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 $1,061 per month in East London vs $800 in Surat Thani, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,583 per month in East London vs $1,316 in Surat Thani, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,104 per month in East London vs $1,833 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 21% lower, Surat Thani 40% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.54 R 108

$1.97 ฿66.1

231.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$31.41 R 518

$18.49 ฿622

69.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.60 R 75.9

$4.73 ฿159

-2.75%

Cappuccino

$2.12 R 34.98

$1.52 ฿51.0

39.47%

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

$0.95 R 15.73

$0.47 ฿15.95

102.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 R 13.59

$0.32 ฿10.86

156.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.46 R 40.53

$2.44 ฿82.0

0.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 R 49.53

$3.67 ฿123

-18.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.07 R 17.65

$2.04 ฿68.5

-47.55%

White Bread (500g)

$0.89 R 14.64

$1.24 ฿41.68

-28.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.00 R 33.03

$1.11 ฿37.29

80.18%

Eggs

$2.02 R 33.37

$1.95 ฿65.7

3.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 R 158

$19.67 ฿661

-51.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.22 R 69.6

$3.64 ฿123

15.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.62 R 126

$7.54 ฿253

1.06%

Apples (1kg)

$1.58 R 26.00

$3.26 ฿110

-51.53%

Banana (1kg)

$2.08 R 34.34

$1.70 ฿57.2

22.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.37 R 22.65

$2.14 ฿71.9

-35.98%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.47 R 24.31

$1.71 ฿57.5

-14.04%

Potato (1kg)

$1.51 R 24.89

$1.21 ฿40.54

24.79%

Onion (1kg)

$1.45 R 23.92

$1.48 ฿49.79

-2.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.05 R 17.36

$1.03 ฿34.55

1.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.92 R 15.22

$0.41 ฿13.91

124.39%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.73 R 45.06

$3.15 ฿106

-13.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.97 R 82.0

$18.59 ฿625

-73.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 R 28.16

$1.57 ฿52.9

8.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.63 R 43.35

$2.65 ฿89.2

-0.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.69 R 11.33

$1.10 ฿36.90

-37.27%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.69 R 358

$21.66 ฿728

0.14%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.09 R 18.01

$1.11 ฿37.19

-1.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.88 R 14.60

$0.66 ฿22.29

33.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.99 R 65.9

$3.66 ฿123

9.02%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 R 20.19

$1.26 ฿42.27

-3.17%

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

$35.9K R 592.4K

$27.8K ฿934.5K

29.18%

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

$22.5K R 371.6K

$32.9K ฿1.1M

-31.61%

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

$195 R 3,216

$76.9 ฿2,585

153.43%

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

$30.31 R 500

$13.74 ฿462

120.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$44.92 R 741

$18.81 ฿633

138.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.67 R 556

$49.95 ฿1,680

-32.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$1.44 R 23.79

$12.18 ฿410

-88.18%

Cinema Ticket

$3.73 R 61.5

$4.71 ฿158

-20.81%

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

$120 R 1,978

$682 ฿22.9K

-82.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,220 R 69.7K

$15.6K ฿525.7K

-73.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.7 R 853

$58.6 ฿1,972

-11.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.20 R 482

$34.37 ฿1,156

-15.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$108 R 1,782

$115 ฿3,863

-6.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.5 R 1,395

$84.6 ฿2,846

-0.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$268 R 4,420

$243 ฿8,169

10.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$298 R 4,910

$153 ฿5,155

94.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$505 R 8,335

$691 ฿23.2K

-26.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$552 R 9,109

$410 ฿13.8K

34.61%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,174 ฿73.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,619 ฿54.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,676 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: July 14, 2026

Last update for Surat Thani: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $268 in East London versus $243 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 – $188 in East London vs $254 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: $1,061 in East London, $800 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 $1,592 per month in East London and $1,200 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 $682 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 35% 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 $1,061 in East London and $800 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.