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: $1,138 in Bangkok versus $815 in Saraburi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,863 in Bangkok versus $1,507 in Saraburi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,589 in Bangkok versus $2,198 in Saraburi.

Living in Bangkok is roughly 40% more expensive than in Saraburi, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Bangkok 17% lower, Saraburi 41% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.04 ฿99.8

$6.37 ฿210

-52.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.64 ฿1,204

$27.71 ฿911

32.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.42 ฿244

$6.69 ฿220

10.91%

Cappuccino

$2.96 ฿97.5

$2.26 ฿74.2

30.97%

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

$0.67 ฿22.12

$0.75 ฿24.61

-10.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.34 ฿11.17

$0.27 ฿8.93

25.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.66 ฿87.5

$1.95 ฿64.2

36.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.56 ฿150

$3.17 ฿104

43.85%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.00 ฿65.6

$1.51 ฿49.50

32.45%

White Bread (500g)

$1.49 ฿48.90

$1.10 ฿36.03

35.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.53 ฿50.2

$1.27 ฿41.70

20.47%

Eggs

$2.66 ฿87.6

$2.22 ฿73.0

19.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.32 ฿569

$16.49 ฿542

5.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.58 ฿118

$2.75 ฿90.4

30.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.04 ฿461

$10.93 ฿359

28.45%

Apples (1kg)

$4.12 ฿135

$5.12 ฿168

-19.53%

Banana (1kg)

$1.92 ฿63.3

$1.83 ฿60.2

4.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.84 ฿93.2

$2.30 ฿75.7

23.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.96 ฿64.5

$1.78 ฿58.5

10.11%

Potato (1kg)

$1.71 ฿56.3

$1.56 ฿51.2

9.62%

Onion (1kg)

$1.63 ฿53.7

$1.21 ฿39.79

34.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.27 ฿41.70

$1.13 ฿37.21

12.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.47

$0.54 ฿17.67

3.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.61 ฿151

$4.38 ฿144

5.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.28 ฿502

$21.73 ฿714

-29.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.4

$1.76 ฿57.8

1.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.36 ฿111

$2.97 ฿97.5

13.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.11 ฿36.49

$0.93 ฿30.72

19.35%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$36.19 ฿1,190

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.08 ฿35.64

$1.20 ฿39.37

-10.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.19 ฿38.97

$1.11 ฿36.48

7.21%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.00 ฿197

$3.96 ฿130

51.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 ฿46.87

$1.38 ฿45.43

3.62%

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

$32.0K ฿1.1M

$24.5K ฿804.2K

31.00%

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

$27.9K ฿917.5K

$27.7K ฿909.2K

0.91%

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

$105 ฿3,453

$85.0 ฿2,793

23.63%

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

$14.49 ฿476

$12.71 ฿418

14.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.57 ฿610

$17.12 ฿563

8.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.5 ฿1,957

$48.72 ฿1,602

22.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.07 ฿627

$14.47 ฿476

31.79%

Cinema Ticket

$7.61 ฿250

$6.61 ฿217

15.13%

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

$558 ฿18.3K

$569 ฿18.7K

-1.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.9K ฿555.3K

$6,956 ฿228.6K

142.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$73.7 ฿2,421

$51.8 ฿1,703

42.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.33 ฿1,424

$29.51 ฿970

46.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.3 ฿3,164

$76.5 ฿2,514

25.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$118 ฿3,869

$77.3 ฿2,541

52.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$704 ฿23.1K

$469 ฿15.4K

50.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$357 ฿11.7K

$129 ฿4,233

177.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,024 ฿66.5K

$1,246 ฿41.0K

62.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$757 ฿24.9K

$714 ฿23.5K

5.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,987 ฿196.8K

$1,989 ฿65.4K

200.94%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,211 ฿105.5K

$1,635 ฿53.7K

96.39%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$638 ฿21.0K

$461 ฿15.2K

38.31%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.38

5.57

-3.41%

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

Last update for Bangkok: August 29, 2026

Last update for Saraburi: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $704 in Bangkok and $469 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: $37.00 in Bangkok vs $28.00 in Saraburi for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $283 vs $267 per month, with Saraburi 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 Saraburi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bangkok and Saraburi differ by about 40% in total monthly costs ($1,138 vs $815 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: $704 in Bangkok versus $469 in Saraburi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 6% higher in Bangkok. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,138 per month in Bangkok versus $815 in Saraburi – a 40% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $815 in Saraburi versus $1,138 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 40% less than in Bangkok. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.