Cost of Living Comparison Between Surat Thani and Pattaya Cost of Living Comparison Between Surat Thani and Pattaya

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $809 per month in Surat Thani vs $972 in Pattaya, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,312 per month in Surat Thani vs $1,529 in Pattaya, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,816 per month in Surat Thani vs $2,087 in Pattaya, rent included.

Surat Thani is about 17% cheaper than Pattaya, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Surat Thani and Pattaya are more affordable than the global median – Surat Thani 40% lower, Pattaya 27% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.90 ฿62.0

$3.61 ฿118

-47.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.39 ฿601

$30.97 ฿1,012

-40.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.68 ฿153

$9.38 ฿306

-50.11%

Cappuccino

$1.59 ฿51.8

$2.07 ฿67.7

-23.19%

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

$0.50 ฿16.37

$0.85 ฿27.74

-41.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 ฿9.78

$0.37 ฿12.11

-18.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.51 ฿82.1

$2.44 ฿79.6

2.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿122

$2.44 ฿79.6

52.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.92 ฿62.8

$1.75 ฿57.2

9.71%

White Bread (500g)

$1.22 ฿39.98

$1.42 ฿46.41

-14.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.10 ฿35.78

$1.28 ฿41.68

-14.06%

Eggs

$1.89 ฿61.6

$2.33 ฿76.0

-18.88%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.57 ฿639

$15.41 ฿503

27.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.68 ฿120

$3.43 ฿112

7.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.93 ฿259

$11.20 ฿366

-29.20%

Apples (1kg)

$3.35 ฿110

$3.40 ฿111

-1.47%

Banana (1kg)

$1.69 ฿55.3

$1.32 ฿43.19

28.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.12 ฿69.1

$1.88 ฿61.5

12.77%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.78 ฿58.1

$1.47 ฿48.05

21.09%

Potato (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.61

$1.46 ฿47.81

-17.12%

Onion (1kg)

$1.45 ฿47.42

$1.17 ฿38.14

23.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 ฿32.20

$1.63 ฿53.1

-39.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.41 ฿13.54

$0.53 ฿17.33

-22.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.13 ฿102

$4.71 ฿154

-33.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.86 ฿616

$16.93 ฿553

11.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.65 ฿53.8

$1.84 ฿60.2

-10.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.69 ฿87.9

$2.37 ฿77.3

13.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.10 ฿36.05

$0.30 ฿9.79

266.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.39 ฿699

$18.57 ฿607

15.19%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.06 ฿34.71

$1.36 ฿44.56

-22.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.61 ฿19.90

$1.29 ฿42.26

-52.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.67 ฿120

$3.29 ฿108

11.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.21 ฿39.37

$1.28 ฿41.88

-5.47%

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

$27.8K ฿907.9K

$25.9K ฿844.9K

7.47%

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

$33.6K ฿1.1M

$26.8K ฿874.4K

25.45%

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

$77.4 ฿2,528

$79.8 ฿2,606

-3.01%

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

$13.88 ฿453

$13.73 ฿448

1.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.38 ฿600

$18.71 ฿611

-1.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.1 ฿1,636

$45.23 ฿1,477

10.72%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.18 ฿398

$16.88 ฿551

-27.84%

Cinema Ticket

$4.49 ฿147

$7.80 ฿255

-42.44%

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

$703 ฿23.0K

$293 ฿9,559

140.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.1K ฿525.2K

$9,198 ฿300.4K

74.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.3 ฿1,935

$29.59 ฿966

100.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.21 ฿1,150

$19.41 ฿634

81.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$114 ฿3,732

$99.1 ฿3,238

15.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.6 ฿2,762

$43.68 ฿1,427

93.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$240 ฿7,833

$545 ฿17.8K

-55.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$156 ฿5,098

$347 ฿11.3K

-55.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$693 ฿22.6K

$1,350 ฿44.1K

-48.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$416 ฿13.6K

$697 ฿22.8K

-40.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,094 ฿68.4K

$2,575 ฿84.1K

-18.69%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,698 ฿55.5K

$1,513 ฿49.4K

12.23%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$479 ฿15.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

5.45

-2.20%

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

Last update for Surat Thani: June 2, 2026

Last update for Pattaya: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $240 in Surat Thani versus $545 in Pattaya. 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 $31.00 in Pattaya. Groceries tell a different story – $255 in Surat Thani vs $250 in Pattaya – so Pattaya 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 Pattaya: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Pattaya costs about 20% more than Surat Thani, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,213 per month in Surat Thani and $1,458 in Pattaya. 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $18.00 in Surat Thani and $31.00 in Pattaya. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $809 in Surat Thani and $972 in Pattaya. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Surat Thani, where all-in costs run around $809, than in Pattaya at $972. In Surat Thani it covers expenses comfortably, while in Pattaya it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Surat Thani costs $809 versus $972 in Pattaya. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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, Pattaya makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.