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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $988 per month in Pattaya vs $894 in Buriram, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,558 per month in Pattaya vs $1,482 in Buriram, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,129 per month in Pattaya vs $2,071 in Buriram, rent included.

Pattaya costs about 11% more than Buriram, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Pattaya and Buriram are more affordable than the global median – Pattaya 26% lower, Buriram 33% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.74 ฿122

$3.04 ฿99.3

23.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.45 ฿996

$27.08 ฿886

12.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.39 ฿307

$8.13 ฿266

15.50%

Cappuccino

$2.08 ฿68.1

$1.24 ฿40.58

67.74%

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

$0.81 ฿26.56

$0.45 ฿14.65

80.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿12.12

$0.25 ฿8.11

48.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.39 ฿78.2

$1.81 ฿59.2

32.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 ฿82.6

$4.22 ฿138

-40.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 ฿56.9

$1.76 ฿57.4

-1.14%

White Bread (500g)

$1.36 ฿44.41

$1.36 ฿44.33

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.27 ฿41.42

$1.27 ฿41.37

Eggs

$2.35 ฿76.9

$2.19 ฿71.6

7.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.41 ฿504

$18.49 ฿605

-16.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.27 ฿107

$3.08 ฿101

6.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.07 ฿362

$11.01 ฿360

0.54%

Apples (1kg)

$3.36 ฿110

$3.14 ฿103

7.01%

Banana (1kg)

$1.28 ฿41.96

$1.22 ฿39.78

4.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.94 ฿63.5

$1.97 ฿64.5

-1.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.47 ฿48.07

$1.58 ฿51.6

-6.96%

Potato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿49.84

$1.46 ฿47.70

4.11%

Onion (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.52

$1.19 ฿39.06

1.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.65 ฿53.8

$0.98 ฿31.90

68.37%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.36

$0.51 ฿16.78

3.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.61 ฿151

$4.72 ฿154

-2.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.44 ฿603

$18.90 ฿618

-2.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

$1.72 ฿56.3

3.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 ฿74.7

$2.66 ฿86.9

-14.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.32 ฿10.62

$0.95 ฿31.04

-66.32%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.81 ฿615

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 ฿46.56

$1.10 ฿35.99

29.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.31 ฿42.82

$1.19 ฿38.81

10.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.36 ฿110

$6.03 ฿197

-44.28%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.33 ฿43.49

$1.24 ฿40.39

7.26%

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

$25.9K ฿845.5K

$27.8K ฿908.4K

-6.92%

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

$27.2K ฿889.4K

$27.6K ฿902.9K

-1.49%

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

$78.1 ฿2,554

$75.7 ฿2,474

3.24%

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

$13.91 ฿455

$13.95 ฿456

-0.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.20 ฿595

$18.46 ฿604

-1.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.87 ฿1,435

$48.51 ฿1,586

-9.57%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.13 ฿560

$12.39 ฿405

38.26%

Cinema Ticket

$7.48 ฿245

$6.97 ฿228

7.32%

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

$294 ฿9,616

$295 ฿9,645

-0.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,071 ฿296.6K

$9,845 ฿321.9K

-7.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$30.33 ฿992

$33.23 ฿1,086

-8.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.90 ฿651

$34.49 ฿1,128

-42.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.8 ฿3,263

$99.4 ฿3,249

0.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$43.74 ฿1,430

$70.3 ฿2,298

-37.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$553 ฿18.1K

$420 ฿13.7K

31.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$347 ฿11.3K

$282 ฿9,211

23.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,321 ฿43.2K

$817 ฿26.7K

61.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$674 ฿22.0K

$662 ฿21.6K

1.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,998 ฿98.0K

$2,233 ฿73.0K

34.26%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,658 ฿54.2K

$1,649 ฿53.9K

0.53%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$479 ฿15.7K

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Buriram: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $553 in Pattaya versus $420 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. Groceries tell a different story – $251 in Pattaya vs $256 in Buriram – 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

Pattaya vs Buriram: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Pattaya is pricier by about 11%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,482 per month in Pattaya and $1,340 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 $988 in Pattaya and $894 in Buriram. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $294 per month in Pattaya and $295 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 $894, than in Pattaya at $988. 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.