Cost of Living Comparison Between Pattaya and Buriram Cost of Living Comparison Between Pattaya and Buriram

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $977 per month in Pattaya vs $916 in Buriram, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,550 per month in Pattaya vs $1,493 in Buriram, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,122 per month in Pattaya vs $2,070 in Buriram, rent included.

Pattaya costs about 7% more than Buriram, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Pattaya and Buriram are more affordable than the global median – Pattaya 27% lower, Buriram 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.68 ฿120

$3.05 ฿99.1

20.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.34 ฿986

$27.10 ฿881

11.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.05 ฿294

$8.19 ฿266

10.50%

Cappuccino

$2.16 ฿70.3

$1.27 ฿41.13

70.08%

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

$0.80 ฿26.15

$0.44 ฿14.35

81.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.37

$0.25 ฿8.12

40.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.49 ฿81.0

$1.81 ฿58.8

37.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.51 ฿81.7

$4.43 ฿144

-43.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.69 ฿55.0

$1.68 ฿54.5

0.60%

White Bread (500g)

$1.40 ฿45.39

$1.41 ฿45.83

-0.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.26 ฿40.84

$1.27 ฿41.33

-0.79%

Eggs

$2.24 ฿72.9

$2.20 ฿71.4

1.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.59 ฿507

$18.39 ฿598

-15.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.30 ฿107

$3.07 ฿99.9

7.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.10 ฿361

$10.65 ฿346

4.23%

Apples (1kg)

$3.29 ฿107

$3.12 ฿101

5.45%

Banana (1kg)

$1.29 ฿41.95

$1.20 ฿38.89

7.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.94 ฿63.1

$1.97 ฿64.2

-1.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.39 ฿45.21

$1.59 ฿51.8

-12.58%

Potato (1kg)

$1.54 ฿50.1

$1.53 ฿49.86

0.65%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.15

$1.26 ฿41.04

-7.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.63 ฿53.0

$1.02 ฿33.11

59.80%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 ฿18.45

$0.51 ฿16.68

11.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.67 ฿152

$4.73 ฿154

-1.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.12 ฿556

$13.23 ฿430

29.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.6

$1.80 ฿58.7

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.36 ฿76.6

$2.65 ฿86.1

-10.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 ฿9.58

$0.95 ฿30.93

-69.47%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.76 ฿610

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.37 ฿44.62

$1.05 ฿34.26

30.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 ฿44.03

$1.18 ฿38.41

14.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.33 ฿108

$6.04 ฿196

-44.87%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.33 ฿43.33

$1.22 ฿39.69

9.02%

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

$26.2K ฿850.1K

$27.7K ฿899.4K

-5.48%

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

$27.0K ฿876.0K

$27.7K ฿899.0K

-2.56%

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

$79.6 ฿2,586

$76.6 ฿2,491

3.84%

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

$13.73 ฿446

$13.66 ฿444

0.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.27 ฿594

$18.59 ฿604

-1.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.66 ฿1,419

$49.15 ฿1,597

-11.17%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.86 ฿548

$11.99 ฿390

40.62%

Cinema Ticket

$7.72 ฿251

$7.12 ฿231

8.43%

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

$298 ฿9,669

$296 ฿9,618

0.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,372 ฿304.6K

$9,560 ฿310.7K

-1.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$29.61 ฿962

$33.19 ฿1,079

-10.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.62 ฿638

$35.25 ฿1,146

-44.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.6 ฿3,206

$97.9 ฿3,181

0.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$44.52 ฿1,447

$71.2 ฿2,315

-37.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$549 ฿17.8K

$416 ฿13.5K

31.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$351 ฿11.4K

$287 ฿9,326

22.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,361 ฿44.2K

$810 ฿26.3K

68.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$674 ฿21.9K

$651 ฿21.2K

3.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,568 ฿83.5K

$2,093 ฿68.0K

22.73%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,504 ฿48.9K

$1,388 ฿45.1K

8.39%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$486 ฿15.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.45

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

Last update for Pattaya: June 14, 2026

Last update for Buriram: June 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $549 in Pattaya versus $416 in Buriram. 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 $30.00 in Pattaya versus $27.00 in Buriram. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $244 – making Buriram 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

Pattaya vs Buriram: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Pattaya is pricier by about 7%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,466 per month in Pattaya and $1,374 in Buriram. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Buriram, 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 $977 in Pattaya and $916 in Buriram. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $298 per month in Pattaya and $296 in Buriram. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Buriram, where all-in costs run around $916, than in Pattaya at $977. In Buriram it covers expenses comfortably, while in Pattaya it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Buriram – 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 Buriram. 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.