Cost of Living Comparison Between Pattaya and Songkhla Cost of Living Comparison Between Pattaya and Songkhla

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $972 per month in Pattaya vs $812 in Songkhla, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,529 per month in Pattaya vs $1,277 in Songkhla, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,087 per month in Pattaya vs $1,743 in Songkhla, rent included.

Pattaya costs about 20% more than Songkhla, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Pattaya and Songkhla are more affordable than the global median – Pattaya 27% lower, Songkhla 39% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.61 ฿118

$1.65 ฿53.9

118.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.97 ฿1,013

$18.35 ฿600

68.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.38 ฿307

$3.36 ฿110

179.17%

Cappuccino

$2.07 ฿67.8

$1.46 ฿47.74

41.78%

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

$0.85 ฿27.77

$0.68 ฿22.38

25.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿12.12

$0.35 ฿11.29

5.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.44 ฿79.7

$2.20 ฿71.8

10.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.44 ฿79.7

$3.42 ฿112

-28.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.75 ฿57.3

$1.58 ฿51.8

10.76%

White Bread (500g)

$1.42 ฿46.46

$0.89 ฿29.02

59.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.28 ฿41.72

$2.12 ฿69.3

-39.62%

Eggs

$2.33 ฿76.1

$1.63 ฿53.2

42.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.41 ฿504

$16.33 ฿534

-5.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.43 ฿112

$2.70 ฿88.2

27.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.20 ฿366

$10.46 ฿342

7.07%

Apples (1kg)

$3.40 ฿111

$2.52 ฿82.3

34.92%

Banana (1kg)

$1.32 ฿43.23

$1.81 ฿59.2

-27.07%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.88 ฿61.6

$1.25 ฿40.81

50.40%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.47 ฿48.09

$1.30 ฿42.45

13.08%

Potato (1kg)

$1.46 ฿47.86

$1.57 ฿51.3

-7.01%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.17

$1.77 ฿57.9

-33.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$1.51 ฿49.20

7.95%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.35

$0.91 ฿29.79

-41.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.71 ฿154

$4.41 ฿144

6.80%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.93 ฿553

$13.62 ฿445

24.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 ฿60.2

$1.60 ฿52.4

15.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 ฿77.4

$4.69 ฿153

-49.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.30 ฿9.80

$0.88 ฿28.64

-65.91%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.57 ฿607

$61.8 ฿2,019

-69.94%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿44.61

$1.27 ฿41.40

7.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿42.30

$0.75 ฿24.49

72.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.29 ฿108

$9.27 ฿303

-64.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 ฿41.92

$1.35 ฿44.01

-5.19%

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

$25.9K ฿845.6K

$28.2K ฿921.5K

-8.23%

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

$26.8K ฿875.2K

$36.5K ฿1.2M

-26.61%

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

$79.8 ฿2,608

$89.4 ฿2,921

-10.71%

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

$13.73 ฿449

$12.76 ฿417

7.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.71 ฿612

$18.48 ฿604

1.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.23 ฿1,479

$49.83 ฿1,629

-9.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.88 ฿552

$1.81 ฿59.1

832.60%

Cinema Ticket

$7.80 ฿255

$5.43 ฿178

43.65%

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

$293 ฿9,567

$123 ฿4,033

137.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,198 ฿300.7K

$9,497 ฿310.5K

-3.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$29.59 ฿967

$31.34 ฿1,025

-5.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.41 ฿635

$34.98 ฿1,144

-44.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.1 ฿3,241

$99.4 ฿3,249

-0.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$43.68 ฿1,428

$21.75 ฿711

100.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$545 ฿17.8K

$277 ฿9,041

96.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$347 ฿11.3K

$180 ฿5,894

92.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,350 ฿44.1K

$594 ฿19.4K

127.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$697 ฿22.8K

$426 ฿13.9K

63.62%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,575 ฿84.2K

$1,766 ฿57.7K

45.85%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,513 ฿49.5K

$1,319 ฿43.1K

14.68%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$479 ฿15.6K

$829 ฿27.1K

-42.28%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.45

9.33

-41.59%

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

Last update for Pattaya: May 30, 2026

Last update for Songkhla: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $545 in Pattaya versus $277 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 73% 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 $31.00 in Pattaya versus $18.00 in Songkhla. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $250 vs $238 – making Songkhla 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 Songkhla: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Pattaya costs about 20% more than Songkhla, with the gap driven mainly by Getting Around. 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 $1,217 in Songkhla. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $31.00 in Pattaya and $18.00 in Songkhla. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $972 in Pattaya and $812 in Songkhla. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Songkhla, where all-in costs run around $812, than in Pattaya at $972. In Songkhla it covers expenses comfortably, while in Pattaya it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Songkhla costs $812 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 Songkhla. 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.