Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Bangkok and Pathum Thani

For one person, living is cheaper in Pathum Thani: $785 a month against $1,114 in Bangkok, rent and utilities included – about $3,900 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

55

Cost of Living Index in Bangkok
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Bangkok Living Index
38

Cost of Living Index in Pathum Thani
Learn more

Pathum Thani Living Index

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Bangkok

🇹🇭 Thailand

$1,114

/mo nomad

Pathum Thani

🇹🇭 Thailand

$785

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Bangkok and in Pathum Thani

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Bangkok and in Pathum Thani actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,114 in Bangkok versus $785 in Pathum Thani.

Bangkok $1,114
Pathum Thani $785

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,784 in Bangkok versus $1,329 in Pathum Thani.

Bangkok $1,784
Pathum Thani $1,329

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,455 in Bangkok versus $1,873 in Pathum Thani.

Bangkok $2,455
Pathum Thani $1,873

Living in Bangkok is roughly 42% more expensive than in Pathum Thani, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both cities sit below the global median: Bangkok 18% lower, Pathum Thani 42% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.90 ฿96.9

$1.79 ฿59.9

62.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.45 ฿1,185

$22.25 ฿744

59.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.46 ฿216

$5.90 ฿197

9.49%

Cappuccino

$2.74 ฿91.7

$1.73 ฿58.0

58.38%

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

$0.67 ฿22.26

$0.42 ฿14.03

59.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.34 ฿11.32

$0.18 ฿6.05

88.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.69 ฿90.0

$1.73 ฿57.7

55.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.59 ฿153

$2.13 ฿71.3

115.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 ฿62.6

$1.47 ฿49.07

27.21%

White Bread (500g)

$1.48 ฿49.56

$1.32 ฿44.22

12.12%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.42 ฿47.37

$1.23 ฿41.03

15.45%

Eggs

$2.55 ฿85.3

$1.80 ฿60.2

41.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.98 ฿568

$12.52 ฿418

35.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.70 ฿124

$2.43 ฿81.1

52.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.79 ฿428

$12.06 ฿403

6.05%

Apples (1kg)

$3.90 ฿130

$3.60 ฿120

8.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 ฿58.2

$0.96 ฿31.93

81.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.72 ฿90.9

$2.49 ฿83.3

9.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.95 ฿65.2

$1.58 ฿52.8

23.42%

Potato (1kg)

$1.69 ฿56.6

$1.97 ฿66.0

-14.21%

Onion (1kg)

$1.51 ฿50.6

$1.04 ฿34.74

45.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.29 ฿43.18

$0.77 ฿25.70

67.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.37

$0.44 ฿14.85

18.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.52 ฿151

$4.53 ฿151

-0.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.90 ฿498

$13.87 ฿464

7.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿59.3

$1.51 ฿50.3

17.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 ฿106

$1.66 ฿55.6

91.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.07 ฿35.75

$0.60 ฿20.07

78.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.69 ฿1,193

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.02 ฿34.04

$1.06 ฿35.28

-3.77%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.21 ฿40.56

$1.53 ฿51.1

-20.92%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.94 ฿199

$8.76 ฿293

-32.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 ฿48.06

$1.16 ฿38.69

24.14%

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

$31.8K ฿1.1M

$17.5K ฿585.7K

81.68%

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

$27.3K ฿910.9K

$23.9K ฿797.8K

14.17%

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

$106 ฿3,546

$82.3 ฿2,751

28.90%

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

$15.05 ฿503

$9.23 ฿309

63.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.60 ฿588

$10.22 ฿341

72.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.4 ฿1,918

$29.61 ฿990

93.82%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.78 ฿628

Cinema Ticket

$7.48 ฿250

$6.63 ฿222

12.82%

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

$563 ฿18.8K

$196 ฿6,543

187.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.3K ฿544.0K

$10.7K ฿357.5K

52.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$71.4 ฿2,386

$5.91 ฿198

1108.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.53 ฿1,455

$35.81 ฿1,197

21.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.7 ฿3,198

$71.5 ฿2,388

33.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 ฿3,559

$52.8 ฿1,765

101.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$680 ฿22.7K

$453 ฿15.1K

50.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$338 ฿11.3K

$263 ฿8,805

28.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,002 ฿66.9K

$1,476 ฿49.3K

35.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$725 ฿24.2K

$738 ฿24.6K

-1.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,106 ฿204.1K

$4,477 ฿149.6K

36.40%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,111 ฿104.0K

$2,199 ฿73.5K

41.46%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$605 ฿20.2K

$396 ฿13.2K

52.73%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.25

31.25%

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

Last update for Bangkok: October 13, 2026

Last update for Pathum Thani: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Bangkok

$338 30.4%

Pathum Thani

$263 33.6% 22.1% $75

Groceries & Markets

Bangkok

$272 24.5%

Pathum Thani

$223 28.4% 18.3% $50

Clothing & Footwear

Bangkok

$143 12.8%

Pathum Thani

$75 9.5% 47.7% $68

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Bangkok

$139 12.5%

Pathum Thani

$102 13% 26.7% $37

Eating Out

Bangkok

$102 9.2%

Pathum Thani

$68 8.7% 33.3% $34

Sport & Entertainment

Bangkok

$72 6.5%

Pathum Thani

$43 5.5% 40.7% $29

Getting Around

Bangkok

$47 4.2%

Pathum Thani

$11 * 1.4% 76.4% $36

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $680 in Bangkok and $453 in Pathum Thani. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bangkok pays 53% 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: $35.00 in Bangkok vs $22.00 in Pathum Thani for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $272 vs $223 per month, with Pathum Thani cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Bangkok

🇹🇭 Pathum Thani

🕒 Local time

19:23 7:23 PM

Same time as Bangkok

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

5,666,264 Capital

18,320

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.99 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

100 THB = 2.99 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Bangkok Pathum Thani 30 km

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Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Pathum Thani: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bangkok and Pathum Thani differ by about 42% in total monthly costs ($1,114 vs $785 including rent). Pathum Thani is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 53% 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: $680 in Bangkok versus $453 in Pathum Thani. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 22% higher in Bangkok. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,114 per month in Bangkok versus $785 in Pathum Thani – a 42% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $785 in Pathum Thani versus $1,114 in Bangkok, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Pathum Thani but tight or insufficient in Bangkok. The gap between the two cities makes Pathum Thani 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 Pathum Thani 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 Pathum Thani gentler on the wallet – expenses run 42% less than in Bangkok. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.