Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Hong Kong and Rayong

For one person, living is cheaper in Rayong: $940 a month against $2,984 in Hong Kong, rent and utilities included – about $24,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Hong Kong
🇭🇰 Hong Kong (China)
$2,984
/mo nomad
Rayong
🇹🇭 Thailand
$940
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Hong Kong and in Rayong

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Hong Kong and in Rayong actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,984 per month in Hong Kong vs $940 in Rayong, rent included.

  • Hong Kong $2,984
  • Rayong $940

A couple spends around $4,584 per month in Hong Kong vs $1,191 in Rayong, rent included.

  • Hong Kong $4,584
  • Rayong $1,191

A family of three spends $6,183 per month in Hong Kong vs $1,443 in Rayong, rent included.

  • Hong Kong $6,183
  • Rayong $1,443

Hong Kong costs about 218% more than Rayong, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Hong Kong sits 121% above the global median, while Rayong is 30% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Hong Kong
Rayong
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$7.75 HK$60.8
$2.89 ฿96.7
168.17%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$64.7 HK$508
$17.80 ฿595
263.37%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$6.18 HK$48.51
$6.42 ฿214
-3.74%
Cappuccino
$5.08 HK$39.85
$1.62 ฿54.1
213.58%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.31 HK$10.31
$0.51 ฿17.16
156.86%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.09 HK$8.56
$0.28 ฿9.43
289.29%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$7.47 HK$58.6
$1.73 ฿57.9
331.79%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$6.50 HK$51.0
$3.05 ฿102
113.11%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Hong Kong
Rayong
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.89 HK$22.71
$1.87 ฿62.7
54.55%
White Bread (500g)
$2.31 HK$18.14
$1.30 ฿43.53
77.69%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.13 HK$16.71
$1.42 ฿47.48
50.00%
Eggs
$3.52 HK$27.65
$2.61 ฿87.2
34.87%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$24.72 HK$194
$17.02 ฿569
45.24%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.52 HK$66.9
$2.91 ฿97.2
192.78%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$18.00 HK$141
$13.02 ฿435
38.25%
Apples (1kg)
$4.18 HK$32.79
$3.29 ฿110
27.05%
Banana (1kg)
$2.68 HK$21.07
$1.75 ฿58.5
53.14%
Oranges (1kg)
$4.49 HK$35.22
$2.24 ฿74.9
100.45%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.03 HK$31.66
$1.90 ฿63.4
112.11%
Potato (1kg)
$3.12 HK$24.51
$1.68 ฿56.2
85.71%
Onion (1kg)
$3.15 HK$24.72
$1.50 ฿50.2
110.00%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.62 HK$12.75
$1.28 ฿42.68
26.56%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.74 HK$13.66
$0.52 ฿17.42
234.62%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$13.50 HK$106
$4.52 ฿151
198.67%
Wine (Bottle)
$16.54 HK$130
$15.09 ฿504
9.61%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.94 HK$15.19
$1.82 ฿60.9
6.59%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.18 HK$17.11
$3.21 ฿107
-32.09%
🚌 Getting Around
Hong Kong
Rayong
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.41 HK$11.04
-
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$88.6 HK$696
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.69 HK$28.94
$1.06 ฿35.47
248.11%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.32 HK$10.36
$1.21 ฿40.35
9.09%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$15.77 HK$124
$6.03 ฿202
161.53%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$4.03 HK$31.65
$1.42 ฿47.32
183.80%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$44.7K HK$350.5K
$31.2K ฿1.0M
42.94%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$37.8K HK$296.6K
$27.2K ฿910.6K
38.69%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Hong Kong
Rayong
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$250 HK$1,959
$44.28 ฿1,480
463.66%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$15.60 HK$122
$14.92 ฿499
4.56%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$21.77 HK$171
$11.83 ฿395
84.02%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Hong Kong
Rayong
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$94.2 HK$739
$66.8 ฿2,231
41.06%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$9.29 HK$72.9
$17.63 ฿589
-47.31%
Cinema Ticket
$13.91 HK$109
$6.59 ฿220
111.08%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Hong Kong
Rayong
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,162 HK$9,122
$574 ฿19.2K
102.50%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$21.9K HK$171.6K
$16.3K ฿546.3K
33.78%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Hong Kong
Rayong
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$68.0 HK$534
$69.7 ฿2,330
-2.48%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$41.91 HK$329
$43.37 ฿1,449
-3.37%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$79.7 HK$626
$98.2 ฿3,283
-18.81%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$122 HK$956
$108 ฿3,625
12.26%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Hong Kong
Rayong
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,241 HK$17.6K
$419 ฿14.0K
435.17%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,718 HK$13.5K
$295 ฿9,859
482.44%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$5,041 HK$39.6K
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$3,435 HK$27.0K
-
-
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$29.2K HK$229.0K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$17.6K HK$137.9K
$2,027 ฿67.8K
766.70%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Hong Kong
Rayong
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,271 HK$25.7K
$469 ฿15.7K
597.16%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.91
5.25
-25.52%

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

Last update for Hong Kong: October 10, 2026

Last update for Rayong: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Hong Kong
$1.7K
Rayong
$295 82.8% $1.4K
Groceries & Markets
Hong Kong
$411
Rayong
$263 35.9% $148
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Hong Kong
$287
Rayong
$71 75.2% $216
Eating Out
Hong Kong
$201
Rayong
$80 60.4% $122
Clothing & Footwear
Hong Kong
$140
Rayong
$144 2.7% $3.8
Sport & Entertainment
Hong Kong
$122
Rayong
$80 34.5% $42
Getting Around
Hong Kong
$105
Rayong
$7.1 * 93.2% $97

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,241 in Hong Kong versus $419 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 597% higher in Hong Kong, 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 $65.0 in Hong Kong versus $18.00 in Rayong. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $411 vs $263 – making Rayong the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇭🇰 Hong Kong
🇹🇭 Rayong
🕒 Local time
06:07 6:07 AM
05:07 5:07 AM
1 h behind Hong Kong
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
1,367,900 Capital
63,565
💱 Currency
Thai Baht THB ฿
Exchange rates and currency converter

THB, USD, EUR to HKD – Hong Kong Dollar Converter

Hong Kong Dollar exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 7.85 HKD (1 HKD = 0.127 USD). 1 EUR = 8.82 HKD (1 HKD = 0.113 EUR).

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 33.42 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.57 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Hong Kong Rayong 1,730 km ≈ 2 h 45 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Hong Kong
  • Rayong

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Hong Kong vs Rayong: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Hong Kong and in Rayong compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $2,984 in Hong Kong, $940 in Rayong – roughly 218% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.
What salary covers living expenses in Hong Kong compared to Rayong?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,476 per month in Hong Kong and $1,410 in Rayong. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Hong Kong and Rayong?
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.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $65.0 in Hong Kong and $18.00 in Rayong. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Groceries cost about 56% more in Hong Kong, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Rayong, where all-in costs run around $940, than in Hong Kong at $2,984. In Rayong it covers expenses comfortably, while in Hong Kong it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
How does quality of life compare between Hong Kong and Rayong?
It depends on your priorities. Hong Kong has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $940 in Rayong to $2,984 in Hong Kong. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Is Hong Kong or Rayong safer for residents?
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.
How do I decide between Hong Kong and Rayong?
If budget matters most, go with Rayong. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Hong Kong makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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