿21.9K

$216 ฿7,060

209.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$326 ฿10.7K

$160 ฿5,231

103.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,877 ฿61.3K

$503 ฿16.4K

273.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$843 ฿27.5K

$428 ฿14.0K

97.20%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,307 ฿206.0K

$3,367 ฿110.0K

87.29%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,371 ฿110.1K

$1,766 ฿57.7K

90.89%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$747 ฿24.4K

$617 ฿20.2K

21.10%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.84

5.1

14.51%

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

Last update for Bangkok: May 31, 2026

Last update for Nakhon Ratchasima: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $669 in Bangkok and $216 in Nakhon Ratchasima. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bangkok pays 21% 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 $28.00 in Nakhon Ratchasima for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $257 vs $243 per month, with Nakhon Ratchasima 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

Bangkok vs Nakhon Ratchasima: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bangkok and Nakhon Ratchasima differ by about 37% in total monthly costs ($1,068 vs $778 including rent). Nakhon Ratchasima is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Bangkok pays 21% 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: $669 in Bangkok versus $216 in Nakhon Ratchasima. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Nakhon Ratchasima – a meal for two runs $28.00 versus $30.00 in Bangkok. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,068 per month in Bangkok versus $778 in Nakhon Ratchasima – a 37% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $778 in Nakhon Ratchasima versus $1,068 in Bangkok, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Nakhon Ratchasima but tight or insufficient in Bangkok. The gap between the two cities makes Nakhon Ratchasima 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 Nakhon Ratchasima 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 Nakhon Ratchasima gentler on the wallet – expenses run 37% less than in Bangkok. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.