Cost of Living Comparison Between Pattaya and Nakhon Ratchasima Cost of Living Comparison Between Pattaya and Nakhon Ratchasima

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,010 in Pattaya versus $767 in Nakhon Ratchasima.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,584 in Pattaya versus $1,259 in Nakhon Ratchasima.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,159 in Pattaya versus $1,752 in Nakhon Ratchasima.

Living in Pattaya is roughly 32% more expensive than in Nakhon Ratchasima, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Pattaya 24% lower, Nakhon Ratchasima 42% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.76 ฿126

$3.04 ฿102

23.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$31.32 ฿1,048

$26.96 ฿902

16.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.24 ฿309

$6.48 ฿217

42.59%

Cappuccino

$2.18 ฿72.9

$2.07 ฿69.2

5.31%

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

$0.84 ฿28.15

$0.59 ฿19.70

42.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.65

$0.37 ฿12.48

-5.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.52 ฿84.3

$1.87 ฿62.5

34.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.41 ฿80.5

$2.47 ฿82.7

-2.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.75 ฿58.7

$1.65 ฿55.1

6.06%

White Bread (500g)

$1.36 ฿45.63

$1.30 ฿43.47

4.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.31 ฿43.97

$1.26 ฿42.14

3.97%

Eggs

$2.24 ฿75.0

$1.50 ฿50.1

49.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.46 ฿517

$15.41 ฿515

0.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.37 ฿113

$3.26 ฿109

3.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.40 ฿381

$11.26 ฿377

1.24%

Apples (1kg)

$3.42 ฿115

$3.23 ฿108

5.88%

Banana (1kg)

$1.34 ฿44.68

$1.33 ฿44.64

0.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.98 ฿66.2

$1.89 ฿63.4

4.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.45 ฿48.44

$1.39 ฿46.62

4.32%

Potato (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.82

$1.47 ฿49.24

-0.68%

Onion (1kg)

$1.21 ฿40.59

$1.22 ฿40.88

-0.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.63 ฿54.5

$1.36 ฿45.36

19.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.82

$0.38 ฿12.79

47.37%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.71 ฿157

$3.00 ฿100

57.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.67 ฿591

$18.09 ฿605

-2.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿59.4

$1.75 ฿58.7

1.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 ฿79.6

$2.28 ฿76.3

4.39%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.32 ฿10.82

$0.47 ฿15.83

-31.91%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.52 ฿620

$20.14 ฿674

-8.04%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.37 ฿45.77

$1.10 ฿36.69

24.55%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿43.23

$1.29 ฿43.03

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.35 ฿112

$7.48 ฿250

-55.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 ฿43.24

$1.20 ฿40.17

7.50%

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

$26.2K ฿876.2K

$82.4K ฿2.8M

-68.22%

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

$27.5K ฿918.2K

$26.9K ฿899.6K

2.07%

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

$77.3 ฿2,586

$78.9 ฿2,638

-1.99%

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

$13.73 ฿459

$13.63 ฿456

0.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.13 ฿606

$18.64 ฿623

-2.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.84 ฿1,500

$49.16 ฿1,644

-8.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 ฿573

$15.66 ฿524

9.32%

Cinema Ticket

$7.48 ฿250

$4.85 ฿162

54.23%

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

$287 ฿9,597

$188 ฿6,295

52.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,182 ฿307.2K

$9,283 ฿310.5K

-1.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$29.58 ฿990

$29.46 ฿985

0.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$20.05 ฿671

$19.96 ฿668

0.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 ฿3,415

$78.8 ฿2,635

29.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$44.21 ฿1,479

$43.30 ฿1,448

2.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$546 ฿18.2K

$217 ฿7,246

151.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$343 ฿11.5K

$161 ฿5,401

112.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,332 ฿44.6K

$507 ฿17.0K

162.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$690 ฿23.1K

$438 ฿14.6K

57.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,513 ฿84.1K

$3,294 ฿110.2K

-23.70%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,453 ฿48.6K

$1,693 ฿56.6K

-14.15%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$460 ฿15.4K

$605 ฿20.2K

-23.91%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.45

5.1

6.86%

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

Last update for Pattaya: July 28, 2026

Last update for Nakhon Ratchasima: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $546 in Pattaya and $217 in Nakhon Ratchasima. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Nakhon Ratchasima pays 31% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $31.00 in Pattaya vs $27.00 in Nakhon Ratchasima for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $252 vs $242 per month, with Nakhon Ratchasima 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 Nakhon Ratchasima: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Pattaya and Nakhon Ratchasima differ by about 32% in total monthly costs ($1,010 vs $767 including rent). Nakhon Ratchasima is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 31% lower in Nakhon Ratchasima. 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: $546 in Pattaya versus $217 in Nakhon Ratchasima. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 4% higher in Pattaya. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Nakhon Ratchasima – a meal for two runs $27.00 versus $31.00 in Pattaya. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $767 in Nakhon Ratchasima versus $1,010 in Pattaya, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Nakhon Ratchasima but tight or insufficient in Pattaya. The gap between the two cities makes Nakhon Ratchasima 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 Nakhon Ratchasima 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 Nakhon Ratchasima gentler on the wallet – expenses run 32% less than in Pattaya. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.