Cost of Living Comparison Between East London and Surat Thani Cost of Living Comparison Between East London and Surat Thani

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,075 per month in East London vs $809 in Surat Thani, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,578 per month in East London vs $1,312 in Surat Thani, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,082 per month in East London vs $1,816 in Surat Thani, rent included.

East London costs about 33% more than Surat Thani, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both East London and Surat Thani are more affordable than the global median – East London 20% lower, Surat Thani 40% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.68 R 109

$1.90 ฿62.0

251.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$31.04 R 506

$18.39 ฿601

68.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.45 R 72.7

$4.68 ฿153

-4.91%

Cappuccino

$2.08 R 33.94

$1.59 ฿51.8

30.82%

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

$0.96 R 15.61

$0.50 ฿16.37

92.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.87 R 14.21

$0.30 ฿9.78

190.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.46 R 40.09

$2.51 ฿82.1

-1.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 R 51.8

$3.73 ฿122

-15.01%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.02 R 16.67

$1.92 ฿62.8

-46.87%

White Bread (500g)

$0.86 R 14.00

$1.22 ฿39.98

-29.51%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.04 R 33.23

$1.10 ฿35.78

85.45%

Eggs

$2.04 R 33.29

$1.89 ฿61.6

7.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.25 R 151

$19.57 ฿639

-52.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.05 R 66.1

$3.68 ฿120

10.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.76 R 127

$7.93 ฿259

-2.14%

Apples (1kg)

$1.58 R 25.75

$3.35 ฿110

-52.84%

Banana (1kg)

$2.16 R 35.25

$1.69 ฿55.3

27.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.43 R 23.29

$2.12 ฿69.1

-32.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.48 R 24.14

$1.78 ฿58.1

-16.85%

Potato (1kg)

$1.51 R 24.62

$1.21 ฿39.61

24.79%

Onion (1kg)

$1.43 R 23.34

$1.45 ฿47.42

-1.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.11 R 18.08

$0.99 ฿32.20

12.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 R 14.61

$0.41 ฿13.54

119.51%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.72 R 44.38

$3.13 ฿102

-13.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.84 R 79.0

$18.86 ฿616

-74.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 R 28.82

$1.65 ฿53.8

7.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 R 41.36

$2.69 ฿87.9

-5.95%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.67 R 10.92

$1.10 ฿36.05

-39.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.80 R 356

$21.39 ฿699

1.92%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.11 R 18.04

$1.06 ฿34.71

4.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.90 R 14.66

$0.61 ฿19.90

47.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.13 R 67.5

$3.67 ฿120

12.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 R 20.92

$1.21 ฿39.37

5.79%

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

$35.8K R 584.8K

$27.8K ฿907.9K

28.91%

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

$22.4K R 365.7K

$33.6K ฿1.1M

-33.27%

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

$197 R 3,220

$77.4 ฿2,528

154.97%

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

$30.87 R 504

$13.88 ฿453

122.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$45.37 R 740

$18.38 ฿600

146.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.49 R 546

$50.1 ฿1,636

-33.13%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$1.38 R 22.46

$12.18 ฿398

-88.67%

Cinema Ticket

$3.63 R 59.2

$4.49 ฿147

-19.15%

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

$120 R 1,959

$703 ฿23.0K

-82.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,216 R 68.8K

$16.1K ฿525.2K

-73.78%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.6 R 858

$59.3 ฿1,935

-11.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.82 R 470

$35.21 ฿1,150

-18.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$108 R 1,768

$114 ฿3,732

-5.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.6 R 1,429

$84.6 ฿2,762

3.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$263 R 4,285

$240 ฿7,833

9.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$291 R 4,749

$156 ฿5,098

86.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$505 R 8,237

$693 ฿22.6K

-27.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$547 R 8,927

$416 ฿13.6K

31.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,094 ฿68.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,698 ฿55.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,698 R 27.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

106.38%

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

Last update for East London: June 1, 2026

Last update for Surat Thani: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $263 in East London versus $240 in Surat Thani. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $31.00 in East London versus $18.00 in Surat Thani. Groceries tell a different story – $186 in East London vs $255 in Surat Thani – so East London 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

East London vs Surat Thani: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,075 in East London, $809 in Surat Thani – roughly 33% apart. East London costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,612 per month in East London and $1,213 in Surat Thani. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $120 per month in East London and $703 in Surat Thani. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 37% cheaper in East London – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $1,075 in East London and $809 in Surat Thani, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Surat Thani – 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 Surat Thani. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, East London makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.