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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $992 per month in Pattaya vs $945 in Nakhon Sawan, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,573 per month in Pattaya vs $1,547 in Nakhon Sawan, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,154 per month in Pattaya vs $2,149 in Nakhon Sawan, rent included.

Pattaya costs about 5% more than Nakhon Sawan, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Pattaya and Nakhon Sawan are more affordable than the global median – Pattaya 26% lower, Nakhon Sawan 29% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.69 ฿124

$3.03 ฿102

21.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.53 ฿1,027

$30.45 ฿1,024

0.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.11 ฿306

$6.19 ฿208

47.17%

Cappuccino

$2.17 ฿73.1

$1.53 ฿51.4

41.83%

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

$0.85 ฿28.56

$0.36 ฿11.98

136.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.34 ฿11.59

$0.27 ฿9.02

25.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.48 ฿83.4

$2.51 ฿84.3

-1.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.39 ฿80.5

$3.88 ฿131

-38.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿57.5

$1.81 ฿61.0

-5.52%

White Bread (500g)

$1.34 ฿45.12

$1.40 ฿47.00

-4.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.27 ฿42.75

$1.43 ฿47.94

-11.19%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿76.0

$1.75 ฿58.9

29.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.90 ฿535

$18.63 ฿626

-14.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.36 ฿113

$3.02 ฿101

11.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.24 ฿378

$9.48 ฿319

18.57%

Apples (1kg)

$3.26 ฿110

$3.46 ฿116

-5.78%

Banana (1kg)

$1.29 ฿43.43

$0.74 ฿24.82

74.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.98 ฿66.5

$2.29 ฿76.9

-13.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.46 ฿49.13

$1.93 ฿64.9

-24.35%

Potato (1kg)

$1.49 ฿49.99

$1.22 ฿40.98

22.13%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 ฿39.13

$1.20 ฿40.47

-3.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.71 ฿57.6

$0.98 ฿32.96

74.49%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 ฿19.10

$0.49 ฿16.37

16.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.60 ฿155

$2.79 ฿93.9

64.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.38 ฿551

$17.82 ฿599

-8.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿61.7

$1.62 ฿54.6

12.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.30 ฿77.2

$3.37 ฿113

-31.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.32 ฿10.76

$0.60 ฿20.22

-46.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.46 ฿621

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿45.66

$1.10 ฿37.05

23.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.36 ฿45.63

$1.16 ฿38.87

17.24%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.43 ฿115

$6.29 ฿211

-45.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 ฿43.67

$1.20 ฿40.32

8.33%

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

$26.1K ฿879.1K

$37.0K ฿1.2M

-29.34%

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

$27.0K ฿906.4K

$28.5K ฿957.9K

-5.38%

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

$78.8 ฿2,650

$89.3 ฿3,002

-11.72%

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

$14.08 ฿474

$12.82 ฿431

9.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.28 ฿615

$17.29 ฿582

5.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.11 ฿1,517

$49.38 ฿1,661

-8.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.27 ฿581

$12.32 ฿414

40.18%

Cinema Ticket

$7.72 ฿260

$7.51 ฿253

2.80%

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

$296 ฿9,960

$604 ฿20.3K

-50.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,282 ฿312.2K

$13.5K ฿454.5K

-31.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$29.54 ฿993

$57.4 ฿1,930

-48.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.37 ฿651

$38.94 ฿1,309

-50.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 ฿3,419

$106 ฿3,571

-4.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$44.01 ฿1,480

$94.3 ฿3,172

-53.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$550 ฿18.5K

$427 ฿14.4K

28.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$356 ฿12.0K

$286 ฿9,623

24.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,325 ฿44.6K

$827 ฿27.8K

60.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$685 ฿23.0K

$661 ฿22.2K

3.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,572 ฿86.5K

$1,909 ฿64.2K

34.77%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 ฿48.4K

$1,328 ฿44.7K

8.47%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$465 ฿15.6K

$477 ฿16.0K

-2.64%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Nakhon Sawan: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $550 in Pattaya versus $427 in Nakhon Sawan. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 3% higher in Nakhon Sawan, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $31.00 in Pattaya versus $30.00 in Nakhon Sawan. Groceries tell a different story – $249 in Pattaya vs $251 in Nakhon Sawan – so Pattaya wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Sawan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Pattaya is pricier by about 5%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,488 per month in Pattaya and $1,417 in Nakhon Sawan. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Nakhon Sawan, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $992 in Pattaya and $945 in Nakhon Sawan. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $296 per month in Pattaya and $604 in Nakhon Sawan. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Nakhon Sawan, where all-in costs run around $945, than in Pattaya at $992. In Nakhon Sawan it covers expenses comfortably, while in Pattaya it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Nakhon Sawan – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Nakhon Sawan. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Pattaya makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.