Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Bangkok and Surin

For one person, living is cheaper in Surin: $869 a month against $1,112 in Bangkok, rent and utilities included – about $2,900 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

Bangkok
🇹🇭 Thailand
$1,112
/mo nomad
Surin
🇹🇭 Thailand
$869
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Bangkok and in Surin

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Bangkok and in Surin actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,112 in Bangkok versus $869 in Surin.

  • Bangkok $1,112
  • Surin $869

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,788 in Bangkok versus $1,444 in Surin.

  • Bangkok $1,788
  • Surin $1,444

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,464 in Bangkok versus $2,018 in Surin.

  • Bangkok $2,464
  • Surin $2,018

Living in Bangkok is roughly 28% more expensive than in Surin, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both cities sit below the global median: Bangkok 18% lower, Surin 36% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Bangkok
Surin
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.95 ฿98.7
$3.03 ฿101
-2.64%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$35.13 ฿1,174
$24.70 ฿826
42.23%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.33 ฿245
$7.23 ฿242
1.38%
Cappuccino
$2.73 ฿91.3
$1.74 ฿58.3
56.90%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.62 ฿20.78
$0.61 ฿20.30
1.64%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.36 ฿12.17
$0.33 ฿10.89
9.09%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.63 ฿87.9
$2.20 ฿73.5
19.55%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.35 ฿145
$3.42 ฿114
27.19%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Bangkok
Surin
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.85 ฿61.8
$1.57 ฿52.4
17.83%
White Bread (500g)
$1.51 ฿50.5
$1.31 ฿43.79
15.27%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.34 ฿44.72
$1.47 ฿48.98
-8.84%
Eggs
$2.62 ฿87.4
$1.90 ฿63.5
37.89%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$17.10 ฿572
$17.41 ฿582
-1.78%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.67 ฿123
$2.48 ฿83.0
47.98%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.83 ฿429
$8.89 ฿297
44.32%
Apples (1kg)
$3.73 ฿125
$2.57 ฿86.0
45.14%
Banana (1kg)
$1.74 ฿58.2
$1.02 ฿34.23
70.59%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.79 ฿93.2
$2.48 ฿82.9
12.50%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.88 ฿62.9
$2.05 ฿68.5
-8.29%
Potato (1kg)
$1.75 ฿58.4
$1.44 ฿48.20
21.53%
Onion (1kg)
$1.49 ฿49.68
$0.95 ฿31.77
56.84%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.24 ฿41.51
$0.94 ฿31.37
31.91%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.55 ฿18.22
$0.44 ฿14.59
25.00%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.73 ฿158
$4.27 ฿143
10.77%
Wine (Bottle)
$15.10 ฿505
$16.36 ฿547
-7.70%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.77 ฿59.0
$1.57 ฿52.4
12.74%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.18 ฿106
$3.01 ฿100
5.65%
🚌 Getting Around
Bangkok
Surin
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.11 ฿37.19
$0.92 ฿30.79
20.65%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$34.46 ฿1,152
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.06 ฿35.47
$1.37 ฿45.65
-22.63%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.15 ฿38.60
$1.01 ฿33.73
13.86%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.81 ฿194
$6.04 ฿202
-3.81%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.41 ฿47.14
$1.35 ฿45.06
4.44%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$31.7K ฿1.1M
$22.7K ฿758.4K
39.88%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.6K ฿887.8K
$27.1K ฿904.4K
-1.83%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Bangkok
Surin
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$108 ฿3,612
$77.8 ฿2,601
38.88%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$15.14 ฿506
$11.53 ฿385
31.31%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.15 ฿607
$18.68 ฿624
-2.84%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Bangkok
Surin
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$55.6 ฿1,857
$41.58 ฿1,390
33.65%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.54 ฿620
$11.45 ฿383
61.92%
Cinema Ticket
$7.82 ฿261
$6.51 ฿218
20.12%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Bangkok
Surin
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$569 ฿19.0K
$628 ฿21.0K
-9.31%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$16.7K ฿557.0K
$12.1K ฿405.0K
37.52%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Bangkok
Surin
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$70.9 ฿2,371
$53.1 ฿1,773
33.70%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$42.61 ฿1,424
$27.95 ฿934
52.45%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$101 ฿3,361
$73.3 ฿2,451
37.14%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$107 ฿3,560
$68.0 ฿2,274
56.57%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Bangkok
Surin
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$673 ฿22.5K
$440 ฿14.7K
52.89%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$333 ฿11.1K
$273 ฿9,126
22.01%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,982 ฿66.2K
$1,185 ฿39.6K
67.27%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$732 ฿24.5K
$714 ฿23.9K
2.47%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$6,236 ฿208.4K
$1,730 ฿57.8K
260.51%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,096 ฿103.5K
$1,518 ฿50.7K
103.93%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Bangkok
Surin
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$626 ฿20.9K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.25
5.57
-5.75%

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

Last update for Bangkok: October 18, 2026

Last update for Surin: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Bangkok
$333
Surin
$273 18% $60
Groceries & Markets
Bangkok
$272
Surin
$235 13.9% $38
Clothing & Footwear
Bangkok
$144
Surin
$100 30.6% $44
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Bangkok
$141
Surin
$108 23.6% $33
Eating Out
Bangkok
$104
Surin
$88 15.1% $16
Sport & Entertainment
Bangkok
$71
Surin
$55 23.3% $17
Getting Around
Bangkok
$46
Surin
$10 * 77.9% $36

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $673 in Bangkok and $440 in Surin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $35.00 in Bangkok vs $25.00 in Surin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $272 vs $235 per month, with Surin cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇹🇭 Bangkok
🇹🇭 Surin
🕒 Local time
12:42 12:42 PM
12:42 12:42 PM
Same time as Bangkok
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
5,666,264 Capital
40,104
💱 Currency
Thai Baht THB ฿
Thai Baht THB ฿
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 21, 2026: 1 USD = 33.42 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.57 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Bangkok Surin 350 km
From you
  • Bangkok
  • Surin

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
What is the total cost difference between living in Bangkok and in Surin?
Bangkok and Surin differ by about 28% in total monthly costs ($1,112 vs $869 including rent). Surin is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
What salary covers living expenses in Bangkok compared to Surin?
You'd need roughly $1,669 in Bangkok and $1,303 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.
How do apartment prices compare in Bangkok and in Surin?
Rent for a central apartment: $673 in Bangkok versus $440 in Surin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Supermarket bills run roughly 16% higher in Bangkok. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Which city is more expensive overall: Bangkok or Surin?
All in, you'll spend $1,112 per month in Bangkok versus $869 in Surin – a 28% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Which city is more doable on $1,000 per month?
At $869 in Surin versus $1,112 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.
How does quality of life compare between Bangkok and Surin?
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.
Is Bangkok or Surin safer for residents?
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.
Where should expats move: Bangkok or Surin?
Expats usually find Surin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 28% less than in Bangkok. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

Bangkok vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities

Show times on the 12-hour clock, temperatures in °F and distances in miles?