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 $812 per month in Surat Thani vs $1,076 in East London, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,315 per month in Surat Thani vs $1,570 in East London, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,819 per month in Surat Thani vs $2,064 in East London, rent included.

Surat Thani is about 25% cheaper than East London, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Surat Thani and East London are more affordable than the global median – Surat Thani 40% lower, East London 20% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.90 ฿60.9

$6.90 R 113

-72.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.15 ฿582

$31.33 R 514

-42.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.68 ฿150

$4.61 R 75.6

1.52%

Cappuccino

$1.56 ฿49.86

$2.02 R 33.20

-22.77%

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

$0.50 ฿16.08

$0.99 R 16.18

-49.49%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 ฿9.60

$0.88 R 14.36

-65.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 ฿78.0

$2.57 R 42.20

-5.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.77 ฿121

$3.02 R 49.45

24.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.96 ฿62.9

$1.07 R 17.54

83.18%

White Bread (500g)

$1.28 ฿41.14

$0.90 R 14.77

42.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.06 ฿33.87

$1.96 R 32.16

-45.92%

Eggs

$1.91 ฿61.4

$2.13 R 35.00

-10.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.78 ฿634

$9.30 R 152

112.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.77 ฿121

$4.06 R 66.6

-7.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.78 ฿249

$7.35 R 121

5.85%

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 ฿105

$1.58 R 25.84

107.59%

Banana (1kg)

$1.69 ฿54.1

$2.15 R 35.30

-21.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 ฿68.8

$1.39 R 22.76

54.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.79 ฿57.3

$1.48 R 24.32

20.95%

Potato (1kg)

$1.26 ฿40.40

$1.49 R 24.37

-15.44%

Onion (1kg)

$1.43 ฿45.90

$1.42 R 23.32

0.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 ฿32.69

$1.06 R 17.38

-3.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.41 ฿13.14

$0.92 R 15.10

-55.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.07 ฿98.4

$2.62 R 42.98

17.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.55 ฿627

$4.75 R 77.9

311.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 ฿50.8

$1.76 R 28.81

-10.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.80 ฿89.7

$2.53 R 41.46

10.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.06 ฿34.12

$0.73 R 11.96

45.21%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.17 ฿679

$21.51 R 353

-1.58%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.05 ฿33.71

$1.09 R 17.94

-3.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.61 ฿19.66

$0.94 R 15.35

-35.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.73 ฿120

$4.06 R 66.6

-8.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.21 ฿38.81

$1.28 R 20.93

-5.47%

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

$27.6K ฿885.3K

$35.7K R 585.8K

-22.69%

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

$33.0K ฿1.1M

$21.9K R 358.8K

50.90%

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

$76.4 ฿2,448

$198 R 3,243

-61.39%

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

$13.93 ฿447

$30.90 R 507

-54.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.24 ฿585

$45.08 R 739

-59.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.94 ฿1,569

$33.27 R 546

47.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.17 ฿390

$1.42 R 23.33

757.04%

Cinema Ticket

$4.67 ฿150

$3.66 R 60.0

27.60%

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

$707 ฿22.7K

$119 R 1,957

492.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.0K ฿514.0K

$4,233 R 69.4K

278.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.5 ฿1,843

$51.8 R 850

10.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.33 ฿1,100

$28.88 R 474

18.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$116 ฿3,729

$105 R 1,725

10.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.0 ฿2,757

$85.2 R 1,396

1.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$238 ฿7,641

$270 R 4,432

-11.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$153 ฿4,895

$297 R 4,867

-48.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$702 ฿22.5K

$509 R 8,351

37.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$421 ฿13.5K

$544 R 8,922

-22.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,021 ฿64.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,477 ฿47.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,685 R 27.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

-51.55%

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

Last update for Surat Thani: April 11, 2026

Last update for East London: April 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $238 in Surat Thani versus $270 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 in Surat Thani versus $31 in East London. Groceries tell a different story – $258 in Surat Thani vs $186 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: $812 in Surat Thani, $1,076 in East London – roughly 33% apart. East London costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,217 per month in Surat Thani and $1,614 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 $707 per month in Surat Thani and $119 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 39% 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 $812 in Surat Thani and $1,076 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.