Cost of Living Comparison Between Pattaya and Surin Cost of Living Comparison Between Pattaya and Surin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,072 per month in Pattaya vs $923 in Surin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,697 per month in Pattaya vs $1,496 in Surin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,322 per month in Pattaya vs $2,069 in Surin, rent included.

Pattaya costs about 16% more than Surin, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Pattaya and Surin are more affordable than the global median – Pattaya 22% lower, Surin 33% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.41 ฿112

$3.07 ฿101

11.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.00 ฿1,183

$23.55 ฿774

52.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.96 ฿295

$7.76 ฿255

15.46%

Cappuccino

$2.13 ฿70.1

$2.12 ฿69.8

0.47%

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

$0.71 ฿23.21

$0.70 ฿22.87

1.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 ฿10.65

$0.32 ฿10.64

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.46 ฿80.8

$2.10 ฿68.9

17.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 ฿90.8

$3.01 ฿99.0

-8.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 ฿56.8

$1.88 ฿61.9

-7.98%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 ฿49.69

$1.44 ฿47.35

4.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.42 ฿46.61

$1.26 ฿41.32

12.70%

Eggs

$2.16 ฿71.1

$2.20 ฿72.4

-1.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.53 ฿511

$16.38 ฿538

-5.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.71 ฿89.0

$2.85 ฿93.6

-4.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.39 ฿342

$10.98 ฿361

-5.37%

Apples (1kg)

$3.40 ฿112

$3.21 ฿106

5.92%

Banana (1kg)

$1.27 ฿41.90

$1.12 ฿36.86

13.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.94 ฿63.8

$2.29 ฿75.3

-15.28%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.97 ฿64.8

$1.69 ฿55.6

16.57%

Potato (1kg)

$1.25 ฿41.11

$1.50 ฿49.20

-16.67%

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 ฿34.71

$1.18 ฿38.65

-10.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.29 ฿42.39

$1.11 ฿36.39

16.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.46 ฿14.97

$0.54 ฿17.65

-14.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.29 ฿141

$4.40 ฿145

-2.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.94 ฿590

$15.48 ฿509

15.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.5

$1.70 ฿55.7

4.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.95 ฿97.1

$2.86 ฿94.0

3.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.62 ฿20.25

$0.90 ฿29.74

-31.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.88 ฿654

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.39 ฿45.83

$1.24 ฿40.63

12.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.15 ฿37.80

$1.12 ฿36.80

2.68%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.57 ฿117

$3.99 ฿131

-10.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 ฿48.19

$1.45 ฿47.60

1.38%

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

$46.5K ฿1.5M

$24.7K ฿811.5K

88.17%

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

$26.6K ฿875.5K

$27.4K ฿901.5K

-2.88%

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

$94.5 ฿3,107

$83.7 ฿2,750

13.01%

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

$11.77 ฿387

$12.57 ฿413

-6.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.06 ฿626

$19.77 ฿650

-3.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.20 ฿1,387

$47.45 ฿1,560

-11.06%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.33 ฿701

$14.17 ฿466

50.53%

Cinema Ticket

$7.54 ฿248

$6.79 ฿223

11.05%

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

$622 ฿20.4K

$561 ฿18.4K

10.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.3K ฿468.5K

$11.3K ฿370.9K

26.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.4 ฿1,689

$52.4 ฿1,722

-1.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.23 ฿994

$30.52 ฿1,003

-0.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.1 ฿3,092

$76.9 ฿2,526

22.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.8 ฿2,525

$77.0 ฿2,532

-0.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$585 ฿19.2K

$465 ฿15.3K

25.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$389 ฿12.8K

$291 ฿9,564

33.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,487 ฿48.9K

$1,263 ฿41.5K

17.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$764 ฿25.1K

$702 ฿23.1K

8.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,527 ฿83.1K

$1,961 ฿64.5K

28.85%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,445 ฿47.5K

$1,634 ฿53.7K

-11.62%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$465 ฿15.3K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.96

5.57

7.00%

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

Last update for Pattaya: September 1, 2026

Last update for Surin: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $585 in Pattaya versus $465 in Surin. 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 $36.00 in Pattaya versus $24.00 in Surin. Groceries tell a different story – $247 in Pattaya vs $247 in Surin – 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 Surin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Pattaya costs about 16% more than Surin, 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 $1,607 per month in Pattaya and $1,384 in Surin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Surin, 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 $1,072 in Pattaya and $923 in Surin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $622 per month in Pattaya and $561 in Surin. 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 Surin, where all-in costs run around $923, than in Pattaya at $1,072. In Surin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Pattaya it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Surin costs $923 versus $1,072 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 Surin. 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.