Cost of Living Comparison Between Durban and Rayong Cost of Living Comparison Between Durban and Rayong

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,171 per month in Durban vs $937 in Rayong, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,816 per month in Durban vs $1,178 in Rayong, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,461 per month in Durban vs $1,419 in Rayong, rent included.

Durban costs about 25% more than Rayong, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Durban and Rayong are more affordable than the global median – Durban 15% lower, Rayong 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.90 R 127

$3.07 ฿102

157.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.25 R 632

$18.20 ฿601

115.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.07 R 97.8

$7.75 ฿256

-21.68%

Cappuccino

$2.85 R 45.83

$1.64 ฿54.1

73.78%

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

$1.18 R 19.02

$0.51 ฿16.96

131.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.93 R 14.92

$0.26 ฿8.50

257.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.54 R 40.87

$1.80 ฿59.4

41.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 R 42.00

$2.98 ฿98.4

-12.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.30 R 21.01

$1.91 ฿63.2

-31.94%

White Bread (500g)

$1.07 R 17.24

$1.34 ฿44.13

-20.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 R 25.08

$1.54 ฿50.8

1.30%

Eggs

$2.44 R 39.31

$2.65 ฿87.5

-7.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.54 R 137

$17.59 ฿581

-51.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.32 R 85.6

$2.85 ฿94.3

86.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.14 R 115

$13.53 ฿447

-47.23%

Apples (1kg)

$1.97 R 31.69

$3.42 ฿113

-42.40%

Banana (1kg)

$1.95 R 31.37

$1.90 ฿62.7

2.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.04 R 32.89

$2.24 ฿74.1

-8.93%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.63 R 26.26

$2.04 ฿67.5

-20.10%

Potato (1kg)

$1.56 R 25.08

$1.80 ฿59.6

-13.33%

Onion (1kg)

$1.44 R 23.25

$1.56 ฿51.5

-7.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.25 R 20.18

$1.26 ฿41.63

-0.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 R 19.30

$0.57 ฿18.78

110.53%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.65 R 58.8

$4.66 ฿154

-21.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.95 R 79.7

$15.10 ฿499

-67.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.50 R 24.20

$1.84 ฿60.9

-18.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.00 R 32.17

$3.28 ฿108

-39.02%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.91 R 30.69

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.78 R 367

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.46 R 7.39

$1.03 ฿34.07

-55.34%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.77 R 12.44

$1.20 ฿39.67

-35.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.69 R 124

$6.00 ฿198

28.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 R 24.07

$1.43 ฿47.38

4.20%

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

$36.5K R 588.1K

$32.0K ฿1.1M

14.22%

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

$33.5K R 538.9K

$27.4K ฿904.2K

22.27%

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

$144 R 2,326

$44.86 ฿1,482

222.05%

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

$34.78 R 560

$14.71 ฿486

136.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$41.26 R 664

$12.29 ฿406

235.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.89 R 530

$67.7 ฿2,238

-51.44%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.31 R 150

$18.33 ฿606

-49.21%

Cinema Ticket

$6.88 R 111

$6.76 ฿223

1.78%

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

$324 R 5,218

$544 ฿18.0K

-40.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,024 R 129.2K

$17.2K ฿568.3K

-53.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.7 R 912

$30.19 ฿998

87.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.20 R 502

$44.67 ฿1,476

-30.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 R 1,619

$97.9 ฿3,235

2.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.2 R 1,469

$77.2 ฿2,551

18.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 R 7,898

$425 ฿14.1K

15.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 R 6,275

$303 ฿10.0K

28.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$833 R 13.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$789 R 12.7K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$924 R 14.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$614 R 9,895

$1,990 ฿65.8K

-69.13%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,293 R 20.8K

$785 ฿25.9K

64.71%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.81

5.38

119.52%

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

Last update for Durban: September 6, 2026

Last update for Rayong: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $490 in Durban versus $425 in Rayong. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 65% higher in Durban, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $39.00 in Durban versus $18.00 in Rayong. Groceries tell a different story – $200 in Durban vs $271 in Rayong – so Durban wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Durban vs Rayong: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Durban is pricier by about 25%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,756 per month in Durban and $1,405 in Rayong. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Rayong, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $39.00 in Durban and $18.00 in Rayong. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 36% cheaper in Durban – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Rayong, where all-in costs run around $937, than in Durban at $1,171. In Rayong it covers expenses comfortably, while in Durban it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Rayong – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Rayong. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Durban makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.