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: $1,159 in Bangkok versus $908 in Yala.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,862 in Bangkok versus $1,515 in Yala.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,564 in Bangkok versus $2,122 in Yala.

Living in Bangkok is roughly 28% more expensive than in Yala, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Bangkok 16% lower, Yala 34% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.01 ฿99.3

$1.48 ฿49.05

103.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.47 ฿1,205

$21.80 ฿720

67.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.59 ฿251

$6.75 ฿223

12.44%

Cappuccino

$2.89 ฿95.4

$2.14 ฿70.8

35.05%

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

$0.69 ฿22.96

$0.57 ฿18.94

21.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.38 ฿12.43

$0.23 ฿7.52

65.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.68 ฿88.7

$2.23 ฿73.7

20.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.69 ฿155

$3.26 ฿108

43.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.00 ฿66.0

$1.94 ฿64.0

3.09%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿51.9

$1.59 ฿52.7

-1.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.54 ฿50.8

$1.22 ฿40.38

26.23%

Eggs

$2.55 ฿84.2

$2.02 ฿66.8

26.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.38 ฿574

$18.34 ฿606

-5.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.69 ฿122

$2.65 ฿87.4

39.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.13 ฿467

$9.67 ฿320

46.12%

Apples (1kg)

$4.27 ฿141

$3.57 ฿118

19.61%

Banana (1kg)

$1.93 ฿63.8

$1.23 ฿40.67

56.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.88 ฿95.2

$2.47 ฿81.6

16.60%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.98 ฿65.5

$1.92 ฿63.3

3.13%

Potato (1kg)

$1.72 ฿56.8

$1.47 ฿48.53

17.01%

Onion (1kg)

$1.61 ฿53.3

$1.21 ฿40.08

33.06%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.26 ฿41.68

$1.14 ฿37.74

10.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 ฿18.68

$0.50 ฿16.38

14.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.45 ฿147

$3.82 ฿126

16.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.31 ฿506

$16.37 ฿541

-6.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 ฿60.9

$1.64 ฿54.2

12.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.38 ฿112

$2.95 ฿97.6

14.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.08 ฿35.70

$0.59 ฿19.55

83.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$36.43 ฿1,204

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.07 ฿35.46

$1.24 ฿40.82

-13.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.25 ฿41.19

$1.22 ฿40.31

2.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.96 ฿197

$3.91 ฿129

52.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.46 ฿48.11

$1.36 ฿45.10

7.35%

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

$32.0K ฿1.1M

$26.5K ฿874.1K

21.05%

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

$28.0K ฿925.4K

$27.3K ฿903.0K

2.48%

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

$107 ฿3,546

$80.6 ฿2,663

33.16%

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

$14.75 ฿487

$12.11 ฿400

21.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.52 ฿612

$16.78 ฿555

10.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.7 ฿2,004

$53.7 ฿1,775

12.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.82 ฿622

$14.30 ฿473

31.61%

Cinema Ticket

$7.84 ฿259

$6.74 ฿223

16.32%

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

$553 ฿18.3K

$599 ฿19.8K

-7.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.3K ฿570.3K

$10.2K ฿336.0K

69.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$74.6 ฿2,466

$48.59 ฿1,605

53.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.46 ฿1,469

$26.30 ฿869

69.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.4 ฿3,250

$77.9 ฿2,573

26.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$115 ฿3,807

$72.7 ฿2,402

58.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$699 ฿23.1K

$448 ฿14.8K

56.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$362 ฿12.0K

$302 ฿9,990

19.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,043 ฿67.5K

$1,253 ฿41.4K

63.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$742 ฿24.5K

$825 ฿27.3K

-10.10%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,019 ฿198.9K

$1,819 ฿60.1K

230.85%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,238 ฿107.0K

$1,558 ฿51.5K

107.83%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$638 ฿21.1K

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: September 6, 2026

Last update for Yala: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $699 in Bangkok and $448 in Yala. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $36.00 in Bangkok vs $22.00 in Yala for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $286 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 28% in total monthly costs ($1,159 vs $908 including rent). Yala is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,739 in Bangkok and $1,362 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: $699 in Bangkok versus $448 in Yala. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 12% higher in Bangkok. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,159 per month in Bangkok versus $908 in Yala – a 28% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $908 in Yala versus $1,159 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 28% less than in Bangkok. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.