Cost of Living Comparison Between Bangkok and Surin Cost of Living Comparison Between Bangkok and Surin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,138 in Bangkok versus $923 in Surin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,863 in Bangkok versus $1,496 in Surin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,589 in Bangkok versus $2,069 in Surin.

Living in Bangkok is roughly 23% more expensive than in Surin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Bangkok 17% lower, Surin 33% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.04 ฿99.8

$3.07 ฿101

-0.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.64 ฿1,204

$23.55 ฿774

55.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.42 ฿244

$7.76 ฿255

-4.38%

Cappuccino

$2.96 ฿97.5

$2.12 ฿69.8

39.62%

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

$0.67 ฿22.12

$0.70 ฿22.87

-4.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.34 ฿11.17

$0.32 ฿10.64

6.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.66 ฿87.5

$2.10 ฿68.9

26.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.56 ฿150

$3.01 ฿99.0

51.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.00 ฿65.6

$1.88 ฿61.9

6.38%

White Bread (500g)

$1.49 ฿48.90

$1.44 ฿47.35

3.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.53 ฿50.2

$1.26 ฿41.32

21.43%

Eggs

$2.66 ฿87.6

$2.20 ฿72.4

20.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.32 ฿569

$16.38 ฿538

5.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.58 ฿118

$2.85 ฿93.6

25.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.04 ฿461

$10.98 ฿361

27.87%

Apples (1kg)

$4.12 ฿135

$3.21 ฿106

28.35%

Banana (1kg)

$1.92 ฿63.3

$1.12 ฿36.86

71.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.84 ฿93.2

$2.29 ฿75.3

24.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.96 ฿64.5

$1.69 ฿55.6

15.98%

Potato (1kg)

$1.71 ฿56.3

$1.50 ฿49.20

14.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.63 ฿53.7

$1.18 ฿38.65

38.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.27 ฿41.70

$1.11 ฿36.39

14.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.47

$0.54 ฿17.65

3.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.61 ฿151

$4.40 ฿145

4.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.28 ฿502

$15.48 ฿509

-1.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.4

$1.70 ฿55.7

4.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.36 ฿111

$2.86 ฿94.0

17.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.11 ฿36.49

$0.90 ฿29.74

23.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$36.19 ฿1,190

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.08 ฿35.64

$1.24 ฿40.63

-12.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.19 ฿38.97

$1.12 ฿36.80

6.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.00 ฿197

$3.99 ฿131

50.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 ฿46.87

$1.45 ฿47.60

-1.38%

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

$32.0K ฿1.1M

$24.7K ฿811.5K

29.80%

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

$27.9K ฿917.5K

$27.4K ฿901.5K

1.77%

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

$105 ฿3,453

$83.7 ฿2,750

25.56%

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

$14.49 ฿476

$12.57 ฿413

15.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.57 ฿610

$19.77 ฿650

-6.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.5 ฿1,957

$47.45 ฿1,560

25.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.07 ฿627

$14.17 ฿466

34.58%

Cinema Ticket

$7.61 ฿250

$6.79 ฿223

12.08%

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

$558 ฿18.3K

$561 ฿18.4K

-0.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.9K ฿555.3K

$11.3K ฿370.9K

49.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$73.7 ฿2,421

$52.4 ฿1,722

40.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.33 ฿1,424

$30.52 ฿1,003

41.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.3 ฿3,164

$76.9 ฿2,526

25.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$118 ฿3,869

$77.0 ฿2,532

52.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$704 ฿23.1K

$465 ฿15.3K

51.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$357 ฿11.7K

$291 ฿9,564

22.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,024 ฿66.5K

$1,263 ฿41.5K

60.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$757 ฿24.9K

$702 ฿23.1K

7.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,987 ฿196.8K

$1,961 ฿64.5K

205.26%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,211 ฿105.5K

$1,634 ฿53.7K

96.45%

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 Surin: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $704 in Bangkok and $465 in Surin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $37.00 in Bangkok vs $24.00 in Surin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $283 vs $247 per month, with Surin 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 Surin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bangkok and Surin differ by about 23% in total monthly costs ($1,138 vs $923 including rent). Surin 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 $1,384 in Surin 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 $465 in Surin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 15% 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 $923 in Surin – a 23% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $923 in Surin versus $1,138 in Bangkok, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Surin but tight or insufficient in Bangkok. The gap between the two cities makes Surin 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 Surin 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 Surin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 23% less than in Bangkok. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.