Cost of Living Comparison Between Pattaya and Samut Sakhon Cost of Living Comparison Between Pattaya and Samut Sakhon

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $972 per month in Pattaya vs $885 in Samut Sakhon, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,529 per month in Pattaya vs $1,390 in Samut Sakhon, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,087 per month in Pattaya vs $1,896 in Samut Sakhon, rent included.

Pattaya costs about 10% more than Samut Sakhon, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Pattaya and Samut Sakhon are more affordable than the global median – Pattaya 27% lower, Samut Sakhon 34% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.61 ฿119

$1.83 ฿60.0

97.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.97 ฿1,016

$18.81 ฿617

64.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.38 ฿308

$6.09 ฿200

54.02%

Cappuccino

$2.07 ฿68.0

$1.19 ฿39.20

73.95%

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

$0.85 ฿27.87

$0.35 ฿11.64

142.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿12.17

$0.32 ฿10.60

15.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.44 ฿80.0

$1.92 ฿63.1

27.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.44 ฿80.0

$2.48 ฿81.3

-1.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.75 ฿57.5

$1.69 ฿55.4

3.55%

White Bread (500g)

$1.42 ฿46.63

$1.41 ฿46.31

0.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.28 ฿41.87

$1.32 ฿43.36

-3.03%

Eggs

$2.33 ฿76.3

$2.33 ฿76.6

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.41 ฿506

$15.44 ฿506

-0.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.43 ฿112

$3.29 ฿108

4.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.20 ฿367

$11.40 ฿374

-1.75%

Apples (1kg)

$3.40 ฿112

$3.26 ฿107

4.29%

Banana (1kg)

$1.32 ฿43.39

$1.33 ฿43.77

-0.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.88 ฿61.8

$1.91 ฿62.8

-1.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.47 ฿48.27

$1.40 ฿46.08

5.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.03

$1.47 ฿48.35

-0.68%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.31

$1.20 ฿39.49

-2.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.63 ฿53.4

$1.68 ฿55.2

-2.98%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.41

$0.57 ฿18.81

-7.02%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.71 ฿155

$4.74 ฿155

-0.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.93 ฿555

$17.10 ฿561

-0.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 ฿60.4

$1.83 ฿60.1

0.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 ฿77.7

$2.36 ฿77.5

0.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.30 ฿9.83

$0.38 ฿12.39

-21.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.57 ฿609

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿44.77

$1.06 ฿34.75

28.30%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿42.46

$1.25 ฿41.04

3.20%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.29 ฿108

$3.45 ฿113

-4.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 ฿42.08

$1.20 ฿39.39

6.67%

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

$25.9K ฿848.7K

$25.9K ฿849.4K

-0.07%

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

$26.8K ฿878.4K

$26.7K ฿875.5K

0.33%

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

$79.8 ฿2,618

$76.9 ฿2,522

3.83%

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

$13.73 ฿451

$13.81 ฿453

-0.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.71 ฿614

$18.16 ฿596

3.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.23 ฿1,484

$49.11 ฿1,611

-7.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.88 ฿554

$12.35 ฿405

36.68%

Cinema Ticket

$7.80 ฿256

$7.90 ฿259

-1.27%

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

$293 ฿9,602

$296 ฿9,704

-1.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,198 ฿301.8K

$9,193 ฿301.6K

0.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$29.59 ฿971

$30.08 ฿987

-1.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.41 ฿637

$19.54 ฿641

-0.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.1 ฿3,253

$99.5 ฿3,264

-0.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$43.68 ฿1,433

$43.33 ฿1,422

0.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$545 ฿17.9K

$426 ฿14.0K

27.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$347 ฿11.4K

$286 ฿9,370

21.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,350 ฿44.3K

$807 ฿26.5K

67.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$697 ฿22.9K

$667 ฿21.9K

4.48%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,575 ฿84.5K

$2,265 ฿74.3K

13.68%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,513 ฿49.6K

$1,507 ฿49.5K

0.38%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$479 ฿15.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.45

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

Last update for Pattaya: May 30, 2026

Last update for Samut Sakhon: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $545 in Pattaya versus $426 in Samut Sakhon. 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 $19.00 in Samut Sakhon. Groceries tell a different story – $250 in Pattaya vs $250 in Samut Sakhon – 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 Samut Sakhon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Pattaya costs about 10% more than Samut Sakhon, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,458 per month in Pattaya and $1,328 in Samut Sakhon. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Samut Sakhon, 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 $972 in Pattaya and $885 in Samut Sakhon. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $293 per month in Pattaya and $296 in Samut Sakhon. 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 Samut Sakhon, where all-in costs run around $885, than in Pattaya at $972. In Samut Sakhon 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 Sakhon costs $885 versus $972 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 Sakhon. 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.