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: $825 in Ratchaburi versus $1,068 in Bangkok.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,372 in Ratchaburi versus $1,732 in Bangkok.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,919 in Ratchaburi versus $2,396 in Bangkok.

Living in Ratchaburi costs roughly 23% less than in Bangkok, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Ratchaburi 38% lower, Bangkok 20% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.68 ฿120

$3.17 ฿103

16.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.75 ฿1,004

$30.33 ฿991

1.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.29 ฿205

$6.27 ฿205

0.32%

Cappuccino

$1.06 ฿34.65

$2.51 ฿81.9

-57.77%

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

$0.32 ฿10.57

$0.68 ฿22.34

-52.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 ฿10.57

$0.27 ฿8.79

18.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.34 ฿76.4

$2.44 ฿79.6

-4.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 ฿69.5

$3.94 ฿129

-45.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 ฿55.6

$1.80 ฿58.8

-5.56%

White Bread (500g)

$1.19 ฿38.72

$1.39 ฿45.38

-14.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.65 ฿21.26

$1.42 ฿46.22

-54.23%

Eggs

$2.36 ฿76.9

$2.26 ฿73.8

4.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.74 ฿514

$18.40 ฿601

-14.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.40 ฿78.3

$3.01 ฿98.4

-20.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.69 ฿219

$9.38 ฿306

-28.68%

Apples (1kg)

$3.04 ฿99.4

$3.55 ฿116

-14.37%

Banana (1kg)

$0.63 ฿20.63

$1.76 ฿57.6

-64.20%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.24 ฿40.65

$2.21 ฿72.1

-43.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.45 ฿14.61

$1.84 ฿59.9

-75.54%

Potato (1kg)

$0.89 ฿29.18

$1.64 ฿53.5

-45.73%

Onion (1kg)

$0.87 ฿28.45

$1.50 ฿48.88

-42.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.59 ฿19.26

$1.31 ฿42.67

-54.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 ฿18.52

$0.52 ฿17.10

9.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.48 ฿114

$4.25 ฿139

-18.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.10 ฿559

$15.02 ฿490

13.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.82 ฿59.5

$1.80 ฿58.9

1.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.14 ฿70.0

$3.39 ฿111

-36.87%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.95 ฿30.98

$1.19 ฿39.00

-20.17%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.87 ฿1,008

$36.43 ฿1,190

-15.26%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.06 ฿34.49

$1.10 ฿35.84

-3.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 ฿14.62

$1.20 ฿39.07

-62.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.34 ฿109

$6.13 ฿200

-45.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 ฿31.07

$1.25 ฿40.88

-24.00%

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

$27.9K ฿909.7K

$37.3K ฿1.2M

-25.39%

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

$21.8K ฿713.2K

$28.6K ฿934.5K

-23.69%

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

$60.5 ฿1,977

$91.9 ฿3,000

-34.10%

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

$13.70 ฿448

$12.96 ฿423

5.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.90 ฿356

$17.67 ฿577

-38.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.1 ฿1,638

$53.9 ฿1,759

-6.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.42 ฿406

$10.68 ฿349

16.29%

Cinema Ticket

$3.97 ฿130

$7.90 ฿258

-49.75%

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

$296 ฿9,679

$601 ฿19.6K

-50.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,254 ฿302.2K

$13.2K ฿432.6K

-30.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$29.77 ฿972

$57.0 ฿1,863

-47.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.37 ฿633

$38.28 ฿1,250

-49.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 ฿3,277

$103 ฿3,376

-2.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$43.20 ฿1,411

$95.0 ฿3,103

-54.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$422 ฿13.8K

$669 ฿21.9K

-36.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$289 ฿9,448

$326 ฿10.7K

-11.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$800 ฿26.1K

$1,877 ฿61.3K

-57.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$660 ฿21.6K

$843 ฿27.5K

-21.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,345 ฿76.6K

$6,307 ฿206.0K

-62.82%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,607 ฿52.5K

$3,371 ฿110.1K

-52.32%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$747 ฿24.4K

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Bangkok: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $422 in Ratchaburi and $669 in Bangkok. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $31.00 in Ratchaburi vs $30.00 in Bangkok. Groceries flip the comparison at $208 vs $257, with Ratchaburi cheaper for home cooking.

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 29% in total monthly costs ($825 vs $1,068 including rent). Ratchaburi is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,237 in Ratchaburi and $1,602 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: $422 in Ratchaburi versus $669 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 $30.00 in Bangkok. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $825 per month in Ratchaburi versus $1,068 in Bangkok – a 29% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $825 in Ratchaburi versus $1,068 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 29% less than in Bangkok. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.