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 $1,031 per month in Nakhon Si Thammarat vs $988 in Pattaya, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,727 per month in Nakhon Si Thammarat vs $1,558 in Pattaya, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,423 per month in Nakhon Si Thammarat vs $2,129 in Pattaya, rent included.

Nakhon Si Thammarat costs about 4% more than Pattaya, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Nakhon Si Thammarat and Pattaya are more affordable than the global median – Nakhon Si Thammarat 23% lower, Pattaya 26% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.05 ฿99.2

$3.74 ฿122

-18.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.91 ฿1,525

$30.45 ฿990

54.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.55 ฿278

$9.39 ฿305

-8.95%

Cappuccino

$3.07 ฿99.9

$2.08 ฿67.7

47.60%

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

$0.69 ฿22.48

$0.81 ฿26.41

-14.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.74

$0.37 ฿12.05

-2.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.39 ฿77.9

$2.39 ฿77.8

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 ฿123

$2.53 ฿82.2

49.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.15 ฿69.9

$1.74 ฿56.6

23.56%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 ฿61.3

$1.36 ฿44.16

38.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 ฿70.6

$1.27 ฿41.18

70.87%

Eggs

$2.29 ฿74.5

$2.35 ฿76.4

-2.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.66 ฿639

$15.41 ฿501

27.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.77 ฿123

$3.27 ฿106

15.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.29 ฿432

$11.07 ฿360

20.05%

Apples (1kg)

$3.24 ฿105

$3.36 ฿109

-3.57%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ฿52.5

$1.28 ฿41.71

25.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.33 ฿75.6

$1.94 ฿63.2

20.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 ฿67.9

$1.47 ฿47.79

42.18%

Potato (1kg)

$1.61 ฿52.4

$1.52 ฿49.55

5.92%

Onion (1kg)

$1.43 ฿46.46

$1.21 ฿39.29

18.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 ฿32.86

$1.65 ฿53.5

-38.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿15.61

$0.53 ฿17.26

-9.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.50 ฿146

$4.61 ฿150

-2.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.10 ฿621

$18.44 ฿599

3.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 ฿57.4

$1.78 ฿57.7

-1.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 ฿87.2

$2.28 ฿74.2

17.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.93 ฿30.28

$0.32 ฿10.56

190.63%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.81 ฿612

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.11 ฿35.94

$1.42 ฿46.29

-21.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.01 ฿32.77

$1.31 ฿42.57

-22.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.01 ฿456

$3.36 ฿109

316.96%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 ฿43.94

$1.33 ฿43.24

1.50%

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

$27.9K ฿907.3K

$25.9K ฿840.6K

7.94%

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

$34.0K ฿1.1M

$27.2K ฿884.3K

24.83%

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

$125 ฿4,067

$78.1 ฿2,540

60.17%

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

$13.73 ฿446

$13.91 ฿452

-1.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.58 ฿604

$18.20 ฿592

2.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.08 ฿1,596

$43.87 ฿1,426

11.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.27 ฿399

$17.13 ฿557

-28.37%

Cinema Ticket

$9.02 ฿293

$7.48 ฿243

20.59%

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

$699 ฿22.7K

$294 ฿9,560

137.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.9K ฿516.2K

$9,071 ฿294.9K

75.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.6 ฿1,904

$30.33 ฿986

93.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.68 ฿1,127

$19.90 ฿647

74.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,726

$99.8 ฿3,244

14.87%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.4 ฿2,712

$43.74 ฿1,422

90.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$420 ฿13.7K

$553 ฿18.0K

-24.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$284 ฿9,217

$347 ฿11.3K

-18.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$821 ฿26.7K

$1,321 ฿43.0K

-37.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$648 ฿21.1K

$674 ฿21.9K

-3.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,185 ฿71.0K

$2,998 ฿97.5K

-27.10%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,490 ฿48.4K

$1,658 ฿53.9K

-10.11%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$479 ฿15.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

5.45

-2.20%

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

Last update for Nakhon Si Thammarat: April 26, 2026

Last update for Pattaya: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $420 in Nakhon Si Thammarat versus $553 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 $47.00 in Nakhon Si Thammarat versus $30.00 in Pattaya. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $291 vs $251 – making Pattaya the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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: $1,031 in Nakhon Si Thammarat, $988 in Pattaya – roughly 4% apart. Nakhon Si Thammarat costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,546 per month in Nakhon Si Thammarat and $1,482 in Pattaya. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Pattaya, 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 $1,031 in Nakhon Si Thammarat and $988 in Pattaya. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $699 per month in Nakhon Si Thammarat and $294 in Pattaya. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Pattaya, where all-in costs run around $988, than in Nakhon Si Thammarat at $1,031. In Pattaya it covers expenses comfortably, while in Nakhon Si Thammarat 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 $988 in Pattaya to $1,031 in Nakhon Si Thammarat. 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 Pattaya. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Nakhon Si Thammarat makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.