Cost of Living Comparison Between Pattaya and Thung Song Cost of Living Comparison Between Pattaya and Thung Song

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,072 per month in Pattaya vs $915 in Thung Song, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,673 per month in Pattaya vs $1,539 in Thung Song, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,274 per month in Pattaya vs $2,162 in Thung Song, rent included.

Pattaya costs about 17% more than Thung Song, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Pattaya and Thung Song are more affordable than the global median – Pattaya 22% lower, Thung Song 34% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.42 ฿113

$4.57 ฿151

-25.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.27 ฿1,199

$18.12 ฿599

100.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.32 ฿308

$8.62 ฿285

8.12%

Cappuccino

$2.08 ฿68.9

$2.29 ฿75.8

-9.17%

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

$0.75 ฿24.96

$0.75 ฿24.65

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 ฿10.69

$0.29 ฿9.44

10.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.37 ฿78.5

$2.39 ฿79.0

-0.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.81 ฿93.0

$3.91 ฿129

-28.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.77 ฿58.6

$1.85 ฿61.1

-4.32%

White Bread (500g)

$1.49 ฿49.41

$1.46 ฿48.38

2.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.44 ฿47.51

$1.57 ฿51.9

-8.28%

Eggs

$2.15 ฿71.0

$2.16 ฿71.6

-0.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.06 ฿531

$20.25 ฿670

-20.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.71 ฿89.7

$3.35 ฿111

-19.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.24 ฿339

$11.51 ฿381

-11.03%

Apples (1kg)

$3.44 ฿114

$2.99 ฿99.0

15.05%

Banana (1kg)

$1.31 ฿43.23

$1.65 ฿54.6

-20.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.89 ฿62.6

$0.70 ฿23.12

170.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿67.0

$2.14 ฿70.6

-5.14%

Potato (1kg)

$1.22 ฿40.33

$1.48 ฿49.11

-17.57%

Onion (1kg)

$1.10 ฿36.43

$1.36 ฿45.06

-19.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 ฿41.00

$1.15 ฿37.97

7.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.45 ฿14.83

$0.56 ฿18.38

-19.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 ฿144

$4.53 ฿150

-3.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.02 ฿596

$18.62 ฿616

-3.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.8

$1.87 ฿62.0

-4.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 ฿96.5

$2.25 ฿74.4

29.78%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.63 ฿20.77

$0.87 ฿28.77

-27.59%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.12 ฿666

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.40 ฿46.17

$2.35 ฿77.6

-40.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.11 ฿36.56

$1.04 ฿34.24

6.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.71 ฿123

$4.01 ฿133

-7.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.48 ฿48.98

$1.10 ฿36.40

34.55%

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

$46.5K ฿1.5M

$27.5K ฿909.9K

69.15%

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

$26.8K ฿887.8K

$27.5K ฿910.6K

-2.50%

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

$94.3 ฿3,120

$30.04 ฿993

214.01%

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

$11.94 ฿395

$5.96 ฿197

100.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.74 ฿653

$14.18 ฿469

39.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.42 ฿1,403

$44.64 ฿1,476

-4.97%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.51 ฿711

$14.92 ฿493

44.17%

Cinema Ticket

$7.60 ฿251

$7.72 ฿255

-1.55%

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

$645 ฿21.3K

$576 ฿19.1K

11.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿486.9K

$11.7K ฿388.1K

25.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.2 ฿1,693

$27.60 ฿913

85.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.60 ฿979

$18.12 ฿599

63.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.0 ฿3,143

$99.4 ฿3,287

-4.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.0 ฿2,580

$91.5 ฿3,024

-14.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$590 ฿19.5K

$391 ฿12.9K

50.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$388 ฿12.8K

$303 ฿10.0K

28.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,490 ฿49.3K

$1,517 ฿50.2K

-1.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$780 ฿25.8K

$835 ฿27.6K

-6.58%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,616 ฿86.5K

$2,173 ฿71.8K

20.42%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,482 ฿49.0K

$1,682 ฿55.6K

-11.89%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$479 ฿15.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.96

19.20%

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

Last update for Pattaya: September 7, 2026

Last update for Thung Song: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $590 in Pattaya versus $391 in Thung Song. 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 $18.00 in Thung Song. Groceries tell a different story – $249 in Pattaya vs $268 in Thung Song – 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 Thung Song: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Pattaya costs about 17% more than Thung Song, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,608 per month in Pattaya and $1,373 in Thung Song. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Thung Song, 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 $915 in Thung Song. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $645 per month in Pattaya and $576 in Thung Song. 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 Thung Song, where all-in costs run around $915, than in Pattaya at $1,072. In Thung Song it covers expenses comfortably, while in Pattaya it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Thung Song costs $915 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 Thung Song. 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.