Cost of Living Comparison Between Bangkok and Ratchaburi Cost of Living Comparison Between Bangkok and Ratchaburi

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,046 in Bangkok versus $823 in Ratchaburi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,754 in Bangkok versus $1,356 in Ratchaburi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,461 in Bangkok versus $1,889 in Ratchaburi.

Living in Bangkok is roughly 27% more expensive than in Ratchaburi, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Bangkok 22% lower, Ratchaburi 38% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.02 ฿102

$3.79 ฿127

-20.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$31.34 ฿1,055

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.15 ฿207

$6.27 ฿211

-1.91%

Cappuccino

$2.47 ฿83.0

$1.11 ฿37.32

122.52%

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

$0.69 ฿23.15

$0.32 ฿10.77

115.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 ฿9.01

$0.29 ฿9.92

-6.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.52 ฿84.8

$2.35 ฿79.0

7.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.07 ฿137

$2.18 ฿73.4

86.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 ฿63.0

$1.75 ฿58.9

6.86%

White Bread (500g)

$1.34 ฿45.08

$1.18 ฿39.77

13.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.46 ฿49.10

$0.60 ฿20.34

143.33%

Eggs

$2.19 ฿73.7

$2.29 ฿77.2

-4.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.12 ฿610

$15.73 ฿529

15.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.06 ฿103

$2.39 ฿80.5

28.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.62 ฿324

$6.59 ฿222

45.98%

Apples (1kg)

$3.53 ฿119

$3.01 ฿101

17.28%

Banana (1kg)

$1.76 ฿59.3

$0.60 ฿20.03

193.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.27 ฿76.4

$1.21 ฿40.88

87.60%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.86 ฿62.7

$0.42 ฿14.04

342.86%

Potato (1kg)

$1.64 ฿55.2

$0.93 ฿31.34

76.34%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿49.96

$0.89 ฿29.98

66.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.34 ฿45.23

$0.64 ฿21.70

109.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 ฿16.70

$0.57 ฿19.05

-12.28%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.43 ฿149

$3.41 ฿115

29.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.10 ฿609

$16.24 ฿546

11.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 ฿59.5

$1.74 ฿58.5

1.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.40 ฿114

$2.19 ฿73.8

55.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.19 ฿40.18

$0.89 ฿29.82

33.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$36.61 ฿1,232

$31.04 ฿1,045

17.94%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.06 ฿35.83

$1.06 ฿35.51

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.19 ฿40.00

$0.45 ฿15.17

164.44%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.03 ฿203

$3.43 ฿115

75.80%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 ฿42.17

$1.04 ฿34.96

20.19%

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

$37.2K ฿1.3M

$27.8K ฿936.1K

33.71%

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

$28.3K ฿951.9K

$21.8K ฿733.3K

29.81%

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

$91.6 ฿3,081

$61.3 ฿2,063

49.32%

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

$12.61 ฿424

$13.60 ฿458

-7.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.20 ฿579

$10.83 ฿364

58.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.1 ฿1,754

$48.38 ฿1,628

7.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.49 ฿353

$12.09 ฿407

-13.23%

Cinema Ticket

$7.88 ฿265

$3.99 ฿134

97.49%

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

$603 ฿20.3K

$293 ฿9,852

105.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.4K ฿450.4K

$9,351 ฿314.7K

43.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.5 ฿1,969

$29.82 ฿1,003

96.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.64 ฿1,300

$19.98 ฿672

93.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 ฿3,527

$99.4 ฿3,343

5.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$93.7 ฿3,154

$44.67 ฿1,503

109.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$684 ฿23.0K

$415 ฿14.0K

64.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$324 ฿10.9K

$288 ฿9,678

12.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,905 ฿64.1K

$811 ฿27.3K

134.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$829 ฿27.9K

$665 ฿22.4K

24.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,056 ฿203.8K

$1,722 ฿58.0K

251.64%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,313 ฿111.5K

$1,646 ฿55.4K

101.34%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$622 ฿20.9K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.84

46.00%

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

Last update for Bangkok: July 12, 2026

Last update for Ratchaburi: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $684 in Bangkok and $415 in Ratchaburi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $31.00 in Bangkok vs $31.00 in Ratchaburi. Groceries flip the comparison at $263 vs $205, with Ratchaburi 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 Ratchaburi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bangkok and Ratchaburi differ by about 27% in total monthly costs ($1,046 vs $823 including rent). Ratchaburi 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 $1,235 in Ratchaburi 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 $415 in Ratchaburi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Ratchaburi – a meal for two runs $31.00 versus $31.00 in Bangkok. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,046 per month in Bangkok versus $823 in Ratchaburi – a 27% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $823 in Ratchaburi versus $1,046 in Bangkok, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Ratchaburi but tight or insufficient in Bangkok. The gap between the two cities makes Ratchaburi 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 Ratchaburi 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 Ratchaburi gentler on the wallet – expenses run 27% less than in Bangkok. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.