Cost of Living Comparison Between Ratchaburi and Bangkok Cost of Living Comparison Between Ratchaburi and Bangkok

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $823 in Ratchaburi versus $1,046 in Bangkok.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,356 in Ratchaburi versus $1,754 in Bangkok.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,889 in Ratchaburi versus $2,461 in Bangkok.

Living in Ratchaburi costs roughly 21% less than in Bangkok, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Ratchaburi 38% lower, Bangkok 22% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.79 ฿127

$3.02 ฿101

25.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$31.34 ฿1,052

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.27 ฿210

$6.15 ฿206

1.95%

Cappuccino

$1.11 ฿37.23

$2.47 ฿82.8

-55.06%

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

$0.32 ฿10.74

$0.69 ฿23.09

-53.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 ฿9.90

$0.27 ฿8.99

7.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.35 ฿78.8

$2.52 ฿84.6

-6.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.18 ฿73.2

$4.07 ฿137

-46.44%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.75 ฿58.7

$1.87 ฿62.9

-6.42%

White Bread (500g)

$1.18 ฿39.68

$1.34 ฿44.98

-11.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.60 ฿20.30

$1.46 ฿48.98

-58.90%

Eggs

$2.29 ฿77.0

$2.19 ฿73.5

4.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.73 ฿528

$18.12 ฿608

-13.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.39 ฿80.3

$3.06 ฿103

-21.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.59 ฿221

$9.62 ฿323

-31.50%

Apples (1kg)

$3.01 ฿101

$3.53 ฿119

-14.73%

Banana (1kg)

$0.60 ฿19.99

$1.76 ฿59.1

-65.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.21 ฿40.78

$2.27 ฿76.2

-46.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.42 ฿14.00

$1.86 ฿62.5

-77.42%

Potato (1kg)

$0.93 ฿31.26

$1.64 ฿55.1

-43.29%

Onion (1kg)

$0.89 ฿29.91

$1.48 ฿49.84

-39.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.64 ฿21.65

$1.34 ฿45.12

-52.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 ฿19.00

$0.50 ฿16.66

14.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.41 ฿115

$4.43 ฿149

-23.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.24 ฿545

$18.10 ฿608

-10.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 ฿58.4

$1.77 ฿59.3

-1.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.19 ฿73.6

$3.40 ฿114

-35.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ฿29.75

$1.19 ฿40.09

-25.21%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.04 ฿1,042

$36.61 ฿1,229

-15.21%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.06 ฿35.42

$1.06 ฿35.74

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 ฿15.13

$1.19 ฿39.91

-62.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.43 ฿115

$6.03 ฿202

-43.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.04 ฿34.87

$1.25 ฿42.07

-16.80%

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

$27.8K ฿933.9K

$37.2K ฿1.2M

-25.21%

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

$21.8K ฿731.6K

$28.3K ฿949.6K

-22.96%

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

$61.3 ฿2,058

$91.6 ฿3,073

-33.03%

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

$13.60 ฿457

$12.61 ฿423

7.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.83 ฿363

$17.20 ฿577

-37.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.38 ฿1,624

$52.1 ฿1,749

-7.16%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.09 ฿406

$10.49 ฿352

15.25%

Cinema Ticket

$3.99 ฿134

$7.88 ฿265

-49.37%

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

$293 ฿9,829

$603 ฿20.2K

-51.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,351 ฿313.9K

$13.4K ฿449.3K

-30.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$29.82 ฿1,001

$58.5 ฿1,964

-49.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.98 ฿671

$38.64 ฿1,297

-48.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.4 ฿3,335

$105 ฿3,519

-5.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$44.67 ฿1,500

$93.7 ฿3,147

-52.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$415 ฿13.9K

$684 ฿23.0K

-39.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$288 ฿9,655

$324 ฿10.9K

-11.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$811 ฿27.2K

$1,905 ฿63.9K

-57.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$665 ฿22.3K

$829 ฿27.8K

-19.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,722 ฿57.8K

$6,056 ฿203.3K

-71.56%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,646 ฿55.2K

$3,313 ฿111.2K

-50.33%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$622 ฿20.9K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.84

-31.51%

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

Last update for Ratchaburi: July 13, 2026

Last update for Bangkok: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $415 in Ratchaburi and $684 in Bangkok. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $31.00 in Ratchaburi vs $31.00 in Bangkok for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $205 vs $263 per month, with Ratchaburi cheaper across the board.

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

Ratchaburi vs Bangkok: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ratchaburi and Bangkok differ by about 27% in total monthly costs ($823 vs $1,046 including rent). Ratchaburi is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,235 in Ratchaburi and $1,569 in Bangkok to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $415 in Ratchaburi versus $684 in Bangkok. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Ratchaburi – a meal for two runs $31.00 versus $31.00 in Bangkok. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $823 per month in Ratchaburi versus $1,046 in Bangkok – a 27% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $823 in Ratchaburi versus $1,046 in Bangkok, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Ratchaburi but tight or insufficient in Bangkok. The gap between the two cities makes Ratchaburi the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Ratchaburi and Bangkok are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Ratchaburi gentler on the wallet – expenses run 27% less than in Bangkok. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.