Cost of Living Comparison Between Surin and Pattaya Cost of Living Comparison Between Surin and Pattaya

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $923 per month in Surin vs $1,072 in Pattaya, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,496 per month in Surin vs $1,697 in Pattaya, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,069 per month in Surin vs $2,322 in Pattaya, rent included.

Surin is about 14% cheaper than Pattaya, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Surin and Pattaya are more affordable than the global median – Surin 33% lower, Pattaya 22% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.07 ฿101

$3.41 ฿112

-9.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.55 ฿774

$36.00 ฿1,183

-34.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.76 ฿255

$8.96 ฿295

-13.39%

Cappuccino

$2.12 ฿69.8

$2.13 ฿70.1

-0.47%

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

$0.70 ฿22.87

$0.71 ฿23.21

-1.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 ฿10.64

$0.32 ฿10.65

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.10 ฿68.9

$2.46 ฿80.8

-14.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.01 ฿99.0

$2.76 ฿90.8

9.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.88 ฿61.9

$1.73 ฿56.8

8.67%

White Bread (500g)

$1.44 ฿47.35

$1.51 ฿49.69

-4.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.26 ฿41.32

$1.42 ฿46.61

-11.27%

Eggs

$2.20 ฿72.4

$2.16 ฿71.1

1.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.38 ฿538

$15.53 ฿511

5.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.85 ฿93.6

$2.71 ฿89.0

5.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.98 ฿361

$10.39 ฿342

5.68%

Apples (1kg)

$3.21 ฿106

$3.40 ฿112

-5.59%

Banana (1kg)

$1.12 ฿36.86

$1.27 ฿41.90

-11.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.29 ฿75.3

$1.94 ฿63.8

18.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.69 ฿55.6

$1.97 ฿64.8

-14.21%

Potato (1kg)

$1.50 ฿49.20

$1.25 ฿41.11

20.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.65

$1.06 ฿34.71

11.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.11 ฿36.39

$1.29 ฿42.39

-13.95%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 ฿17.65

$0.46 ฿14.97

17.39%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.40 ฿145

$4.29 ฿141

2.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.48 ฿509

$17.94 ฿590

-13.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 ฿55.7

$1.78 ฿58.5

-4.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.86 ฿94.0

$2.95 ฿97.1

-3.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.74

$0.62 ฿20.25

45.16%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.88 ฿654

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.24 ฿40.63

$1.39 ฿45.83

-10.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.12 ฿36.80

$1.15 ฿37.80

-2.61%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.99 ฿131

$3.57 ฿117

11.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿47.60

$1.47 ฿48.19

-1.36%

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

$24.7K ฿811.5K

$46.5K ฿1.5M

-46.86%

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

$27.4K ฿901.5K

$26.6K ฿875.5K

2.97%

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

$83.7 ฿2,750

$94.5 ฿3,107

-11.51%

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

$12.57 ฿413

$11.77 ฿387

6.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.77 ฿650

$19.06 ฿626

3.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.45 ฿1,560

$42.20 ฿1,387

12.44%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.17 ฿466

$21.33 ฿701

-33.57%

Cinema Ticket

$6.79 ฿223

$7.54 ฿248

-9.95%

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

$561 ฿18.4K

$622 ฿20.4K

-9.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.3K ฿370.9K

$14.3K ฿468.5K

-20.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.4 ฿1,722

$51.4 ฿1,689

1.91%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.52 ฿1,003

$30.23 ฿994

0.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.9 ฿2,526

$94.1 ฿3,092

-18.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.0 ฿2,532

$76.8 ฿2,525

0.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$465 ฿15.3K

$585 ฿19.2K

-20.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$291 ฿9,564

$389 ฿12.8K

-25.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,263 ฿41.5K

$1,487 ฿48.9K

-15.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$702 ฿23.1K

$764 ฿25.1K

-8.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,961 ฿64.5K

$2,527 ฿83.1K

-22.39%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,634 ฿53.7K

$1,445 ฿47.5K

13.15%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$465 ฿15.3K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

5.96

-6.54%

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

Last update for Surin: August 29, 2026

Last update for Pattaya: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $465 in Surin versus $585 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 $24.00 in Surin versus $36.00 in Pattaya. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $247 vs $247 – making Surin the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Surin vs Pattaya: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Pattaya costs about 16% more than Surin, with the gap driven mainly by Getting Around. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,384 per month in Surin and $1,607 in Pattaya. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Surin, 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 $923 in Surin and $1,072 in Pattaya. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $561 per month in Surin and $622 in Pattaya. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Surin, where all-in costs run around $923, than in Pattaya at $1,072. In Surin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Pattaya it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Surin costs $923 versus $1,072 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 Surin. 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.