Cost of Living Comparison Between Bangkok and Songkhla Cost of Living Comparison Between Bangkok and Songkhla

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,159 in Bangkok versus $840 in Songkhla.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,862 in Bangkok versus $1,358 in Songkhla.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,564 in Bangkok versus $1,875 in Songkhla.

Living in Bangkok is roughly 38% more expensive than in Songkhla, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Bangkok 16% lower, Songkhla 39% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.01 ฿99.3

$1.78 ฿58.7

69.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.47 ฿1,205

$22.16 ฿732

64.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.59 ฿251

$4.93 ฿163

53.96%

Cappuccino

$2.89 ฿95.4

$1.59 ฿52.7

81.76%

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

$0.69 ฿22.96

$0.68 ฿22.59

1.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.38 ฿12.43

$0.23 ฿7.58

65.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.68 ฿88.7

$1.86 ฿61.4

44.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.69 ฿155

$4.90 ฿162

-4.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.00 ฿66.0

$1.63 ฿53.9

22.70%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿51.9

$0.93 ฿30.72

68.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.54 ฿50.8

$1.77 ฿58.6

-12.99%

Eggs

$2.55 ฿84.2

$1.41 ฿46.53

80.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.38 ฿574

$16.37 ฿541

6.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.69 ฿122

$2.62 ฿86.5

40.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.13 ฿467

$10.37 ฿343

36.26%

Apples (1kg)

$4.27 ฿141

$3.14 ฿104

35.99%

Banana (1kg)

$1.93 ฿63.8

$1.80 ฿59.5

7.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.88 ฿95.2

$2.16 ฿71.4

33.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.98 ฿65.5

$1.29 ฿42.51

53.49%

Potato (1kg)

$1.72 ฿56.8

$1.52 ฿50.1

13.16%

Onion (1kg)

$1.61 ฿53.3

$1.74 ฿57.6

-7.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.26 ฿41.68

$1.13 ฿37.31

11.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 ฿18.68

$0.97 ฿31.97

-41.24%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.45 ฿147

$4.48 ฿148

-0.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.31 ฿506

$13.77 ฿455

11.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 ฿60.9

$1.58 ฿52.3

16.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.38 ฿112

$4.68 ฿155

-27.78%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.08 ฿35.70

$0.95 ฿31.41

13.68%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$36.43 ฿1,204

$62.0 ฿2,049

-41.24%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.07 ฿35.46

$1.27 ฿41.86

-15.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.25 ฿41.19

$0.78 ฿25.79

60.26%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.96 ฿197

$3.96 ฿131

50.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.46 ฿48.11

$1.23 ฿40.54

18.70%

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

$32.0K ฿1.1M

$27.1K ฿893.9K

18.37%

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

$28.0K ฿925.4K

$31.8K ฿1.1M

-12.02%

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

$107 ฿3,546

$87.3 ฿2,883

23.03%

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

$14.75 ฿487

$12.89 ฿426

14.43%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.52 ฿612

$18.38 ฿607

0.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.7 ฿2,004

$48.44 ฿1,601

25.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.82 ฿622

$14.70 ฿486

28.03%

Cinema Ticket

$7.84 ฿259

$6.06 ฿200

29.37%

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

$553 ฿18.3K

$566 ฿18.7K

-2.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.3K ฿570.3K

$10.8K ฿358.5K

59.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$74.6 ฿2,466

$52.4 ฿1,731

42.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.46 ฿1,469

$34.24 ฿1,131

29.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.4 ฿3,250

$68.8 ฿2,273

42.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$115 ฿3,807

$77.3 ฿2,555

49.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$699 ฿23.1K

$246 ฿8,114

184.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$362 ฿12.0K

$177 ฿5,846

104.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,043 ฿67.5K

$603 ฿19.9K

238.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$742 ฿24.5K

$426 ฿14.1K

74.20%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,019 ฿198.9K

$2,124 ฿70.2K

183.34%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,238 ฿107.0K

$1,581 ฿52.2K

104.78%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$638 ฿21.1K

$801 ฿26.5K

-20.38%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.38

9.33

-42.34%

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

Last update for Bangkok: September 6, 2026

Last update for Songkhla: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $699 in Bangkok and $246 in Songkhla. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Songkhla pays 26% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $36.00 in Bangkok vs $22.00 in Songkhla for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $286 vs $242 per month, with Songkhla 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 Songkhla: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bangkok and Songkhla differ by about 38% in total monthly costs ($1,159 vs $840 including rent). Songkhla is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 26% lower in Songkhla. 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: $699 in Bangkok versus $246 in Songkhla. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Songkhla – a meal for two runs $22.00 versus $36.00 in Bangkok. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,159 per month in Bangkok versus $840 in Songkhla – a 38% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $840 in Songkhla versus $1,159 in Bangkok, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Songkhla but tight or insufficient in Bangkok. The gap between the two cities makes Songkhla 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 Songkhla 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 Songkhla gentler on the wallet – expenses run 38% less than in Bangkok. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.