Cost of Living Comparison Between Pattaya and Chaiyaphum Cost of Living Comparison Between Pattaya and Chaiyaphum

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,072 in Pattaya versus $948 in Chaiyaphum.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,673 in Pattaya versus $1,629 in Chaiyaphum.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,274 in Pattaya versus $2,309 in Chaiyaphum.

Living in Pattaya is roughly 13% more expensive than in Chaiyaphum, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Pattaya 22% lower, Chaiyaphum 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.42 ฿113

$1.19 ฿39.27

187.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.27 ฿1,198

$36.78 ฿1,215

-1.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.32 ฿308

$7.53 ฿249

23.77%

Cappuccino

$2.08 ฿68.9

$1.19 ฿39.33

74.79%

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

$0.75 ฿24.94

$0.51 ฿16.91

47.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 ฿10.68

$0.34 ฿11.33

-5.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.37 ฿78.5

$2.73 ฿90.2

-13.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.81 ฿92.9

$4.51 ฿149

-37.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.77 ฿58.6

$1.99 ฿65.7

-11.06%

White Bread (500g)

$1.49 ฿49.36

$1.58 ฿52.2

-5.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.44 ฿47.47

$1.57 ฿51.9

-8.28%

Eggs

$2.15 ฿71.0

$1.55 ฿51.3

38.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.06 ฿531

$17.55 ฿580

-8.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.71 ฿89.6

$3.80 ฿125

-28.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.24 ฿338

$14.31 ฿473

-28.44%

Apples (1kg)

$3.44 ฿114

$4.29 ฿142

-19.81%

Banana (1kg)

$1.31 ฿43.19

$0.59 ฿19.64

122.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.89 ฿62.5

$2.74 ฿90.4

-31.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿67.0

$1.99 ฿65.7

2.01%

Potato (1kg)

$1.22 ฿40.30

$1.79 ฿59.0

-31.84%

Onion (1kg)

$1.10 ฿36.39

$1.64 ฿54.1

-32.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 ฿40.96

$1.25 ฿41.39

-0.80%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.45 ฿14.82

$0.29 ฿9.48

55.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 ฿144

$4.47 ฿148

-2.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.02 ฿596

$15.26 ฿504

18.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.8

$1.76 ฿58.0

1.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 ฿96.4

$3.33 ฿110

-12.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.63 ฿20.75

$0.79 ฿26.24

-20.25%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.12 ฿665

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.40 ฿46.13

$1.05 ฿34.53

33.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.11 ฿36.52

$1.21 ฿39.97

-8.26%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.71 ฿123

$6.02 ฿199

-38.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.48 ฿48.93

$1.05 ฿34.67

40.95%

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

$46.5K ฿1.5M

$32.0K ฿1.1M

45.66%

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

$26.8K ฿887.0K

$28.1K ฿929.0K

-4.52%

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

$94.3 ฿3,117

$44.45 ฿1,469

112.22%

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

$11.94 ฿394

$11.60 ฿383

2.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.74 ฿652

$12.05 ฿398

63.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.42 ฿1,401

$53.4 ฿1,765

-20.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.51 ฿711

$14.49 ฿479

48.45%

Cinema Ticket

$7.60 ฿251

$7.53 ฿249

0.93%

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

$645 ฿21.3K

$552 ฿18.2K

16.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿486.5K

$17.1K ฿565.4K

-13.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.2 ฿1,692

$72.8 ฿2,405

-29.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.60 ฿978

$44.23 ฿1,462

-33.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.0 ฿3,140

$99.4 ฿3,285

-4.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.0 ฿2,578

$118 ฿3,901

-33.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$590 ฿19.5K

$464 ฿15.3K

27.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$388 ฿12.8K

$299 ฿9,889

29.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,490 ฿49.2K

$1,411 ฿46.6K

5.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$780 ฿25.8K

$768 ฿25.4K

1.55%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,616 ฿86.4K

$2,027 ฿67.0K

29.09%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,482 ฿49.0K

$1,547 ฿51.1K

-4.17%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$479 ฿15.8K

$459 ฿15.2K

4.21%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.96

5.38

10.78%

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

Last update for Pattaya: September 7, 2026

Last update for Chaiyaphum: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $590 in Pattaya and $464 in Chaiyaphum. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Pattaya pays 4% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $36.00 in Pattaya vs $37.00 in Chaiyaphum for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $249 vs $272 per month, with Pattaya cheaper across the board.

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 Chaiyaphum: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chaiyaphum is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 13% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 4% higher in Pattaya, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $590 in Pattaya versus $464 in Chaiyaphum. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $645 in Pattaya versus $552 in Chaiyaphum. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Chaiyaphum – a meal for two runs $37.00 versus $36.00 in Pattaya. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $948 in Chaiyaphum versus $1,072 in Pattaya, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Chaiyaphum but tight or insufficient in Pattaya. The gap between the two cities makes Chaiyaphum the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Chaiyaphum is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Pattaya, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Pattaya and Chaiyaphum are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Chaiyaphum gentler on the wallet – expenses run 13% less than in Pattaya. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.