Cost of Living Comparison Between Surat Thani and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Surat Thani and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $809 per month in Surat Thani vs $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,312 per month in Surat Thani vs $2,181 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,816 per month in Surat Thani vs $3,065 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Surat Thani is about 38% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Surat Thani and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Surat Thani 40% lower, Playa del Carmen 3% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.90 ฿62.0

$11.73 MX$203

-83.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.39 ฿601

$41.62 MX$719

-55.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.68 ฿153

$10.64 MX$184

-56.02%

Cappuccino

$1.59 ฿51.8

$3.52 MX$60.8

-54.83%

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

$0.50 ฿16.37

$1.51 MX$26.09

-66.89%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 ฿9.78

$0.97 MX$16.82

-69.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.51 ฿82.1

$2.95 MX$51.0

-14.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿122

$4.45 MX$77.0

-16.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.92 ฿62.8

$1.38 MX$23.90

39.13%

White Bread (500g)

$1.22 ฿39.98

$1.89 MX$32.69

-35.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.10 ฿35.78

$1.64 MX$28.29

-32.93%

Eggs

$1.89 ฿61.6

$2.51 MX$43.30

-24.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.57 ฿639

$8.34 MX$144

134.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.68 ฿120

$8.34 MX$144

-55.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.93 ฿259

$10.73 MX$185

-26.10%

Apples (1kg)

$3.35 ฿110

$2.60 MX$45.00

28.85%

Banana (1kg)

$1.69 ฿55.3

$1.46 MX$25.18

15.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.12 ฿69.1

$1.90 MX$32.84

11.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.78 ฿58.1

$2.08 MX$35.88

-14.42%

Potato (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.61

$1.78 MX$30.68

-32.02%

Onion (1kg)

$1.45 ฿47.42

$2.19 MX$37.76

-33.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 ฿32.20

$1.04 MX$17.97

-4.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.41 ฿13.54

$1.08 MX$18.60

-62.04%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.13 ฿102

$4.08 MX$70.5

-23.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.86 ฿616

$10.32 MX$178

82.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.65 ฿53.8

$1.71 MX$29.59

-3.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.69 ฿87.9

$2.58 MX$44.50

4.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.10 ฿36.05

$0.51 MX$8.81

115.69%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.39 ฿699

$26.46 MX$457

-19.16%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.06 ฿34.71

$3.26 MX$56.4

-67.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.61 ฿19.90

$2.49 MX$43.05

-75.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.67 ฿120

$3.25 MX$56.1

12.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.21 ฿39.37

$1.31 MX$22.59

-7.63%

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

$27.8K ฿907.9K

$30.3K MX$523.2K

-8.19%

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

$33.6K ฿1.1M

$23.4K MX$404.9K

43.35%

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

$77.4 ฿2,528

$82.9 MX$1,432

-6.61%

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

$13.88 ฿453

$22.22 MX$384

-37.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.38 ฿600

$29.34 MX$507

-37.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.1 ฿1,636

$51.6 MX$892

-3.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.18 ฿398

$18.32 MX$317

-33.52%

Cinema Ticket

$4.49 ฿147

$5.07 MX$87.5

-11.44%

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

$703 ฿23.0K

$201 MX$3,470

250.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.1K ฿525.2K

$5,212 MX$90.1K

208.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.3 ฿1,935

$36.92 MX$638

60.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.21 ฿1,150

$39.79 MX$688

-11.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$114 ฿3,732

$78.5 MX$1,356

45.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.6 ฿2,762

$87.1 MX$1,505

-2.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$240 ฿7,833

$973 MX$16.8K

-75.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$156 ฿5,098

$468 MX$8,082

-66.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$693 ฿22.6K

$1,641 MX$28.4K

-57.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$416 ฿13.6K

$1,221 MX$21.1K

-65.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,094 ฿68.4K

$3,946 MX$68.2K

-46.93%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,698 ฿55.5K

$6,498 MX$112.3K

-73.87%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

11.42

-53.33%

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

Last update for Surat Thani: June 2, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $240 in Surat Thani versus $973 in Playa del Carmen. 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $255 in Surat Thani vs $249 in Playa del Carmen – so Playa del Carmen 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 Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 60%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,213 per month in Surat Thani and $1,945 in Playa del Carmen. 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.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $809 in Surat Thani and $1,297 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 24% less in Surat Thani. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Surat Thani, where all-in costs run around $809, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. In Surat Thani it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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