Cost of Living Comparison Between Yala and Bangkok Cost of Living Comparison Between Yala and Bangkok

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $895 in Yala versus $1,030 in Bangkok.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,453 in Yala versus $1,738 in Bangkok.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,011 in Yala versus $2,446 in Bangkok.

Living in Yala costs roughly 13% less than in Bangkok, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Yala 33% lower, Bangkok 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.51 ฿49.26

$3.04 ฿98.9

-50.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.44 ฿894

$31.35 ฿1,021

-12.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.14 ฿200

$5.99 ฿195

2.50%

Cappuccino

$2.02 ฿65.6

$2.48 ฿80.9

-18.55%

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

$0.55 ฿17.80

$0.72 ฿23.33

-23.61%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.21 ฿6.87

$0.29 ฿9.53

-27.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.50 ฿81.4

$2.52 ฿82.2

-0.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.68 ฿120

$3.96 ฿129

-7.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 ฿54.6

$1.86 ฿60.7

-9.68%

White Bread (500g)

$1.34 ฿43.59

$1.39 ฿45.41

-3.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 ฿43.06

$1.41 ฿46.04

-6.38%

Eggs

$2.23 ฿72.5

$2.24 ฿73.0

-0.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.63 ฿607

$18.21 ฿593

2.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.01 ฿98.0

$3.09 ฿101

-2.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.61 ฿346

$9.64 ฿314

10.06%

Apples (1kg)

$3.12 ฿102

$3.39 ฿110

-7.96%

Banana (1kg)

$1.24 ฿40.52

$1.77 ฿57.8

-29.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.88 ฿61.4

$2.30 ฿74.9

-18.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.9

$1.86 ฿60.6

-14.52%

Potato (1kg)

$1.46 ฿47.42

$1.65 ฿53.7

-11.52%

Onion (1kg)

$1.24 ฿40.48

$1.50 ฿48.82

-17.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.97 ฿31.64

$1.35 ฿44.09

-28.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.71

$0.49 ฿15.91

4.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.39 ฿143

$4.24 ฿138

3.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.04 ฿523

$15.14 ฿493

5.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 ฿56.0

$1.87 ฿60.9

-8.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 ฿90.0

$3.30 ฿107

-16.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.64 ฿20.87

$1.25 ฿40.69

-48.80%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$36.61 ฿1,192

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.07 ฿34.82

$1.10 ฿35.98

-2.73%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.14 ฿37.04

$1.19 ฿38.78

-4.20%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.07 ฿198

$6.29 ฿205

-3.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.06 ฿34.61

$1.20 ฿39.13

-11.67%

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

$27.8K ฿904.0K

$36.3K ฿1.2M

-23.52%

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

$27.1K ฿883.0K

$28.9K ฿942.3K

-6.30%

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

$76.2 ฿2,483

$88.8 ฿2,893

-14.18%

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

$12.45 ฿405

$12.72 ฿414

-2.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.30 ฿596

$17.43 ฿568

4.99%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.51 ฿1,580

$53.1 ฿1,728

-8.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.14 ฿395

$10.58 ฿345

14.74%

Cinema Ticket

$7.07 ฿230

$7.62 ฿248

-7.22%

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

$294 ฿9,568

$604 ฿19.7K

-51.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,514 ฿309.9K

$13.3K ฿433.5K

-28.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$33.42 ฿1,089

$58.5 ฿1,905

-42.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.22 ฿1,115

$38.59 ฿1,257

-11.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 ฿3,279

$107 ฿3,485

-5.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.0 ฿2,313

$92.9 ฿3,027

-23.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$415 ฿13.5K

$659 ฿21.5K

-37.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$286 ฿9,322

$329 ฿10.7K

-12.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$803 ฿26.2K

$1,894 ฿61.7K

-57.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$644 ฿21.0K

$842 ฿27.4K

-23.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,912 ฿62.3K

$6,432 ฿209.5K

-70.28%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,342 ฿43.7K

$3,416 ฿111.3K

-60.70%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$750 ฿24.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.45

5.84

-6.68%

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

Last update for Yala: June 8, 2026

Last update for Bangkok: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $415 in Yala and $659 in Bangkok. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $27.00 in Yala vs $31.00 in Bangkok for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $249 vs $258 per month, with Yala cheaper across the board.

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

Yala vs Bangkok: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yala and Bangkok differ by about 15% in total monthly costs ($895 vs $1,030 including rent). Yala is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,343 in Yala and $1,545 in Bangkok to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $415 in Yala versus $659 in Bangkok. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 4% higher in Bangkok. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $895 per month in Yala versus $1,030 in Bangkok – a 15% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $895 in Yala versus $1,030 in Bangkok, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Yala but tight or insufficient in Bangkok. The gap between the two cities makes Yala the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Yala and Bangkok are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Yala gentler on the wallet – expenses run 15% less than in Bangkok. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.