Cost of Living Comparison Between Pattaya and Nakhon Si Thammarat Cost of Living Comparison Between Pattaya and Nakhon Si Thammarat

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $979 per month in Pattaya vs $1,065 in Nakhon Si Thammarat, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,530 per month in Pattaya vs $1,710 in Nakhon Si Thammarat, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,080 per month in Pattaya vs $2,355 in Nakhon Si Thammarat, rent included.

Pattaya is about 8% cheaper than Nakhon Si Thammarat, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Pattaya and Nakhon Si Thammarat are more affordable than the global median – Pattaya 27% lower, Nakhon Si Thammarat 21% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.80 ฿124

$3.12 ฿102

21.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.99 ฿1,009

$46.72 ฿1,522

-33.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.32 ฿304

$8.48 ฿276

9.91%

Cappuccino

$2.18 ฿71.0

$2.99 ฿97.5

-27.09%

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

$0.87 ฿28.32

$0.73 ฿23.73

19.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.34 ฿11.15

$0.40 ฿12.97

-15.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.53 ฿82.3

$2.44 ฿79.4

3.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.44 ฿79.6

$3.80 ฿124

-35.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.67 ฿54.4

$2.16 ฿70.5

-22.69%

White Bread (500g)

$1.37 ฿44.52

$1.83 ฿59.6

-25.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.26 ฿40.90

$2.20 ฿71.5

-42.73%

Eggs

$2.30 ฿74.8

$2.31 ฿75.1

-0.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.92 ฿519

$19.71 ฿642

-19.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.29 ฿107

$3.75 ฿122

-12.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.30 ฿368

$13.24 ฿431

-14.65%

Apples (1kg)

$3.24 ฿106

$3.21 ฿105

0.93%

Banana (1kg)

$1.30 ฿42.18

$1.67 ฿54.5

-22.16%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.97 ฿64.3

$2.40 ฿78.0

-17.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.46 ฿47.48

$2.07 ฿67.5

-29.47%

Potato (1kg)

$1.49 ฿48.44

$1.55 ฿50.4

-3.87%

Onion (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.57

$1.43 ฿46.66

-15.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.69 ฿55.1

$1.02 ฿33.08

65.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.13

$0.51 ฿16.67

3.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.64 ฿151

$4.29 ฿140

8.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.72 ฿545

$19.01 ฿619

-12.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.81 ฿59.1

$1.85 ฿60.1

-2.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 ฿74.2

$2.81 ฿91.4

-18.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.32 ฿10.53

$0.95 ฿30.87

-66.32%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.81 ฿613

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 ฿46.12

$1.09 ฿35.64

30.28%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.36 ฿44.14

$0.99 ฿32.37

37.37%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.41 ฿111

$13.67 ฿445

-75.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 ฿43.92

$1.31 ฿42.66

3.05%

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

$26.0K ฿845.4K

$27.2K ฿887.0K

-4.69%

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

$27.4K ฿891.1K

$33.4K ฿1.1M

-18.04%

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

$78.9 ฿2,569

$121 ฿3,953

-35.03%

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

$14.07 ฿458

$13.77 ฿448

2.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.73 ฿610

$18.89 ฿615

-0.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.65 ฿1,454

$49.21 ฿1,603

-9.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.29 ฿563

$12.28 ฿400

40.80%

Cinema Ticket

$7.82 ฿255

$8.75 ฿285

-10.63%

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

$290 ฿9,458

$705 ฿23.0K

-58.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,151 ฿298.0K

$16.1K ฿523.2K

-43.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$29.87 ฿973

$59.0 ฿1,921

-49.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.54 ฿636

$35.28 ฿1,149

-44.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 ฿3,291

$116 ฿3,793

-13.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$44.48 ฿1,449

$85.7 ฿2,790

-48.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$555 ฿18.1K

$431 ฿14.0K

28.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$349 ฿11.4K

$284 ฿9,242

22.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,354 ฿44.1K

$800 ฿26.1K

69.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$689 ฿22.4K

$657 ฿21.4K

4.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,625 ฿85.5K

$2,026 ฿66.0K

29.55%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,500 ฿48.9K

$1,499 ฿48.8K

0.06%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$463 ฿15.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.45

5.33

2.25%

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

Last update for Pattaya: June 7, 2026

Last update for Nakhon Si Thammarat: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $555 in Pattaya versus $431 in Nakhon Si Thammarat. 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 $31.00 in Pattaya versus $47.00 in Nakhon Si Thammarat. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $292 – making Pattaya the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Si Thammarat: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $979 in Pattaya, $1,065 in Nakhon Si Thammarat – roughly 9% apart. Nakhon Si Thammarat costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,469 per month in Pattaya and $1,598 in Nakhon Si Thammarat. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Pattaya, 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 $979 in Pattaya and $1,065 in Nakhon Si Thammarat. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $290 per month in Pattaya and $705 in Nakhon Si Thammarat. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Pattaya, where all-in costs run around $979, than in Nakhon Si Thammarat at $1,065. In Pattaya it covers expenses comfortably, while in Nakhon Si Thammarat 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 $979 in Pattaya to $1,065 in Nakhon Si Thammarat. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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