Cost of Living Comparison Between Nakhon Si Thammarat and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Nakhon Si Thammarat and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,061 per month in Nakhon Si Thammarat vs $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,721 per month in Nakhon Si Thammarat vs $2,181 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,380 per month in Nakhon Si Thammarat vs $3,065 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Nakhon Si Thammarat is about 18% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Nakhon Si Thammarat and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Nakhon Si Thammarat 21% lower, Playa del Carmen 3% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.13 ฿102

$11.73 MX$203

-73.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.45 ฿1,517

$41.62 MX$720

11.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.71 ฿284

$10.64 MX$184

-18.14%

Cappuccino

$2.94 ฿96.1

$3.52 MX$60.9

-16.48%

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

$0.70 ฿22.75

$1.51 MX$26.12

-53.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 ฿12.99

$0.97 MX$16.84

-58.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.48 ฿80.8

$2.95 MX$51.0

-15.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.78 ฿123

$4.45 MX$77.0

-15.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.18 ฿71.3

$1.38 MX$23.93

57.97%

White Bread (500g)

$1.81 ฿59.2

$1.89 MX$32.72

-4.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.23 ฿72.9

$1.64 MX$28.32

35.98%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿73.8

$2.51 MX$43.34

-9.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.79 ฿646

$8.34 MX$144

137.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.69 ฿120

$8.34 MX$144

-55.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.27 ฿433

$10.73 MX$186

23.67%

Apples (1kg)

$3.36 ฿110

$2.60 MX$45.04

29.23%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ฿52.6

$1.46 MX$25.20

10.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.32 ฿75.6

$1.90 MX$32.87

22.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿66.3

$2.08 MX$35.91

-2.40%

Potato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$1.78 MX$30.71

-10.67%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿49.06

$2.19 MX$37.80

-31.51%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 ฿33.42

$1.04 MX$17.99

-1.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿15.69

$1.08 MX$18.62

-55.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.34 ฿142

$4.08 MX$70.6

6.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.25 ฿629

$10.32 MX$178

86.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 ฿58.5

$1.71 MX$29.61

4.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿90.8

$2.58 MX$44.54

7.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ฿29.21

$0.51 MX$8.81

74.51%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$458

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.10 ฿35.85

$3.26 MX$56.4

-66.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 ฿32.32

$2.49 MX$43.09

-60.24%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.05 ฿459

$3.25 MX$56.2

332.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 ฿44.70

$1.31 MX$22.61

4.58%

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

$28.0K ฿914.6K

$30.3K MX$523.7K

-7.52%

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$23.4K MX$405.3K

40.47%

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

$122 ฿3,969

$82.9 MX$1,433

46.64%

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

$13.86 ฿453

$22.22 MX$384

-37.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.63 ฿608

$29.34 MX$507

-36.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.44 ฿1,582

$51.6 MX$893

-6.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.15 ฿397

$18.32 MX$317

-33.68%

Cinema Ticket

$9.06 ฿296

$5.07 MX$87.6

78.70%

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

$702 ฿22.9K

$201 MX$3,473

249.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.9K ฿520.4K

$5,212 MX$90.1K

205.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 ฿1,893

$36.92 MX$639

56.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.56 ฿1,129

$39.79 MX$688

-13.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$114 ฿3,727

$78.5 MX$1,357

45.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.5 ฿2,759

$87.1 MX$1,506

-3.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$425 ฿13.9K

$973 MX$16.8K

-56.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$285 ฿9,315

$468 MX$8,090

-39.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$809 ฿26.4K

$1,641 MX$28.4K

-50.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$669 ฿21.8K

$1,221 MX$21.1K

-45.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,752 ฿57.2K

$3,946 MX$68.3K

-55.60%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 ฿47.1K

$6,498 MX$112.4K

-77.82%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

11.42

-53.33%

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

Last update for Nakhon Si Thammarat: June 1, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $425 in Nakhon Si Thammarat versus $973 in Playa del Carmen. 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 $46.00 in Nakhon Si Thammarat versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $292 vs $249 – making Playa del Carmen 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 Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,061 in Nakhon Si Thammarat, $1,297 in Playa del Carmen – roughly 22% apart. Playa del Carmen costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,592 per month in Nakhon Si Thammarat and $1,945 in Playa del Carmen. 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 $1,061 in Nakhon Si Thammarat and $1,297 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $702 per month in Nakhon Si Thammarat and $201 in Playa del Carmen. 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 $1,061, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. In Nakhon Si Thammarat it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Playa del Carmen has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,061 in Nakhon Si Thammarat to $1,297 in Playa del Carmen. 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, Playa del Carmen makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.