Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Pattaya and Songkhla

For one person, living is cheaper in Songkhla: $837 a month against $1,055 in Pattaya, rent and utilities included – about $2,600 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Pattaya outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

Pattaya, Thailand
Songkhla, Thailand
Pattaya
🇹🇭 Thailand
$1,055
/mo nomad
Songkhla
🇹🇭 Thailand
$837
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Pattaya and in Songkhla

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

A single person spends $1,055 per month in Pattaya vs $837 in Songkhla, rent included.

  • Pattaya $1,055
  • Songkhla $837

A couple spends around $1,734 per month in Pattaya vs $1,340 in Songkhla, rent included.

  • Pattaya $1,734
  • Songkhla $1,340

A family of three spends $2,414 per month in Pattaya vs $1,844 in Songkhla, rent included.

  • Pattaya $2,414
  • Songkhla $1,844

Pattaya costs about 26% more than Songkhla, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Pattaya and Songkhla are more affordable than the global median – Pattaya 22% lower, Songkhla 39% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Pattaya
Songkhla
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.04 ฿102
$1.76 ฿59.4
72.73%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.70 ฿1,102
$24.63 ฿830
32.76%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.67 ฿292
$4.69 ฿158
84.86%
Cappuccino
$1.96 ฿66.2
$1.63 ฿54.8
20.25%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.66 ฿22.33
$0.67 ฿22.61
-1.49%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.29 ฿9.63
$0.25 ฿8.47
16.00%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.38 ฿80.3
$1.75 ฿58.9
36.00%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.65 ฿89.3
$4.76 ฿160
-44.33%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Pattaya
Songkhla
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.70 ฿57.3
$1.59 ฿53.7
6.92%
White Bread (500g)
$1.46 ฿49.22
$0.85 ฿28.79
71.76%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.41 ฿47.49
$1.64 ฿55.3
-14.02%
Eggs
$2.17 ฿73.3
$1.38 ฿46.58
57.25%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$15.25 ฿514
$16.82 ฿567
-9.33%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$2.55 ฿86.1
$2.69 ฿90.6
-5.20%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$9.97 ฿336
$10.44 ฿352
-4.50%
Apples (1kg)
$3.38 ฿114
$2.86 ฿96.3
18.18%
Banana (1kg)
$1.24 ฿41.81
$1.67 ฿56.3
-25.75%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.86 ฿62.7
$2.21 ฿74.3
-15.84%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.87 ฿63.1
$1.26 ฿42.32
48.41%
Potato (1kg)
$1.18 ฿39.85
$1.47 ฿49.66
-19.73%
Onion (1kg)
$1.06 ฿35.86
$1.70 ฿57.5
-37.65%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.22 ฿41.23
$1.11 ฿37.39
9.91%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.48 ฿16.04
$0.91 ฿30.51
-47.25%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.33 ฿146
$4.25 ฿143
1.88%
Wine (Bottle)
$17.95 ฿605
$13.46 ฿453
33.36%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.70 ฿57.1
$1.55 ฿52.2
9.68%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.00 ฿101
$4.59 ฿155
-34.64%
🚌 Getting Around
Pattaya
Songkhla
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.53 ฿17.88
$0.86 ฿28.88
-38.37%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$19.62 ฿661
$60.7 ฿2,045
-67.66%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.30 ฿43.81
$1.21 ฿40.77
7.44%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.07 ฿36.19
$0.76 ฿25.51
40.79%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$3.60 ฿121
$5.84 ฿197
-38.36%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.47 ฿49.66
$1.21 ฿40.92
21.49%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$45.4K ฿1.5M
$26.3K ฿887.7K
72.44%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.8K ฿903.7K
$31.3K ฿1.1M
-14.37%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Pattaya
Songkhla
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$93.5 ฿3,152
$85.3 ฿2,873
9.69%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.55 ฿389
$12.64 ฿426
-8.62%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$19.11 ฿644
$18.03 ฿608
5.99%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Pattaya
Songkhla
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$42.49 ฿1,432
$48.35 ฿1,629
-12.12%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$20.52 ฿692
$13.08 ฿441
56.88%
Cinema Ticket
$7.49 ฿252
$5.91 ฿199
26.73%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Pattaya
Songkhla
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$623 ฿21.0K
$571 ฿19.2K
9.14%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$14.2K ฿477.6K
$11.0K ฿372.1K
28.36%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Pattaya
Songkhla
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$51.1 ฿1,720
$51.7 ฿1,741
-1.22%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$29.47 ฿993
$29.14 ฿982
1.13%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$92.5 ฿3,118
$76.7 ฿2,586
20.59%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$76.1 ฿2,563
$77.2 ฿2,602
-1.49%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Pattaya
Songkhla
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$618 ฿20.8K
$239 ฿8,043
158.80%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$396 ฿13.3K
$178 ฿6,009
121.97%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,655 ฿55.8K
$592 ฿19.9K
179.61%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$948 ฿32.0K
$412 ฿13.9K
130.24%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,807 ฿94.6K
$1,933 ฿65.1K
45.25%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,808 ฿60.9K
$1,456 ฿49.1K
24.12%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Pattaya
Songkhla
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$456 ฿15.4K
$801 ฿27.0K
-43.05%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.96
9.33
-36.12%

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

Last update for Pattaya: October 25, 2026

Last update for Songkhla: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Pattaya
$396
Songkhla
$178 54.9% $217
Groceries & Markets
Pattaya
$242
Songkhla
$238 1.6% $4
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Pattaya
$124
Songkhla
$116 6.7% $8.3
Clothing & Footwear
Pattaya
$112
Songkhla
$106 5.8% $6.5
Eating Out
Pattaya
$95
Songkhla
$70 26.6% $25
Sport & Entertainment
Pattaya
$57
Songkhla
$60 4.7% $2.7
Getting Around
Pattaya
$28
Songkhla
$69 143% $41

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $618 in Pattaya versus $239 in Songkhla. 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 76% higher in Songkhla, 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 $33 in Pattaya versus $25 in Songkhla. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $242 vs $238 – making Songkhla the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇹🇭 Pattaya
🇹🇭 Songkhla
🕒 Local time
11:26 11:26 AM
11:26 11:26 AM
Same time as Pattaya
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
119,532
61,758
💱 Currency
Thai Baht THB ฿
Thai Baht THB ฿
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 29, 2026: 1 USD = 33.7 THB (100 THB = 2.97 USD). 1 EUR = 37.52 THB (100 THB = 2.67 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Pattaya Songkhla 640 km ≈ 1 h 15 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Pattaya
  • Songkhla

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 Songkhla: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Pattaya or Songkhla?
Pattaya costs about 26% more than Songkhla, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from eating out. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Pattaya and in Songkhla?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,583 per month in Pattaya and $1,255 in Songkhla. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Pattaya or Songkhla?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Songkhla, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $239 there versus $618 in Pattaya.
How much does it cost to live in Pattaya compared to Songkhla?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,055 in Pattaya and $837 in Songkhla. That makes Songkhla about 21% cheaper.
How do childcare costs compare in Pattaya and in Songkhla?
Kindergarten costs $623 per month in Pattaya and $571 in Songkhla. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Can you live on $1,200/month in Pattaya or in Songkhla?
$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $1,055 in Pattaya and $837 in Songkhla, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.
Which city is better for families?
Families tend to lean toward Songkhla – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
How safe is Pattaya compared to Songkhla?
Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.

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