Cost of Living Comparison Between Bangkok and Saraburi Cost of Living Comparison Between Bangkok and Saraburi

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,068 in Bangkok versus $788 in Saraburi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,732 in Bangkok versus $1,456 in Saraburi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,396 in Bangkok versus $2,123 in Saraburi.

Living in Bangkok is roughly 35% more expensive than Saraburi, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Bangkok 20% lower, Saraburi 41% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.17 ฿104

$3.14 ฿103

0.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.33 ฿995

$27.67 ฿908

9.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.27 ฿206

$6.83 ฿224

-8.20%

Cappuccino

$2.51 ฿82.3

$2.36 ฿77.4

6.36%

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

$0.68 ฿22.45

$0.67 ฿21.98

1.49%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 ฿8.83

$0.27 ฿8.94

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.44 ฿80.0

$1.99 ฿65.2

22.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.94 ฿129

$3.30 ฿108

19.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.80 ฿59.0

$1.58 ฿51.9

13.92%

White Bread (500g)

$1.39 ฿45.59

$1.11 ฿36.44

25.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.42 ฿46.43

$1.32 ฿43.36

7.58%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿74.1

$2.13 ฿70.0

6.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.40 ฿604

$18.20 ฿597

1.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.01 ฿98.9

$3.00 ฿98.5

0.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.38 ฿308

$10.83 ฿355

-13.39%

Apples (1kg)

$3.55 ฿116

$5.16 ฿169

-31.20%

Banana (1kg)

$1.76 ฿57.9

$1.84 ฿60.4

-4.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.21 ฿72.4

$1.94 ฿63.8

13.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.84 ฿60.2

$1.52 ฿49.78

21.05%

Potato (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.8

$1.52 ฿49.71

7.89%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿49.10

$1.26 ฿41.26

19.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.31 ฿42.87

$0.98 ฿32.02

33.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.18

$0.51 ฿16.75

1.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.25 ฿140

$4.43 ฿145

-4.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.02 ฿493

$21.22 ฿696

-29.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿59.2

$1.81 ฿59.4

-0.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.39 ฿111

$2.68 ฿88.0

26.49%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.19 ฿39.18

$0.91 ฿29.80

30.77%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$36.43 ฿1,195

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.10 ฿36.01

$1.10 ฿36.11

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.20 ฿39.25

$1.16 ฿38.01

3.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.13 ฿201

$6.28 ฿206

-2.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 ฿41.07

$1.25 ฿40.97

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

$37.3K ฿1.2M

$27.8K ฿913.2K

34.12%

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

$28.6K ฿938.8K

$27.4K ฿897.8K

4.56%

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

$91.9 ฿3,014

$77.7 ฿2,549

18.24%

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

$12.96 ฿425

$13.60 ฿446

-4.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.67 ฿580

$17.47 ฿573

1.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.9 ฿1,767

$48.35 ฿1,586

11.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.68 ฿351

$12.25 ฿402

-12.82%

Cinema Ticket

$7.90 ฿259

$7.14 ฿234

10.64%

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

$601 ฿19.7K

$302 ฿9,921

98.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.2K ฿434.6K

$6,967 ฿228.6K

90.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.0 ฿1,871

$33.40 ฿1,096

70.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.28 ฿1,256

$34.89 ฿1,145

9.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 ฿3,392

$98.7 ฿3,239

4.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$95.0 ฿3,117

$69.5 ฿2,279

36.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$669 ฿22.0K

$415 ฿13.6K

61.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$326 ฿10.7K

$128 ฿4,213

154.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,877 ฿61.6K

$811 ฿26.6K

131.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$843 ฿27.7K

$661 ฿21.7K

27.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,307 ฿206.9K

$1,753 ฿57.5K

259.79%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,371 ฿110.6K

$1,315 ฿43.2K

156.26%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$747 ฿24.5K

$455 ฿14.9K

64.13%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.84

5.45

7.16%

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

Last update for Bangkok: May 31, 2026

Last update for Saraburi: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $669 in Bangkok and $415 in Saraburi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bangkok pays 64% 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: $30.00 in Bangkok vs $28.00 in Saraburi. Groceries flip the comparison at $257 vs $269, with Bangkok 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 Saraburi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bangkok and Saraburi differ by about 35% in total monthly costs ($1,068 vs $788 including rent). Saraburi is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Bangkok pays 64% more on average, 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: $669 in Bangkok versus $415 in Saraburi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Bangkok pay roughly 5% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $1,068 per month in Bangkok versus $788 in Saraburi – a 35% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $788 in Saraburi versus $1,068 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 35% less than in Bangkok. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.