Cost of Living Comparison Between Surat Thani and East London Cost of Living Comparison Between Surat Thani and East London

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $797 per month in Surat Thani vs $1,042 in East London, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,459 per month in Surat Thani vs $1,680 in East London, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,121 per month in Surat Thani vs $2,319 in East London, rent included.

Surat Thani is about 23% cheaper than East London, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Surat Thani and East London are more affordable than the global median – Surat Thani 42% lower, East London 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.85 ฿61.2

$9.64 R 155

-80.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.05 ฿596

$39.29 R 633

-54.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.59 ฿152

$5.88 R 94.7

-21.94%

Cappuccino

$1.50 ฿49.65

$2.24 R 36.04

-33.04%

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

$0.51 ฿16.76

$1.09 R 17.54

-53.21%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ฿10.39

$0.80 R 12.91

-61.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.38 ฿78.7

$2.84 R 45.79

-16.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.71 ฿123

$3.31 R 53.3

12.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 ฿61.9

$1.17 R 18.81

59.83%

White Bread (500g)

$1.21 ฿40.07

$0.93 R 14.99

30.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿39.46

$1.50 R 24.18

-20.67%

Eggs

$1.89 ฿62.6

$2.34 R 37.62

-19.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.59 ฿647

$8.81 R 142

122.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.41 ฿113

$5.49 R 88.5

-37.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.56 ฿250

$8.67 R 140

-12.80%

Apples (1kg)

$3.07 ฿101

$1.59 R 25.53

93.08%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ฿54.3

$1.60 R 25.84

2.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.82 ฿60.1

$1.71 R 27.46

6.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 ฿72.2

$1.62 R 26.15

35.19%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 ฿45.76

$1.73 R 27.80

-19.65%

Onion (1kg)

$1.40 ฿46.37

$1.46 R 23.56

-4.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.14 ฿37.51

$1.22 R 19.57

-6.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.45 ฿14.78

$0.94 R 15.09

-52.13%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.96 ฿97.9

$2.95 R 47.57

0.34%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.16 ฿633

$5.07 R 81.6

277.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.55 ฿51.3

$1.31 R 21.14

18.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿61.6

$1.79 R 28.85

3.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.05 ฿34.64

$1.54 R 24.77

-31.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.08 ฿697

$49.11 R 791

-57.08%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 ฿100

$1.29 R 20.71

134.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.63 ฿20.81

$0.48 R 7.78

31.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.61 ฿119

$8.91 R 144

-59.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 ฿41.46

$1.36 R 21.86

-8.09%

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

$27.2K ฿899.5K

$36.8K R 592.6K

-26.01%

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

$27.5K ฿908.8K

$29.4K R 473.2K

-6.40%

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

$76.4 ฿2,523

$127 R 2,047

-39.92%

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

$11.28 ฿373

$34.25 R 552

-67.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.37 ฿574

$44.53 R 717

-60.99%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.82 ฿1,580

$40.73 R 656

17.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.51 ฿413

Cinema Ticket

$4.61 ฿152

$4.99 R 80.3

-7.62%

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

$570 ฿18.8K

$183 R 2,945

211.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.8K ฿389.6K

$5,563 R 89.6K

111.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$65.5 ฿2,165

$59.8 R 962

9.64%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.82 ฿985

$34.23 R 551

-12.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.4 ฿3,186

$74.6 R 1,201

29.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.7 ฿2,964

$98.9 R 1,593

-9.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$234 ฿7,718

$295 R 4,748

-20.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$151 ฿4,977

$263 R 4,243

-42.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,388 ฿45.9K

$570 R 9,183

143.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$751 ฿24.8K

$663 R 10.7K

13.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,771 ฿58.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,775 ฿58.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,689 R 27.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

-49.36%

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

Last update for Surat Thani: September 8, 2026

Last update for East London: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $234 in Surat Thani versus $295 in East London. 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 $18.00 in Surat Thani versus $39.00 in East London. Groceries tell a different story – $252 in Surat Thani vs $193 in East London – so East London 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

Surat Thani vs East London: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $797 in Surat Thani, $1,042 in East London – roughly 31% apart. East London costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,196 per month in Surat Thani and $1,562 in East London. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Surat Thani, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $570 per month in Surat Thani and $183 in East London. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 30% cheaper in East London – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $797 in Surat Thani and $1,042 in East London, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Surat Thani – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Surat Thani. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, East London makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.