Cost of Living Comparison Between Songkhla and Bangkok Cost of Living Comparison Between Songkhla and Bangkok

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $812 in Songkhla versus $1,068 in Bangkok.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,277 in Songkhla versus $1,732 in Bangkok.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,743 in Songkhla versus $2,396 in Bangkok.

Living in Songkhla costs roughly 24% less than in Bangkok, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Songkhla 39% lower, Bangkok 20% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.65 ฿53.8

$3.17 ฿103

-47.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.35 ฿599

$30.33 ฿991

-39.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.36 ฿110

$6.27 ฿205

-46.41%

Cappuccino

$1.46 ฿47.69

$2.51 ฿81.9

-41.83%

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

$0.68 ฿22.36

$0.68 ฿22.34

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.28

$0.27 ฿8.79

29.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.20 ฿71.8

$2.44 ฿79.6

-9.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.42 ฿112

$3.94 ฿129

-13.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.58 ฿51.7

$1.80 ฿58.8

-12.22%

White Bread (500g)

$0.89 ฿28.99

$1.39 ฿45.38

-35.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.12 ฿69.2

$1.42 ฿46.22

49.30%

Eggs

$1.63 ฿53.2

$2.26 ฿73.8

-27.88%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.33 ฿533

$18.40 ฿601

-11.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.70 ฿88.1

$3.01 ฿98.4

-10.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.46 ฿342

$9.38 ฿306

11.51%

Apples (1kg)

$2.52 ฿82.3

$3.55 ฿116

-29.01%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 ฿59.2

$1.76 ฿57.6

2.84%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.25 ฿40.78

$2.21 ฿72.1

-43.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.30 ฿42.41

$1.84 ฿59.9

-29.35%

Potato (1kg)

$1.57 ฿51.3

$1.64 ฿53.5

-4.27%

Onion (1kg)

$1.77 ฿57.8

$1.50 ฿48.88

18.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.51 ฿49.16

$1.31 ฿42.67

15.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 ฿29.76

$0.52 ฿17.10

75.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 ฿144

$4.25 ฿139

3.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.62 ฿445

$15.02 ฿490

-9.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.60 ฿52.4

$1.80 ฿58.9

-11.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.69 ฿153

$3.39 ฿111

38.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿28.61

$1.19 ฿39.00

-26.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$61.8 ฿2,017

$36.43 ฿1,190

69.56%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.27 ฿41.36

$1.10 ฿35.84

15.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.75 ฿24.47

$1.20 ฿39.07

-37.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.27 ฿303

$6.13 ฿200

51.22%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 ฿43.97

$1.25 ฿40.88

8.00%

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

$28.2K ฿920.6K

$37.3K ฿1.2M

-24.49%

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

$36.5K ฿1.2M

$28.6K ฿934.5K

27.49%

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

$89.4 ฿2,918

$91.9 ฿3,000

-2.71%

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

$12.76 ฿417

$12.96 ฿423

-1.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.48 ฿604

$17.67 ฿577

4.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.83 ฿1,627

$53.9 ฿1,759

-7.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$1.81 ฿59.0

$10.68 ฿349

-83.05%

Cinema Ticket

$5.43 ฿177

$7.90 ฿258

-31.27%

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

$123 ฿4,030

$601 ฿19.6K

-79.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,497 ฿310.2K

$13.2K ฿432.6K

-28.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$31.34 ฿1,024

$57.0 ฿1,863

-45.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.98 ฿1,142

$38.28 ฿1,250

-8.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.4 ฿3,246

$103 ฿3,376

-3.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$21.75 ฿711

$95.0 ฿3,103

-77.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$277 ฿9,032

$669 ฿21.9K

-58.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$180 ฿5,889

$326 ฿10.7K

-44.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$594 ฿19.4K

$1,877 ฿61.3K

-68.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$426 ฿13.9K

$843 ฿27.5K

-49.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,766 ฿57.7K

$6,307 ฿206.0K

-72.00%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,319 ฿43.1K

$3,371 ฿110.1K

-60.85%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$829 ฿27.1K

$747 ฿24.4K

10.96%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.33

5.84

59.76%

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

Last update for Songkhla: June 1, 2026

Last update for Bangkok: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $277 in Songkhla and $669 in Bangkok. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Songkhla pays 11% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $18.00 in Songkhla vs $30.00 in Bangkok for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $238 vs $257 per month, with Songkhla 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

Songkhla vs Bangkok: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Songkhla and Bangkok differ by about 32% in total monthly costs ($812 vs $1,068 including rent). Songkhla is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Songkhla pays 11% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $277 in Songkhla versus $669 in Bangkok. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Songkhla – a meal for two runs $18.00 versus $30.00 in Bangkok. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $812 per month in Songkhla versus $1,068 in Bangkok – a 32% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $812 in Songkhla versus $1,068 in Bangkok, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Songkhla but tight or insufficient in Bangkok. The gap between the two cities makes Songkhla 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, Songkhla 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 Songkhla gentler on the wallet – expenses run 32% less than in Bangkok. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.