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: $1,159 in Bangkok versus $952 in Ratchaburi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,862 in Bangkok versus $1,603 in Ratchaburi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,564 in Bangkok versus $2,254 in Ratchaburi.

Living in Bangkok is roughly 22% more expensive than in Ratchaburi, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Bangkok 16% lower, Ratchaburi 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.01 ฿99.3

$3.32 ฿110

-9.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.47 ฿1,205

$36.04 ฿1,191

1.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.59 ฿251

$9.35 ฿309

-18.82%

Cappuccino

$2.89 ฿95.4

$2.09 ฿69.1

38.28%

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

$0.69 ฿22.96

$0.70 ฿22.97

-1.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.38 ฿12.43

$0.29 ฿9.74

31.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.68 ฿88.7

$2.45 ฿80.8

9.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.69 ฿155

$2.80 ฿92.5

67.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.00 ฿66.0

$1.78 ฿58.7

12.36%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿51.9

$1.44 ฿47.66

9.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.54 ฿50.8

$1.37 ฿45.22

12.41%

Eggs

$2.55 ฿84.2

$2.19 ฿72.5

16.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.38 ฿574

$15.97 ฿528

8.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.69 ฿122

$2.60 ฿86.0

41.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.13 ฿467

$10.38 ฿343

36.13%

Apples (1kg)

$4.27 ฿141

$3.48 ฿115

22.70%

Banana (1kg)

$1.93 ฿63.8

$1.29 ฿42.60

49.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.88 ฿95.2

$1.90 ฿62.9

51.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.98 ฿65.5

$1.94 ฿64.2

2.06%

Potato (1kg)

$1.72 ฿56.8

$1.27 ฿41.84

35.43%

Onion (1kg)

$1.61 ฿53.3

$1.05 ฿34.83

53.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.26 ฿41.68

$1.24 ฿41.03

1.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 ฿18.68

$0.45 ฿14.77

26.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.45 ฿147

$4.34 ฿144

2.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.31 ฿506

$18.37 ฿607

-16.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 ฿60.9

$1.72 ฿56.9

6.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.38 ฿112

$2.95 ฿97.6

14.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.08 ฿35.70

$0.84 ฿27.76

28.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$36.43 ฿1,204

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.07 ฿35.46

$1.40 ฿46.40

-23.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.25 ฿41.19

$1.15 ฿37.88

8.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.96 ฿197

$3.62 ฿120

64.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.46 ฿48.11

$1.47 ฿48.42

-0.68%

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

$32.0K ฿1.1M

$45.9K ฿1.5M

-30.24%

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

$28.0K ฿925.4K

$27.4K ฿904.7K

2.29%

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

$107 ฿3,546

$92.5 ฿3,057

16.02%

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

$14.75 ฿487

$11.63 ฿384

26.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.52 ฿612

$19.31 ฿638

-4.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.7 ฿2,004

$49.58 ฿1,638

22.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.82 ฿622

$12.49 ฿413

50.68%

Cinema Ticket

$7.84 ฿259

$7.59 ฿251

3.29%

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

$553 ฿18.3K

$630 ฿20.8K

-12.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.3K ฿570.3K

$14.9K ฿492.1K

15.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$74.6 ฿2,466

$52.2 ฿1,726

42.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.46 ฿1,469

$29.94 ฿989

48.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.4 ฿3,250

$95.2 ฿3,147

3.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$115 ฿3,807

$78.9 ฿2,607

46.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$699 ฿23.1K

$495 ฿16.4K

41.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$362 ฿12.0K

$284 ฿9,383

27.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,043 ฿67.5K

$1,256 ฿41.5K

62.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$742 ฿24.5K

$862 ฿28.5K

-13.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,019 ฿198.9K

$2,093 ฿69.1K

187.61%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,238 ฿107.0K

$1,478 ฿48.8K

119.05%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$638 ฿21.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.38

5.96

-9.73%

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

Last update for Bangkok: September 6, 2026

Last update for Ratchaburi: September 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $699 in Bangkok and $495 in Ratchaburi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $36.00 in Bangkok vs $36.00 in Ratchaburi. Groceries flip the comparison at $286 vs $249, 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 22% in total monthly costs ($1,159 vs $952 including rent). Ratchaburi is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,739 in Bangkok and $1,429 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: $699 in Bangkok versus $495 in Ratchaburi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 15% higher in Bangkok. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,159 per month in Bangkok versus $952 in Ratchaburi – a 22% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $952 in Ratchaburi versus $1,159 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 22% less than in Bangkok. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.