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: $1,068 in Bangkok versus $825 in Ratchaburi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,732 in Bangkok versus $1,372 in Ratchaburi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,396 in Bangkok versus $1,919 in Ratchaburi.

Living in Bangkok is roughly 29% more expensive than Ratchaburi, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Bangkok 20% lower, Ratchaburi 38% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.17 ฿103

$3.68 ฿120

-13.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.33 ฿991

$30.75 ฿1,004

-1.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.27 ฿205

$6.29 ฿205

-0.32%

Cappuccino

$2.51 ฿81.9

$1.06 ฿34.65

136.79%

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

$0.68 ฿22.34

$0.32 ฿10.57

112.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 ฿8.79

$0.32 ฿10.57

-15.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.44 ฿79.6

$2.34 ฿76.4

4.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.94 ฿129

$2.13 ฿69.5

84.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.80 ฿58.8

$1.70 ฿55.6

5.88%

White Bread (500g)

$1.39 ฿45.38

$1.19 ฿38.72

16.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.42 ฿46.22

$0.65 ฿21.26

118.46%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿73.8

$2.36 ฿76.9

-4.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.40 ฿601

$15.74 ฿514

16.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.01 ฿98.4

$2.40 ฿78.3

25.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.38 ฿306

$6.69 ฿219

40.21%

Apples (1kg)

$3.55 ฿116

$3.04 ฿99.4

16.78%

Banana (1kg)

$1.76 ฿57.6

$0.63 ฿20.63

179.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$1.24 ฿40.65

78.23%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.84 ฿59.9

$0.45 ฿14.61

308.89%

Potato (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$0.89 ฿29.18

84.27%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿48.88

$0.87 ฿28.45

72.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.31 ฿42.67

$0.59 ฿19.26

122.03%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.10

$0.57 ฿18.52

-8.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.25 ฿139

$3.48 ฿114

22.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.02 ฿490

$17.10 ฿559

-12.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.9

$1.82 ฿59.5

-1.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.39 ฿111

$2.14 ฿70.0

58.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.19 ฿39.00

$0.95 ฿30.98

25.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$36.43 ฿1,190

$30.87 ฿1,008

18.01%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.10 ฿35.84

$1.06 ฿34.49

3.77%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.20 ฿39.07

$0.45 ฿14.62

166.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.13 ฿200

$3.34 ฿109

83.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 ฿40.88

$0.95 ฿31.07

31.58%

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

$37.3K ฿1.2M

$27.9K ฿909.7K

34.02%

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

$28.6K ฿934.5K

$21.8K ฿713.2K

31.04%

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

$91.9 ฿3,000

$60.5 ฿1,977

51.74%

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

$12.96 ฿423

$13.70 ฿448

-5.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.67 ฿577

$10.90 ฿356

62.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.9 ฿1,759

$50.1 ฿1,638

7.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.68 ฿349

$12.42 ฿406

-14.01%

Cinema Ticket

$7.90 ฿258

$3.97 ฿130

98.99%

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

$601 ฿19.6K

$296 ฿9,679

102.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.2K ฿432.6K

$9,254 ฿302.2K

43.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.0 ฿1,863

$29.77 ฿972

91.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.28 ฿1,250

$19.37 ฿633

97.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 ฿3,376

$100 ฿3,277

3.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$95.0 ฿3,103

$43.20 ฿1,411

119.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$669 ฿21.9K

$422 ฿13.8K

58.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$326 ฿10.7K

$289 ฿9,448

12.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,877 ฿61.3K

$800 ฿26.1K

134.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$843 ฿27.5K

$660 ฿21.6K

27.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,307 ฿206.0K

$2,345 ฿76.6K

168.96%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,371 ฿110.1K

$1,607 ฿52.5K

109.73%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$747 ฿24.4K

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Ratchaburi: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $669 in Bangkok and $422 in Ratchaburi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $30.00 in Bangkok vs $31.00 in Ratchaburi. Groceries flip the comparison at $257 vs $208, 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 29% in total monthly costs ($1,068 vs $825 including rent). Ratchaburi is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,602 in Bangkok and $1,237 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: $669 in Bangkok versus $422 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 $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 $825 in Ratchaburi – a 29% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $825 in Ratchaburi versus $1,068 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 29% less than in Bangkok. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.