Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Pattaya and Samut Prakan

For one person, living is cheaper in Samut Prakan: $886 a month against $1,041 in Pattaya, rent and utilities included – about $1,900 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

50

Cost of Living Index in Pattaya
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Pattaya Living Index
43

Cost of Living Index in Samut Prakan
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Samut Prakan Living Index

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Pattaya

🇹🇭 Thailand

$1,041

/mo nomad

Samut Prakan

🇹🇭 Thailand

$886

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Pattaya and in Samut Prakan

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 Samut Prakan actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,041 per month in Pattaya vs $886 in Samut Prakan, rent included.

Pattaya $1,041
Samut Prakan $886

A couple spends around $1,665 per month in Pattaya vs $1,378 in Samut Prakan, rent included.

Pattaya $1,665
Samut Prakan $1,378

A family of three spends $2,288 per month in Pattaya vs $1,869 in Samut Prakan, rent included.

Pattaya $2,288
Samut Prakan $1,869

Pattaya costs about 18% more than Samut Prakan, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Pattaya and Samut Prakan are more affordable than the global median – Pattaya 23% lower, Samut Prakan 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.37 ฿113

$3.30 ฿110

2.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.40 ฿1,183

$15.12 ฿505

134.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.86 ฿296

$7.48 ฿250

18.45%

Cappuccino

$2.06 ฿68.7

$1.38 ฿46.13

49.28%

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

$0.71 ฿23.64

$0.52 ฿17.54

36.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ฿10.40

$0.26 ฿8.77

19.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.36 ฿78.9

$2.02 ฿67.6

16.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.64 ฿88.1

$2.92 ฿97.4

-9.59%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.78 ฿59.6

$1.46 ฿48.92

21.92%

White Bread (500g)

$1.46 ฿48.90

$0.98 ฿32.62

48.98%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 ฿46.70

$0.88 ฿29.34

59.09%

Eggs

$2.19 ฿73.2

$1.84 ฿61.5

19.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.22 ฿509

$12.31 ฿411

23.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.61 ฿87.2

$2.49 ฿83.1

4.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.15 ฿339

$10.20 ฿341

-0.49%

Apples (1kg)

$3.43 ฿114

$1.84 ฿61.5

86.41%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ฿40.71

$0.77 ฿25.67

58.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.88 ฿62.7

$1.31 ฿43.68

43.51%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.98 ฿66.2

$1.21 ฿40.59

63.64%

Potato (1kg)

$1.20 ฿40.24

$1.52 ฿50.7

-21.05%

Onion (1kg)

$1.03 ฿34.43

$0.77 ฿25.78

33.77%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.26 ฿42.21

$0.78 ฿25.99

61.54%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.45 ฿14.97

$0.45 ฿15.01

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.42 ฿148

$4.50 ฿151

-1.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.04 ฿603

$9.10 ฿304

98.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 ฿58.8

$1.03 ฿34.32

70.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.99 ฿100

$1.89 ฿63.2

58.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.63 ฿20.89

$0.51 ฿16.95

23.53%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.40 ฿648

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.30 ฿43.48

$1.74 ฿58.1

-25.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.13 ฿37.63

$1.61 ฿53.7

-29.81%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.55 ฿119

$5.85 ฿196

-39.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.48 ฿49.47

$1.07 ฿35.84

38.32%

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

$46.4K ฿1.5M

$12.1K ฿405.1K

282.35%

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

$26.3K ฿878.9K

$24.3K ฿811.4K

8.32%

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

$93.7 ฿3,132

$83.1 ฿2,776

12.83%

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

$11.55 ฿386

$9.40 ฿314

22.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.15 ฿640

$16.35 ฿547

17.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.86 ฿1,399

$47.72 ฿1,595

-12.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.27 ฿711

$15.06 ฿503

41.24%

Cinema Ticket

$7.64 ฿255

$6.41 ฿214

19.19%

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

$613 ฿20.5K

$148 ฿4,933

315.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.4K ฿480.0K

$5,950 ฿198.9K

141.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.3 ฿1,714

$15.09 ฿504

239.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.14 ฿974

$35.66 ฿1,192

-18.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.6 ฿3,160

$70.9 ฿2,369

33.39%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.0 ฿2,507

$120 ฿4,004

-37.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$564 ฿18.8K

$478 ฿16.0K

17.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 ฿12.5K

$330 ฿11.0K

13.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,521 ฿50.8K

$1,147 ฿38.3K

32.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$791 ฿26.4K

$691 ฿23.1K

14.58%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,560 ฿85.6K

$1,726 ฿57.7K

48.34%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,428 ฿47.7K

$1,607 ฿53.7K

-11.16%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$453 ฿15.1K

$671 ฿22.4K

-32.50%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.96

98.67%

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

Last update for Pattaya: October 20, 2026

Last update for Samut Prakan: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Pattaya

$374 35.9%

Samut Prakan

$330 37.2% 11.9% $44

Groceries & Markets

Pattaya

$245 23.5%

Samut Prakan

$182 20.5% 25.6% $63

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Pattaya

$124 12%

Samut Prakan

$109 12.3% 12.5% $16

Clothing & Footwear

Pattaya

$113 10.8%

Samut Prakan

$109 12.3% 3.4% $3.9

Eating Out

Pattaya

$99 9.5%

Samut Prakan

$84 9.5% 15% $15

Sport & Entertainment

Pattaya

$57 5.5%

Samut Prakan

$61 6.8% 5.9% $3.4

Getting Around

Pattaya

$29 2.8%

Samut Prakan

$12 * 1.3% 59.1% $17

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $564 in Pattaya versus $478 in Samut Prakan. 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 48% higher in Samut Prakan, 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 $35.00 in Pattaya versus $15.00 in Samut Prakan. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $245 vs $182 – making Samut Prakan the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Pattaya

🇹🇭 Samut Prakan

🕒 Local time

19:33 7:33 PM

Same time as Pattaya

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

119,532

50,843

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.99 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

100 THB = 2.99 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Pattaya Samut Prakan 80 km

From you

Pattaya
Samut Prakan

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 Samut Prakan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Pattaya costs about 18% more than Samut Prakan, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,562 per month in Pattaya and $1,329 in Samut Prakan. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Samut Prakan, 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 $1,041 in Pattaya and $886 in Samut Prakan. That's a gap of about 18%.

Kindergarten costs $613 per month in Pattaya and $148 in Samut Prakan. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Samut Prakan, where all-in costs run around $886, than in Pattaya at $1,041. In Samut Prakan it covers expenses comfortably, while in Pattaya it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Samut Prakan costs $886 versus $1,041 in Pattaya. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Samut Prakan. 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.