Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Pattaya and Khon Kaen

For one person, living is cheaper in Khon Kaen: $608 a month against $1,055 in Pattaya, rent and utilities included – about $5,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Pattaya
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Pattaya Living Index

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Pattaya

🇹🇭 Thailand

$1,055

/mo nomad

Khon Kaen

🇹🇭 Thailand

$608

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Pattaya and in Khon Kaen

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Pattaya and in Khon Kaen actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,055 per month in Pattaya vs $608 in Khon Kaen, rent included.

Pattaya $1,055
Khon Kaen $608

A couple spends around $1,734 per month in Pattaya vs $1,024 in Khon Kaen, rent included.

Pattaya $1,734
Khon Kaen $1,024

A family of three spends $2,414 per month in Pattaya vs $1,440 in Khon Kaen, rent included.

Pattaya $2,414
Khon Kaen $1,440

Pattaya costs about 73% more than Khon Kaen, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Pattaya and Khon Kaen are more affordable than the global median – Pattaya 22% lower, Khon Kaen 55% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.04 ฿102

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.70 ฿1,102

$29.92 ฿1,008

9.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.67 ฿292

$5.93 ฿200

46.21%

Cappuccino

$1.96 ฿66.2

$1.46 ฿49.29

34.25%

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

$0.66 ฿22.33

$0.59 ฿19.79

11.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 ฿9.63

$0.29 ฿9.80

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.38 ฿80.3

$1.72 ฿57.9

38.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.65 ฿89.3

$6.73 ฿227

-60.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 ฿57.3

White Bread (500g)

$1.46 ฿49.22

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.41 ฿47.49

$0.86 ฿29.10

63.95%

Eggs

$2.17 ฿73.3

$2.47 ฿83.3

-12.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.25 ฿514

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.55 ฿86.1

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.97 ฿336

Apples (1kg)

$3.38 ฿114

Banana (1kg)

$1.24 ฿41.81

$0.87 ฿29.29

42.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.86 ฿62.7

$1.50 ฿50.6

24.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.87 ฿63.1

Potato (1kg)

$1.18 ฿39.85

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 ฿35.86

$1.50 ฿50.6

-29.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.22 ฿41.23

$0.62 ฿20.81

96.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.04

$0.52 ฿17.67

-7.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.33 ฿146

Wine (Bottle)

$17.95 ฿605

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 ฿57.1

$1.65 ฿55.5

3.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 ฿101

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.53 ฿17.88

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.62 ฿661

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.30 ฿43.81

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.07 ฿36.19

$1.20 ฿40.51

-10.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.60 ฿121

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 ฿49.66

$1.32 ฿44.60

11.36%

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

$45.4K ฿1.5M

$44.6K ฿1.5M

1.89%

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

$26.8K ฿903.7K

$26.5K ฿894.4K

1.04%

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

$93.5 ฿3,152

$94.7 ฿3,190

-1.20%

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

$11.55 ฿389

$17.99 ฿606

-35.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.11 ฿644

$29.73 ฿1,002

-35.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.49 ฿1,432

$59.5 ฿2,005

-28.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.52 ฿692

Cinema Ticket

$7.49 ฿252

$5.85 ฿197

28.03%

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

$623 ฿21.0K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.2K ฿477.6K

$8,970 ฿302.3K

58.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.1 ฿1,720

$30.04 ฿1,012

69.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.47 ฿993

$34.83 ฿1,174

-15.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.5 ฿3,118

$73.8 ฿2,486

25.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.1 ฿2,563

$90.5 ฿3,051

-15.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$618 ฿20.8K

$280 ฿9,431

120.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$396 ฿13.3K

$156 ฿5,256

153.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,655 ฿55.8K

$730 ฿24.6K

126.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$948 ฿32.0K

$480 ฿16.2K

97.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,807 ฿94.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,808 ฿60.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$456 ฿15.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.96

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

Last update for Pattaya: October 25, 2026

Last update for Khon Kaen: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Pattaya

$396 37.5%

Khon Kaen

–

Groceries & Markets

Pattaya

$242 23%

Khon Kaen

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Pattaya

$124 11.8%

Khon Kaen

–

Clothing & Footwear

Pattaya

$112 10.6%

Khon Kaen

–

Eating Out

Pattaya

$95 9%

Khon Kaen

–

Sport & Entertainment

Pattaya

$57 5.5%

Khon Kaen

–

Getting Around

Pattaya

$28 2.7%

Khon Kaen

–

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $618 in Pattaya versus $280 in Khon Kaen. 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 $33 in Pattaya versus $30 in Khon Kaen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $242 vs $45 – making Khon Kaen the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Pattaya

🇹🇭 Khon Kaen

🕒 Local time

09:51 9:51 AM

Same time as Pattaya

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

119,532

114,459

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.97 USD

100 THB = 2.67 EUR

100 THB = 2.97 USD

100 THB = 2.67 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Pattaya Khon Kaen 440 km

From you

Pattaya
Khon Kaen

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Khon Kaen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Pattaya is pricier by about 73%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,583 per month in Pattaya and $913 in Khon Kaen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Khon Kaen, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $280 there versus $618 in Pattaya.

Groceries cost about 444% more in Pattaya, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33 in Pattaya and $30 in Khon Kaen. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Khon Kaen, where all-in costs run around $608, than in Pattaya at $1,055. In Khon Kaen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Pattaya it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Pattaya has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $608 in Khon Kaen to $1,055 in Pattaya. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.