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: $1,030 in Bangkok versus $895 in Yala.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,738 in Bangkok versus $1,453 in Yala.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,446 in Bangkok versus $2,011 in Yala.

Living in Bangkok is roughly 15% more expensive than Yala, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Bangkok 23% lower, Yala 33% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.04 ฿98.9

$1.51 ฿49.26

101.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$31.35 ฿1,021

$27.44 ฿894

14.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.99 ฿195

$6.14 ฿200

-2.44%

Cappuccino

$2.48 ฿80.9

$2.02 ฿65.6

22.77%

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

$0.72 ฿23.33

$0.55 ฿17.80

30.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 ฿9.53

$0.21 ฿6.87

38.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.52 ฿82.2

$2.50 ฿81.4

0.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.96 ฿129

$3.68 ฿120

7.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.86 ฿60.7

$1.68 ฿54.6

10.71%

White Bread (500g)

$1.39 ฿45.41

$1.34 ฿43.59

3.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.41 ฿46.04

$1.32 ฿43.06

6.82%

Eggs

$2.24 ฿73.0

$2.23 ฿72.5

0.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.21 ฿593

$18.63 ฿607

-2.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.09 ฿101

$3.01 ฿98.0

2.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.64 ฿314

$10.61 ฿346

-9.14%

Apples (1kg)

$3.39 ฿110

$3.12 ฿102

8.65%

Banana (1kg)

$1.77 ฿57.8

$1.24 ฿40.52

42.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.30 ฿74.9

$1.88 ฿61.4

22.34%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.86 ฿60.6

$1.59 ฿51.9

16.98%

Potato (1kg)

$1.65 ฿53.7

$1.46 ฿47.42

13.01%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿48.82

$1.24 ฿40.48

20.97%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.35 ฿44.09

$0.97 ฿31.64

39.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿15.91

$0.51 ฿16.71

-3.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.24 ฿138

$4.39 ฿143

-3.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.14 ฿493

$16.04 ฿523

-5.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.87 ฿60.9

$1.72 ฿56.0

8.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 ฿107

$2.76 ฿90.0

19.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.25 ฿40.69

$0.64 ฿20.87

95.31%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$36.61 ฿1,192

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.10 ฿35.98

$1.07 ฿34.82

2.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.19 ฿38.78

$1.14 ฿37.04

4.39%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.29 ฿205

$6.07 ฿198

3.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 ฿39.13

$1.06 ฿34.61

13.21%

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

$36.3K ฿1.2M

$27.8K ฿904.0K

30.76%

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

$28.9K ฿942.3K

$27.1K ฿883.0K

6.72%

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

$88.8 ฿2,893

$76.2 ฿2,483

16.53%

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

$12.72 ฿414

$12.45 ฿405

2.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.43 ฿568

$18.30 ฿596

-4.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.1 ฿1,728

$48.51 ฿1,580

9.36%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.58 ฿345

$12.14 ฿395

-12.85%

Cinema Ticket

$7.62 ฿248

$7.07 ฿230

7.78%

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

$604 ฿19.7K

$294 ฿9,568

105.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.3K ฿433.5K

$9,514 ฿309.9K

39.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.5 ฿1,905

$33.42 ฿1,089

74.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.59 ฿1,257

$34.22 ฿1,115

12.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$107 ฿3,485

$101 ฿3,279

6.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.9 ฿3,027

$71.0 ฿2,313

30.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$659 ฿21.5K

$415 ฿13.5K

58.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$329 ฿10.7K

$286 ฿9,322

14.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,894 ฿61.7K

$803 ฿26.2K

135.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$842 ฿27.4K

$644 ฿21.0K

30.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,432 ฿209.5K

$1,912 ฿62.3K

236.44%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,416 ฿111.3K

$1,342 ฿43.7K

154.44%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$750 ฿24.4K

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Yala: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $659 in Bangkok and $415 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 $258 vs $249 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 15% in total monthly costs ($1,030 vs $895 including rent). Yala is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,545 in Bangkok and $1,343 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: $659 in Bangkok versus $415 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 $1,030 per month in Bangkok versus $895 in Yala – a 15% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $895 in Yala versus $1,030 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 15% less than in Bangkok. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.