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: $972 in Pattaya versus $876 in Chaiyaphum.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,529 in Pattaya versus $1,444 in Chaiyaphum.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,087 in Pattaya versus $2,012 in Chaiyaphum.

Living in Pattaya is roughly 11% more expensive than Chaiyaphum, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Pattaya 27% lower, Chaiyaphum 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.61 ฿118

$1.26 ฿41.06

186.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.97 ฿1,012

$30.58 ฿999

1.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.38 ฿306

$6.09 ฿199

54.02%

Cappuccino

$2.07 ฿67.7

$1.22 ฿39.73

69.67%

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

$0.85 ฿27.74

$0.51 ฿16.79

66.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿12.11

$0.27 ฿8.77

37.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.44 ฿79.6

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.44 ฿79.6

$4.10 ฿134

-40.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.75 ฿57.2

$1.78 ฿58.1

-1.69%

White Bread (500g)

$1.42 ฿46.41

$1.35 ฿44.17

5.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.28 ฿41.68

$1.46 ฿47.77

-12.33%

Eggs

$2.33 ฿76.0

$1.55 ฿50.5

50.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.41 ฿503

$18.23 ฿595

-15.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.43 ฿112

$2.95 ฿96.3

16.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.20 ฿366

$9.59 ฿313

16.79%

Apples (1kg)

$3.40 ฿111

$3.47 ฿113

-2.02%

Banana (1kg)

$1.32 ฿43.19

$0.65 ฿21.19

103.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.88 ฿61.5

$2.26 ฿74.0

-16.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.47 ฿48.05

$1.84 ฿60.1

-20.11%

Potato (1kg)

$1.46 ฿47.81

$1.65 ฿54.0

-11.52%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.14

$1.43 ฿46.83

-18.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.63 ฿53.1

$0.98 ฿31.92

66.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.33

$0.32 ฿10.58

65.63%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.71 ฿154

$4.28 ฿140

10.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.93 ฿553

$15.25 ฿498

11.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 ฿60.2

$1.78 ฿58.2

3.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 ฿77.3

$3.35 ฿109

-29.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.30 ฿9.79

$0.93 ฿30.53

-67.74%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.57 ฿607

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿44.56

$1.10 ฿35.84

23.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿42.26

$1.20 ฿39.04

7.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.29 ฿108

$6.18 ฿202

-46.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 ฿41.88

$1.13 ฿36.90

13.27%

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

$25.9K ฿844.9K

$37.3K ฿1.2M

-30.59%

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

$26.8K ฿874.4K

$28.2K ฿922.6K

-5.22%

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

$79.8 ฿2,606

$45.30 ฿1,479

76.14%

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

$13.73 ฿448

$11.45 ฿374

19.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.71 ฿611

$12.09 ฿395

54.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.23 ฿1,477

$49.96 ฿1,632

-9.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.88 ฿551

$12.23 ฿400

38.02%

Cinema Ticket

$7.80 ฿255

$7.78 ฿254

0.26%

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

$293 ฿9,559

$593 ฿19.4K

-50.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,198 ฿300.4K

$13.1K ฿429.1K

-29.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$29.59 ฿966

$56.8 ฿1,855

-47.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.41 ฿634

$38.49 ฿1,257

-49.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.1 ฿3,238

$105 ฿3,436

-5.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$43.68 ฿1,427

$92.3 ฿3,014

-52.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$545 ฿17.8K

$420 ฿13.7K

29.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$347 ฿11.3K

$285 ฿9,318

21.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,350 ฿44.1K

$824 ฿26.9K

63.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$697 ฿22.8K

$661 ฿21.6K

5.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,575 ฿84.1K

$1,799 ฿58.8K

43.12%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,513 ฿49.4K

$1,276 ฿41.7K

18.58%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$479 ฿15.6K

$463 ฿15.1K

3.46%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.45

5.84

-6.68%

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

Last update for Pattaya: May 30, 2026

Last update for Chaiyaphum: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $545 in Pattaya and $420 in Chaiyaphum. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Pattaya pays 3% 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: $31.00 in Pattaya vs $31.00 in Chaiyaphum. Groceries flip the comparison at $250 vs $243, with Chaiyaphum cheaper for home cooking.

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 Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 11% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Pattaya pays 3% more on average, 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: $545 in Pattaya versus $420 in Chaiyaphum. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $293 in Pattaya versus $593 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 $31.00 versus $31.00 in Pattaya. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $876 in Chaiyaphum versus $972 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 11% less than in Pattaya. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.