Cost of Living Comparison Between Bangkok and Yala Cost of Living Comparison Between Bangkok and Yala

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,052 in Bangkok versus $904 in Yala.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,764 in Bangkok versus $1,453 in Yala.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,475 in Bangkok versus $2,002 in Yala.

Living in Bangkok is roughly 16% more expensive than in Yala, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Bangkok 21% lower, Yala 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.05 ฿102

$1.50 ฿50.1

103.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$31.41 ฿1,051

$27.34 ฿915

14.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.29 ฿210

$6.42 ฿215

-2.02%

Cappuccino

$2.59 ฿86.5

$2.08 ฿69.5

24.52%

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

$0.73 ฿24.33

$0.58 ฿19.51

25.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 ฿9.74

$0.18 ฿5.85

61.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.52 ฿84.1

$2.43 ฿81.3

3.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.09 ฿137

$3.80 ฿127

7.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.88 ฿62.8

$1.68 ฿56.3

11.90%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 ฿47.13

$1.36 ฿45.41

3.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.41 ฿47.28

$1.27 ฿42.37

11.02%

Eggs

$2.27 ฿75.9

$2.12 ฿70.9

7.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.60 ฿622

$18.79 ฿628

-1.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.10 ฿104

$3.05 ฿102

1.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.41 ฿315

$10.73 ฿359

-12.30%

Apples (1kg)

$3.48 ฿116

$3.11 ฿104

11.90%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 ฿58.1

$1.22 ฿40.72

42.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.27 ฿76.0

$1.97 ฿66.0

15.23%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.92 ฿64.2

$1.60 ฿53.6

20.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.61 ฿53.8

$1.46 ฿48.83

10.27%

Onion (1kg)

$1.42 ฿47.55

$1.25 ฿41.96

13.60%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.32 ฿44.15

$1.02 ฿33.96

29.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.53

$0.52 ฿17.49

-5.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.26 ฿142

$4.43 ฿148

-3.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.69 ฿592

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 ฿61.4

$1.82 ฿60.9

1.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 ฿112

$2.68 ฿89.6

24.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.20 ฿40.09

$0.60 ฿20.14

100.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$37.06 ฿1,240

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.07 ฿35.73

$1.10 ฿36.81

-2.73%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.19 ฿39.91

$1.20 ฿40.08

-0.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.34 ฿212

$6.32 ฿211

0.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 ฿39.69

$1.06 ฿35.33

12.26%

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

$36.2K ฿1.2M

$27.7K ฿927.5K

30.70%

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

$29.4K ฿982.1K

$27.1K ฿905.5K

8.47%

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

$89.8 ฿3,002

$77.4 ฿2,587

16.03%

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

$12.94 ฿433

$12.43 ฿416

4.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.52 ฿586

$18.82 ฿629

-6.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.4 ฿1,752

$48.72 ฿1,630

7.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.74 ฿359

$12.37 ฿414

-13.18%

Cinema Ticket

$7.87 ฿263

$7.17 ฿240

9.76%

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

$606 ฿20.3K

$295 ฿9,865

105.39%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.4K ฿447.0K

$9,683 ฿323.9K

38.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.8 ฿1,933

$34.19 ฿1,144

69.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.18 ฿1,310

$34.60 ฿1,157

13.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 ฿3,530

$100 ฿3,358

5.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$94.8 ฿3,169

$71.3 ฿2,384

32.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$662 ฿22.2K

$427 ฿14.3K

54.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$328 ฿11.0K

$282 ฿9,437

16.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,852 ฿61.9K

$808 ฿27.0K

129.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$843 ฿28.2K

$643 ฿21.5K

31.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,134 ฿205.2K

$1,780 ฿59.6K

244.57%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,207 ฿107.3K

$1,418 ฿47.4K

126.12%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$625 ฿20.9K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.84

5.45

7.16%

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

Last update for Bangkok: July 25, 2026

Last update for Yala: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $662 in Bangkok and $427 in Yala. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $31.00 in Bangkok vs $27.00 in Yala for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $264 vs $254 per month, with Yala 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 Yala: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bangkok and Yala differ by about 16% in total monthly costs ($1,052 vs $904 including rent). Yala is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,578 in Bangkok and $1,355 in Yala 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: $662 in Bangkok versus $427 in Yala. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 4% higher in Bangkok. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,052 per month in Bangkok versus $904 in Yala – a 16% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $904 in Yala versus $1,052 in Bangkok, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Yala but tight or insufficient in Bangkok. The gap between the two cities makes Yala 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 Yala 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 Yala gentler on the wallet – expenses run 16% less than in Bangkok. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.