Cost of Living Comparison Between Pattaya and Krabi Cost of Living Comparison Between Pattaya and Krabi

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,072 in Pattaya versus $1,042 in Krabi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,673 in Pattaya versus $1,438 in Krabi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,274 in Pattaya versus $1,834 in Krabi.

Living in Pattaya is roughly 3% more expensive than in Krabi, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Pattaya 22% lower, Krabi 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.42 ฿113

$3.09 ฿102

10.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.27 ฿1,198

$19.41 ฿641

86.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.32 ฿308

$8.87 ฿293

5.07%

Cappuccino

$2.08 ฿68.9

$1.79 ฿59.2

16.20%

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

$0.75 ฿24.94

$1.09 ฿36.18

-31.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 ฿10.68

$0.45 ฿14.76

-28.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.37 ฿78.5

$1.92 ฿63.4

23.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.81 ฿92.9

$2.49 ฿82.3

12.85%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.77 ฿58.6

$2.29 ฿75.6

-22.71%

White Bread (500g)

$1.49 ฿49.36

$1.49 ฿49.16

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.44 ฿47.47

$2.20 ฿72.8

-34.55%

Eggs

$2.15 ฿71.0

$1.84 ฿60.8

16.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.06 ฿531

$16.02 ฿529

0.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.71 ฿89.6

$2.81 ฿92.7

-3.56%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.24 ฿338

$7.69 ฿254

33.16%

Apples (1kg)

$3.44 ฿114

$2.47 ฿81.6

39.27%

Banana (1kg)

$1.31 ฿43.19

$1.07 ฿35.52

22.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.89 ฿62.5

$2.14 ฿70.8

-11.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿67.0

$1.56 ฿51.5

30.13%

Potato (1kg)

$1.22 ฿40.30

$1.42 ฿46.96

-14.08%

Onion (1kg)

$1.10 ฿36.39

$1.31 ฿43.40

-16.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 ฿40.96

$1.57 ฿51.8

-21.02%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.45 ฿14.82

$0.49 ฿16.14

-8.16%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 ฿144

$4.46 ฿147

-2.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.02 ฿596

$10.96 ฿362

64.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.8

$1.82 ฿60.2

-2.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 ฿96.4

$2.41 ฿79.5

21.16%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.63 ฿20.75

$0.95 ฿31.54

-33.68%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.12 ฿665

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.40 ฿46.13

$2.47 ฿81.5

-43.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.11 ฿36.52

$1.77 ฿58.4

-37.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.71 ฿123

$6.06 ฿200

-38.78%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.48 ฿48.93

$1.28 ฿42.24

15.62%

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

$46.5K ฿1.5M

$22.1K ฿730.9K

110.39%

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

$26.8K ฿887.0K

$24.7K ฿817.1K

8.56%

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

$94.3 ฿3,117

$72.0 ฿2,378

31.05%

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

$11.94 ฿394

$11.45 ฿378

4.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.74 ฿652

$24.90 ฿823

-20.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.42 ฿1,401

$64.1 ฿2,117

-33.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.51 ฿711

$9.09 ฿300

136.63%

Cinema Ticket

$7.60 ฿251

$7.46 ฿246

1.88%

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

$645 ฿21.3K

$213 ฿7,049

202.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿486.5K

$8,492 ฿280.6K

73.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.2 ฿1,692

$14.92 ฿493

243.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.60 ฿978

$15.40 ฿509

92.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.0 ฿3,140

$75.5 ฿2,496

25.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.0 ฿2,578

$75.7 ฿2,500

3.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$590 ฿19.5K

$355 ฿11.7K

66.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$388 ฿12.8K

$420 ฿13.9K

-7.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,490 ฿49.2K

$718 ฿23.7K

107.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$780 ฿25.8K

$542 ฿17.9K

43.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,616 ฿86.4K

$1,229 ฿40.6K

112.83%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,482 ฿49.0K

$1,076 ฿35.6K

37.68%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$479 ฿15.8K

$708 ฿23.4K

-32.35%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.96

7.4

-19.46%

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

Last update for Pattaya: September 7, 2026

Last update for Krabi: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $590 in Pattaya and $355 in Krabi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Krabi pays 48% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $36.00 in Pattaya vs $19.00 in Krabi for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $249 vs $229 per month, with Krabi 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 Krabi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Pattaya and Krabi differ by about 3% in total monthly costs ($1,072 vs $1,042 including rent). Krabi is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 48% lower in Krabi. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $590 in Pattaya versus $355 in Krabi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 9% higher in Pattaya. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,072 per month in Pattaya versus $1,042 in Krabi – a 3% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,042 in Krabi versus $1,072 in Pattaya, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Krabi but tight or insufficient in Pattaya. The gap between the two cities makes Krabi the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Pattaya and Krabi 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 Krabi gentler on the wallet – expenses run 3% less than in Pattaya. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.