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 $1,042 per month in East London vs $797 in Surat Thani, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,680 per month in East London vs $1,459 in Surat Thani, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,319 per month in East London vs $2,121 in Surat Thani, rent included.

East London costs about 31% more than Surat Thani, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both East London and Surat Thani are more affordable than the global median – East London 24% lower, Surat Thani 42% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.64 R 155

$1.85 ฿61.2

421.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.29 R 633

$18.05 ฿596

117.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.88 R 94.7

$4.59 ฿152

28.10%

Cappuccino

$2.24 R 36.04

$1.50 ฿49.65

49.33%

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

$1.09 R 17.54

$0.51 ฿16.76

113.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.80 R 12.91

$0.31 ฿10.39

158.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.84 R 45.79

$2.38 ฿78.7

19.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.31 R 53.3

$3.71 ฿123

-10.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 R 18.81

$1.87 ฿61.9

-37.43%

White Bread (500g)

$0.93 R 14.99

$1.21 ฿40.07

-23.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.50 R 24.18

$1.19 ฿39.46

26.05%

Eggs

$2.34 R 37.62

$1.89 ฿62.6

23.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.81 R 142

$19.59 ฿647

-55.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.49 R 88.5

$3.41 ฿113

61.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.67 R 140

$7.56 ฿250

14.68%

Apples (1kg)

$1.59 R 25.53

$3.07 ฿101

-48.21%

Banana (1kg)

$1.60 R 25.84

$1.64 ฿54.3

-2.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 R 27.46

$1.82 ฿60.1

-6.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.62 R 26.15

$2.19 ฿72.2

-26.03%

Potato (1kg)

$1.73 R 27.80

$1.39 ฿45.76

24.46%

Onion (1kg)

$1.46 R 23.56

$1.40 ฿46.37

4.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.22 R 19.57

$1.14 ฿37.51

7.02%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.94 R 15.09

$0.45 ฿14.78

108.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.95 R 47.57

$2.96 ฿97.9

-0.34%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.07 R 81.6

$19.16 ฿633

-73.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 R 21.14

$1.55 ฿51.3

-15.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.79 R 28.85

$1.86 ฿61.6

-3.76%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.54 R 24.77

$1.05 ฿34.64

46.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$49.11 R 791

$21.08 ฿697

132.97%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.29 R 20.71

$3.03 ฿100

-57.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.48 R 7.78

$0.63 ฿20.81

-23.81%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.91 R 144

$3.61 ฿119

146.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 R 21.86

$1.25 ฿41.46

8.80%

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

$36.8K R 592.6K

$27.2K ฿899.5K

35.16%

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

$29.4K R 473.2K

$27.5K ฿908.8K

6.83%

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

$127 R 2,047

$76.4 ฿2,523

66.45%

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

$34.25 R 552

$11.28 ฿373

203.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$44.53 R 717

$17.37 ฿574

156.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.73 R 656

$47.82 ฿1,580

-14.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.51 ฿413

Cinema Ticket

$4.99 R 80.3

$4.61 ฿152

8.24%

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

$183 R 2,945

$570 ฿18.8K

-67.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,563 R 89.6K

$11.8K ฿389.6K

-52.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.8 R 962

$65.5 ฿2,165

-8.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.23 R 551

$29.82 ฿985

14.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.6 R 1,201

$96.4 ฿3,186

-22.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$98.9 R 1,593

$89.7 ฿2,964

10.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$295 R 4,748

$234 ฿7,718

26.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$263 R 4,243

$151 ฿4,977

74.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$570 R 9,183

$1,388 ฿45.9K

-58.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 R 10.7K

$751 ฿24.8K

-11.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,771 ฿58.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,775 ฿58.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,689 R 27.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

97.49%

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

Last update for East London: September 6, 2026

Last update for Surat Thani: September 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $295 in East London versus $234 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 $39.00 in East London versus $18.00 in Surat Thani. Groceries tell a different story – $193 in East London vs $252 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: $1,042 in East London, $797 in Surat Thani – roughly 31% apart. East London costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,562 per month in East London and $1,196 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 $183 per month in East London and $570 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 30% 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 $1,042 in East London and $797 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.