Cost of Living Comparison Between Bangkok and Nakhon Si Thammarat Cost of Living Comparison Between Bangkok and Nakhon Si Thammarat

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,046 in Bangkok versus $1,038 in Nakhon Si Thammarat.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,754 in Bangkok versus $1,691 in Nakhon Si Thammarat.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,461 in Bangkok versus $2,344 in Nakhon Si Thammarat.

Living in Bangkok is roughly 1% more expensive than in Nakhon Si Thammarat, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Bangkok 22% lower, Nakhon Si Thammarat 22% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.02 ฿101

$3.03 ฿101

-0.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$31.34 ฿1,049

$45.51 ฿1,523

-31.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.15 ฿206

$8.86 ฿297

-30.59%

Cappuccino

$2.47 ฿82.6

$2.97 ฿99.3

-16.84%

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

$0.69 ฿23.02

$0.72 ฿24.11

-4.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 ฿8.96

$0.36 ฿12.16

-25.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.52 ฿84.3

$2.42 ฿80.9

4.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.07 ฿136

$3.78 ฿126

7.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 ฿62.7

$2.14 ฿71.6

-12.62%

White Bread (500g)

$1.34 ฿44.84

$1.81 ฿60.6

-25.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.84

$2.15 ฿72.0

-32.09%

Eggs

$2.19 ฿73.3

$2.29 ฿76.8

-4.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.12 ฿607

$19.56 ฿655

-7.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.06 ฿102

$3.63 ฿122

-15.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.62 ฿322

$13.07 ฿438

-26.40%

Apples (1kg)

$3.53 ฿118

$3.34 ฿112

5.69%

Banana (1kg)

$1.76 ฿59.0

$1.62 ฿54.3

8.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.27 ฿76.0

$2.28 ฿76.4

-0.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.86 ฿62.4

$2.02 ฿67.7

-7.92%

Potato (1kg)

$1.64 ฿54.9

$1.54 ฿51.4

6.49%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿49.70

$1.48 ฿49.66

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.34 ฿44.99

$1.01 ฿33.90

32.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 ฿16.61

$0.51 ฿17.19

-1.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.43 ฿148

$4.49 ฿150

-1.34%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.10 ฿606

$18.69 ฿626

-3.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 ฿59.2

$1.79 ฿59.9

-1.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.40 ฿114

$2.68 ฿89.8

26.87%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.19 ฿39.97

$0.94 ฿31.37

26.60%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$36.61 ฿1,225

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.06 ฿35.64

$1.05 ฿35.20

0.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.19 ฿39.79

$0.99 ฿33.12

20.20%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.03 ฿202

$13.87 ฿464

-56.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 ฿41.94

$1.30 ฿43.46

-3.85%

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

$37.2K ฿1.2M

$27.5K ฿918.9K

35.48%

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

$28.3K ฿946.8K

$34.1K ฿1.1M

-17.14%

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

$91.6 ฿3,064

$121 ฿4,057

-24.46%

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

$12.61 ฿422

$13.55 ฿453

-6.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.20 ฿576

$18.25 ฿611

-5.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.1 ฿1,744

$50.1 ฿1,675

4.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.49 ฿351

$12.03 ฿402

-12.80%

Cinema Ticket

$7.88 ฿264

$8.80 ฿294

-10.45%

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

$603 ฿20.2K

$686 ฿23.0K

-12.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.4K ฿448.0K

$15.7K ฿525.3K

-14.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.5 ฿1,959

$59.2 ฿1,981

-1.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.64 ฿1,293

$34.07 ฿1,140

13.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 ฿3,509

$113 ฿3,780

-7.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$93.7 ฿3,137

$83.9 ฿2,807

11.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$684 ฿22.9K

$422 ฿14.1K

61.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$324 ฿10.8K

$281 ฿9,416

15.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,905 ฿63.8K

$798 ฿26.7K

138.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$829 ฿27.7K

$667 ฿22.3K

24.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,056 ฿202.7K

$1,823 ฿61.0K

232.18%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,313 ฿110.9K

$1,559 ฿52.2K

112.57%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$622 ฿20.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.84

5.33

9.57%

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

Last update for Bangkok: July 12, 2026

Last update for Nakhon Si Thammarat: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $684 in Bangkok and $422 in Nakhon Si Thammarat. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $31.00 in Bangkok vs $46.00 in Nakhon Si Thammarat for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $263 vs $289 per month, with Bangkok 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 Si Thammarat: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bangkok and Nakhon Si Thammarat differ by about 1% in total monthly costs ($1,046 vs $1,038 including rent). Nakhon Si Thammarat is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,569 in Bangkok and $1,558 in Nakhon Si Thammarat to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $684 in Bangkok versus $422 in Nakhon Si Thammarat. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Bangkok pay roughly 10% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $1,046 per month in Bangkok versus $1,038 in Nakhon Si Thammarat – a 1% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,038 in Nakhon Si Thammarat versus $1,046 in Bangkok, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Nakhon Si Thammarat but tight or insufficient in Bangkok. The gap between the two cities makes Nakhon Si Thammarat 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 Si Thammarat 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 Si Thammarat gentler on the wallet – expenses run 1% less than in Bangkok. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.