Cost of Living Comparison Between Bangkok and Rayong Cost of Living Comparison Between Bangkok and Rayong

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,068 in Bangkok versus $847 in Rayong.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,732 in Bangkok versus $1,427 in Rayong.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,396 in Bangkok versus $2,008 in Rayong.

Living in Bangkok is roughly 26% more expensive than Rayong, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Bangkok 20% lower, Rayong 37% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.17 ฿103

$3.07 ฿100

3.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.33 ฿991

$18.62 ฿608

62.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.27 ฿205

$6.06 ฿198

3.47%

Cappuccino

$2.51 ฿81.9

$2.55 ฿83.4

-1.57%

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

$0.68 ฿22.34

$0.54 ฿17.61

25.93%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 ฿8.79

$0.27 ฿8.77

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.44 ฿79.6

$1.89 ฿61.7

29.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.94 ฿129

$3.00 ฿98.1

31.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.80 ฿58.8

$1.87 ฿61.1

-3.74%

White Bread (500g)

$1.39 ฿45.38

$1.29 ฿42.15

7.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.42 ฿46.22

$1.26 ฿41.02

12.70%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿73.8

$2.22 ฿72.5

1.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.40 ฿601

$18.30 ฿598

0.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.01 ฿98.4

$2.07 ฿67.6

45.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.38 ฿306

$9.24 ฿302

1.52%

Apples (1kg)

$3.55 ฿116

$2.51 ฿81.9

41.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.76 ฿57.6

$1.26 ฿40.99

39.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$2.03 ฿66.3

8.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.84 ฿59.9

$1.06 ฿34.55

73.58%

Potato (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$1.26 ฿41.30

30.16%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿48.88

$1.21 ฿39.65

23.97%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.31 ฿42.67

$0.75 ฿24.41

74.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.10

$0.42 ฿13.57

23.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.25 ฿139

$4.32 ฿141

-1.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.02 ฿490

$15.06 ฿492

-0.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.9

$1.78 ฿58.2

1.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.39 ฿111

$3.34 ฿109

1.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.19 ฿39.00

$0.90 ฿29.43

32.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$36.43 ฿1,190

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.10 ฿35.84

$1.05 ฿34.41

4.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.20 ฿39.07

$1.14 ฿37.12

5.26%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.13 ฿200

$6.24 ฿204

-1.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 ฿40.88

$1.20 ฿39.11

4.17%

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

$37.3K ฿1.2M

-0.04%

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

$28.6K ฿934.5K

$29.2K ฿952.8K

-1.92%

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

$91.9 ฿3,000

$56.7 ฿1,850

62.14%

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

$12.96 ฿423

$12.52 ฿409

3.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.67 ฿577

$17.43 ฿569

1.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.9 ฿1,759

$68.9 ฿2,251

-21.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.68 ฿349

$18.31 ฿598

-41.67%

Cinema Ticket

$7.90 ฿258

$7.60 ฿248

3.95%

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

$601 ฿19.6K

$603 ฿19.7K

-0.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.2K ฿432.6K

$9,058 ฿295.8K

46.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.0 ฿1,863

$49.30 ฿1,610

15.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.28 ฿1,250

$38.25 ฿1,249

0.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 ฿3,376

$77.8 ฿2,541

32.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$95.0 ฿3,103

$59.3 ฿1,937

60.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$669 ฿21.9K

$420 ฿13.7K

59.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$326 ฿10.7K

$231 ฿7,555

41.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,877 ฿61.3K

$802 ฿26.2K

134.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$843 ฿27.5K

$668 ฿21.8K

26.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,307 ฿206.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,371 ฿110.1K

$1,988 ฿64.9K

69.54%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$747 ฿24.4K

$788 ฿25.7K

-5.11%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.84

5.5

6.18%

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

Last update for Bangkok: May 31, 2026

Last update for Rayong: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $669 in Bangkok and $420 in Rayong. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Rayong pays 5% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $30.00 in Bangkok vs $19.00 in Rayong for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $257 vs $232 per month, with Rayong 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 Rayong: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bangkok and Rayong differ by about 26% in total monthly costs ($1,068 vs $847 including rent). Rayong is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Rayong earns 5% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $669 in Bangkok versus $420 in Rayong. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 11% higher in Bangkok. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,068 per month in Bangkok versus $847 in Rayong – a 26% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $847 in Rayong versus $1,068 in Bangkok, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Rayong but tight or insufficient in Bangkok. The gap between the two cities makes Rayong 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 Rayong 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 Rayong gentler on the wallet – expenses run 26% less than in Bangkok. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.