Cost of Living Comparison Between Bangkok and Surat Thani Cost of Living Comparison Between Bangkok and Surat Thani

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,138 in Bangkok versus $806 in Surat Thani.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,863 in Bangkok versus $1,435 in Surat Thani.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,589 in Bangkok versus $2,063 in Surat Thani.

Living in Bangkok is roughly 41% more expensive than in Surat Thani, driven mainly by Eating Out.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.04 ฿99.8

$1.94 ฿63.9

56.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.64 ฿1,205

$18.12 ฿596

102.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.42 ฿244

$4.48 ฿147

65.62%

Cappuccino

$2.96 ฿97.5

$1.52 ฿49.93

94.74%

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

$0.67 ฿22.13

$0.48 ฿15.69

39.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.34 ฿11.17

$0.30 ฿9.85

13.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.66 ฿87.5

$2.51 ฿82.6

5.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.56 ฿150

$3.74 ฿123

21.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.00 ฿65.7

$1.84 ฿60.6

8.70%

White Bread (500g)

$1.49 ฿48.91

$1.22 ฿39.99

22.13%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.53 ฿50.2

$1.21 ฿39.67

26.45%

Eggs

$2.66 ฿87.6

$1.95 ฿64.0

36.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.32 ฿569

$19.59 ฿644

-11.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.58 ฿118

$3.53 ฿116

1.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.04 ฿462

$7.72 ฿254

81.87%

Apples (1kg)

$4.12 ฿135

$2.93 ฿96.4

40.61%

Banana (1kg)

$1.92 ฿63.3

$1.65 ฿54.2

16.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.84 ฿93.2

$1.79 ฿58.8

58.66%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.96 ฿64.5

$2.20 ฿72.3

-10.91%

Potato (1kg)

$1.71 ฿56.3

$1.34 ฿44.19

27.61%

Onion (1kg)

$1.63 ฿53.7

$1.41 ฿46.45

15.60%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.27 ฿41.71

$1.15 ฿37.75

10.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.47

$0.41 ฿13.49

36.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.61 ฿151

$3.04 ฿99.8

51.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.28 ฿502

$19.08 ฿628

-19.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.4

$1.57 ฿51.5

13.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.36 ฿111

$1.79 ฿58.9

87.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.11 ฿36.51

$1.08 ฿35.58

2.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$36.19 ฿1,190

$21.27 ฿699

70.15%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.08 ฿35.65

$1.19 ฿39.24

-9.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.19 ฿38.98

$0.63 ฿20.82

88.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.00 ฿197

$3.62 ฿119

65.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 ฿46.89

$1.25 ฿41.17

14.40%

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

$32.0K ฿1.1M

$27.0K ฿888.9K

18.55%

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

$27.9K ฿917.7K

$27.7K ฿909.4K

0.92%

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

$105 ฿3,454

$76.1 ฿2,502

38.05%

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

$14.49 ฿476

$11.50 ฿378

26.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.57 ฿610

$17.44 ฿573

6.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.5 ฿1,958

$48.94 ฿1,609

21.66%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.07 ฿627

$14.57 ฿479

30.89%

Cinema Ticket

$7.61 ฿250

$4.55 ฿150

67.25%

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

$558 ฿18.3K

$574 ฿18.9K

-2.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.9K ฿555.5K

$11.7K ฿385.0K

44.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$73.7 ฿2,422

$65.0 ฿2,138

13.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.33 ฿1,425

$29.70 ฿976

45.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.3 ฿3,165

$97.6 ฿3,208

-1.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$118 ฿3,870

$88.8 ฿2,920

32.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$704 ฿23.1K

$241 ฿7,926

191.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$357 ฿11.7K

$152 ฿5,002

134.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,024 ฿66.5K

$1,240 ฿40.8K

63.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$757 ฿24.9K

$715 ฿23.5K

5.81%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,987 ฿196.9K

$2,026 ฿66.6K

195.49%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,211 ฿105.6K

$1,621 ฿53.3K

98.06%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$638 ฿21.0K

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 Surat Thani: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $704 in Bangkok and $241 in Surat Thani. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $37.00 in Bangkok vs $18.00 in Surat Thani for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $283 vs $251 per month, with Surat Thani 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 Surat Thani: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bangkok and Surat Thani differ by about 41% in total monthly costs ($1,138 vs $806 including rent). Surat Thani is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,707 in Bangkok and $1,209 in Surat Thani to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $704 in Bangkok versus $241 in Surat Thani. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Surat Thani – a meal for two runs $18.00 versus $37.00 in Bangkok. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,138 per month in Bangkok versus $806 in Surat Thani – a 41% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $806 in Surat Thani versus $1,138 in Bangkok, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Surat Thani but tight or insufficient in Bangkok. The gap between the two cities makes Surat Thani 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 Surat Thani 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 Surat Thani gentler on the wallet – expenses run 41% less than in Bangkok. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.