Cost of Living Comparison Between Nakhon Si Thammarat and Pattaya Cost of Living Comparison Between Nakhon Si Thammarat and Pattaya

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,013 per month in Nakhon Si Thammarat vs $1,075 in Pattaya, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,694 per month in Nakhon Si Thammarat vs $1,684 in Pattaya, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,374 per month in Nakhon Si Thammarat vs $2,293 in Pattaya, rent included.

Nakhon Si Thammarat is about 6% cheaper than Pattaya, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Nakhon Si Thammarat and Pattaya are more affordable than the global median – Nakhon Si Thammarat 26% lower, Pattaya 21% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.07 ฿103

$3.33 ฿111

-7.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.24 ฿1,110

$36.36 ฿1,214

-8.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.63 ฿288

$8.99 ฿300

-4.00%

Cappuccino

$2.83 ฿94.6

$2.16 ฿72.1

31.02%

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

$0.87 ฿29.07

$0.69 ฿23.00

26.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.31

$0.32 ฿10.70

53.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.37 ฿79.2

$2.39 ฿79.8

-0.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.90 ฿130

$2.68 ฿89.4

45.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.82 ฿60.6

$1.79 ฿59.8

1.68%

White Bread (500g)

$1.43 ฿47.59

$1.50 ฿50.1

-4.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.6

$1.43 ฿47.61

8.39%

Eggs

$2.24 ฿74.9

$2.20 ฿73.5

1.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$20.05 ฿669

$15.48 ฿517

29.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.46 ฿115

$2.71 ฿90.5

27.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.45 ฿382

$10.43 ฿348

9.78%

Apples (1kg)

$3.03 ฿101

$3.58 ฿120

-15.36%

Banana (1kg)

$1.65 ฿55.0

$1.23 ฿41.18

34.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.24 ฿74.7

$1.89 ฿62.9

18.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.21 ฿73.6

$1.97 ฿65.6

12.18%

Potato (1kg)

$1.54 ฿51.3

$1.21 ฿40.55

27.27%

Onion (1kg)

$1.36 ฿45.23

$1.08 ฿36.18

25.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.15 ฿38.36

$1.28 ฿42.60

-10.16%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 ฿19.53

$0.49 ฿16.29

20.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.34 ฿145

$4.33 ฿145

0.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.90 ฿631

$18.16 ฿606

4.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.87 ฿62.3

$1.71 ฿57.2

9.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.93 ฿97.8

$3.03 ฿101

-3.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.94 ฿31.36

$0.61 ฿20.48

54.10%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.58 ฿654

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.00 ฿100

$1.32 ฿43.90

127.27%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.03 ฿34.40

$1.12 ฿37.41

-8.04%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.99 ฿133

$3.50 ฿117

14.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 ฿47.82

$1.52 ฿50.7

-5.92%

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

$27.4K ฿916.0K

$46.4K ฿1.5M

-40.89%

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

$27.1K ฿903.4K

$26.8K ฿893.4K

1.12%

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

$102 ฿3,388

$93.4 ฿3,118

8.65%

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

$11.25 ฿375

$11.78 ฿393

-4.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.74 ฿592

$19.22 ฿642

-7.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.78 ฿1,595

$41.81 ฿1,396

14.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.03 ฿468

$21.36 ฿713

-34.32%

Cinema Ticket

$7.95 ฿265

$7.72 ฿258

2.98%

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

$560 ฿18.7K

$630 ฿21.0K

-10.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.8K ฿393.5K

$14.6K ฿488.4K

-19.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.2 ฿2,111

$51.6 ฿1,724

22.44%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.87 ฿964

$29.28 ฿977

-1.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.8 ฿3,296

$93.7 ฿3,129

5.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.2 ฿3,044

$77.8 ฿2,597

17.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$455 ฿15.2K

$580 ฿19.4K

-21.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$306 ฿10.2K

$382 ฿12.8K

-19.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,414 ฿47.2K

$1,510 ฿50.4K

-6.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$762 ฿25.4K

0.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,991 ฿66.4K

$2,518 ฿84.1K

-20.95%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,634 ฿54.5K

$1,455 ฿48.6K

12.29%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$473 ฿15.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

5.96

-6.54%

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

Last update for Nakhon Si Thammarat: September 14, 2026

Last update for Pattaya: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $455 in Nakhon Si Thammarat versus $580 in Pattaya. 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 $33.00 in Nakhon Si Thammarat versus $36.00 in Pattaya. Groceries tell a different story – $276 in Nakhon Si Thammarat vs $249 in Pattaya – so Pattaya 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

Nakhon Si Thammarat vs Pattaya: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,013 in Nakhon Si Thammarat, $1,075 in Pattaya – roughly 6% apart. Pattaya costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,520 per month in Nakhon Si Thammarat and $1,612 in Pattaya. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,013 in Nakhon Si Thammarat and $1,075 in Pattaya. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $560 per month in Nakhon Si Thammarat and $630 in Pattaya. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Nakhon Si Thammarat, where all-in costs run around $1,013, than in Pattaya at $1,075. In Nakhon Si Thammarat it covers expenses comfortably, while in Pattaya it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Pattaya has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,013 in Nakhon Si Thammarat to $1,075 in Pattaya. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Nakhon Si Thammarat. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Pattaya makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.