Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Bangkok and Saraburi

For one person, living is cheaper in Saraburi: $782 a month against $1,112 in Bangkok, rent and utilities included – about $4,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

54

Cost of Living Index in Bangkok
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Bangkok Living Index
38

Cost of Living Index in Saraburi
Learn more

Saraburi Living Index

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Bangkok

🇹🇭 Thailand

$1,112

/mo nomad

Saraburi

🇹🇭 Thailand

$782

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Bangkok and in Saraburi

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 Saraburi actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,112 in Bangkok versus $782 in Saraburi.

Bangkok $1,112
Saraburi $782

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,788 in Bangkok versus $1,419 in Saraburi.

Bangkok $1,788
Saraburi $1,419

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,464 in Bangkok versus $2,056 in Saraburi.

Bangkok $2,464
Saraburi $2,056

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

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.95 ฿98.7

$6.17 ฿206

-52.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.13 ฿1,174

$26.93 ฿900

30.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.33 ฿245

$6.43 ฿215

14.00%

Cappuccino

$2.73 ฿91.3

$2.28 ฿76.2

19.74%

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

$0.62 ฿20.78

$0.66 ฿22.15

-6.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿12.17

$0.24 ฿7.99

50.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.63 ฿87.9

$1.99 ฿66.6

32.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.35 ฿145

$3.17 ฿106

37.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.85 ฿61.8

$1.51 ฿50.3

22.52%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 ฿50.5

$1.12 ฿37.35

34.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.34 ฿44.72

$1.33 ฿44.47

0.75%

Eggs

$2.62 ฿87.4

$1.96 ฿65.5

33.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.10 ฿572

$16.86 ฿563

1.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.67 ฿123

$2.57 ฿86.0

42.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.83 ฿429

$9.89 ฿331

29.73%

Apples (1kg)

$3.73 ฿125

$5.15 ฿172

-27.57%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 ฿58.2

$1.70 ฿56.7

2.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.79 ฿93.2

$2.08 ฿69.4

34.13%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.88 ฿62.9

$1.90 ฿63.5

-1.05%

Potato (1kg)

$1.75 ฿58.4

$1.50 ฿50.1

16.67%

Onion (1kg)

$1.49 ฿49.68

$1.07 ฿35.81

39.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 ฿41.51

$1.12 ฿37.51

10.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ฿18.22

$0.49 ฿16.38

12.24%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.73 ฿158

$4.43 ฿148

6.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.10 ฿505

$21.05 ฿703

-28.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 ฿59.0

$1.66 ฿55.4

6.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 ฿106

$2.80 ฿93.5

13.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.11 ฿37.19

$0.90 ฿30.05

23.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.46 ฿1,152

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.06 ฿35.47

$1.05 ฿34.98

0.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.15 ฿38.60

$1.16 ฿38.75

-0.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.81 ฿194

$6.03 ฿202

-3.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 ฿47.14

$1.39 ฿46.57

1.44%

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

$31.7K ฿1.1M

$22.9K ฿765.9K

38.51%

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

$26.6K ฿887.8K

$28.8K ฿962.3K

-7.73%

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

$108 ฿3,612

$81.9 ฿2,737

31.95%

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

$15.14 ฿506

$11.58 ฿387

30.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.15 ฿607

$16.63 ฿556

9.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.6 ฿1,857

$42.66 ฿1,426

30.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.54 ฿620

$14.23 ฿476

30.29%

Cinema Ticket

$7.82 ฿261

$6.73 ฿225

16.20%

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

$569 ฿19.0K

$581 ฿19.4K

-2.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.7K ฿557.0K

$6,594 ฿220.4K

152.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$70.9 ฿2,371

$51.2 ฿1,712

38.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.61 ฿1,424

$29.84 ฿997

42.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 ฿3,361

$77.0 ฿2,572

30.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 ฿3,560

$77.5 ฿2,589

37.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$673 ฿22.5K

$428 ฿14.3K

57.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$333 ฿11.1K

$124 ฿4,154

168.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,982 ฿66.2K

$1,169 ฿39.1K

69.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$732 ฿24.5K

$602 ฿20.1K

21.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,236 ฿208.4K

$1,682 ฿56.2K

270.82%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,096 ฿103.5K

$1,662 ฿55.6K

86.24%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$626 ฿20.9K

$453 ฿15.1K

38.06%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.25

5.57

-5.75%

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

Last update for Bangkok: October 18, 2026

Last update for Saraburi: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Bangkok

$333 30%

Saraburi

$124 15.9% 62.7% $209

Groceries & Markets

Bangkok

$272 24.5%

Saraburi

$259 33.2% 4.8% $13

Clothing & Footwear

Bangkok

$144 13%

Saraburi

$106 13.6% 26.6% $38

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Bangkok

$141 12.7%

Saraburi

$110 14.1% 22.1% $31

Eating Out

Bangkok

$104 9.4%

Saraburi

$116 14.8% 11.3% $12

Sport & Entertainment

Bangkok

$71 6.4%

Saraburi

$56 7.2% 21.2% $15

Getting Around

Bangkok

$46 4.1%

Saraburi

$10 * 1.3% 77.2% $35

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 $673 in Bangkok and $428 in Saraburi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bangkok pays 38% 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 $27.00 in Saraburi for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $272 vs $259 per month, with Saraburi cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Bangkok

🇹🇭 Saraburi

🕒 Local time

23:22 11:22 PM

Same time as Bangkok

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

5,666,264 Capital

61,900

💱 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

On the map

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Bangkok Saraburi 97 km

From you

Bangkok
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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 Saraburi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bangkok and Saraburi differ by about 42% in total monthly costs ($1,112 vs $782 including rent). Saraburi is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 38% 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: $673 in Bangkok versus $428 in Saraburi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 5% higher in Bangkok. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,112 per month in Bangkok versus $782 in Saraburi – a 42% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $782 in Saraburi versus $1,112 in Bangkok, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Saraburi but tight or insufficient in Bangkok. The gap between the two cities makes Saraburi 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 Saraburi 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 Saraburi 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.