Affordable Bangkok Alternatives: 5 Cities with Comparable Lifestyles

Are there any provinces in Thailand that provide a similar lifestyle to that which you’d get in Bangkok, but at a cheaper price? Of course there is, but consider these three things:

• First: There are no other cities in Thailand like Bangkok. There’s always things going on in Bangkok. You can find food anytime of the day or night and get around easily on the BTS and MRT. Shopping malls are everywhere. It’s easy to meet people. All of these perks don’t exist outside of Bangkok. 
• Second: Rent and food are the two main costs that differ. For utilities, healthcare, visas, and travel, they tend to be the same no matter where you live in Thailand. But when it comes to family related costs, such as schools, nannies, or maids, living outside of Bangkok is going to be at least 10 percent to 30 percent cheaper because of the lower wages. 
• Third: While all cities mentioned in this article have public transportation available, it’s still much more convenient to get around when you have your own transportation. For example, you can pay around THB3,500 to rent a motorcycle and fuel it up every month.

In this guide, you’re going to find out about five Bangkok alternatives. It’s cheaper to live in these places and you can still get a similar lifestyle, facilities, and amenities.

Let’s take a look. 

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Lifestyle Overview

The cost of living mentioned in this guide gets you a comfortable life in Thailand, including: 

• Renting a convenient place in the city center.
• Eating out at local restaurants or shopping malls once a day, almost every day. For other meals, you have to cook at home, eat local food, or order from a food delivery app.
• Getting a mid-tier health insurance plan that covers the full cost of hospitalizations at standard private hospitals.
• Socializing a few times a month. 
• Traveling with a THB5,000 budget around Thailand.
• Running the AC regularly while you’re home.

For more details, read our guide on what it’s like to live in Bangkok with a monthly budget of THB50,000 (US$1,350). 

Sriracha

• Only 1.5 hours away from Bangkok by car.
• Similar lifestyle as in Bangkok, but without the BTS, MRT, and extravagant nightlife.
• Beachfront condos in the city center cost just THB10,000 a month.
• Food is about 20 percent cheaper.
• Affordable seafood with nice beachfront walks. 
• Spend at least THB5,500 less per month than if you lived in Bangkok. 

Sirracha is a beach town in Chon Buri province, which is in the east of Thailand. It is only 1.5 hours from Bangkok and 30 minutes from Pattaya. 

While Sriracha is small, it’s a developed beachtown with a big Japanese community. So, many facilities, including restaurants and services, cater to the Japanese living here. 

The cost of living in Sriracha is around 20 percent cheaper than in Bangkok. 

For example, you can pay THB10,000 a month for a condo at Sriracha Condoview and get a 45-square-meter fully furnished beachfront condo that comes with everything you’d get in a Bangkok condo.  

The condo is also conveniently located in Sriracha city center. It takes only 10 to 15 minutes to walk to most facilities, including Robinson Sriracha, Phyathai Sriracha Hospital, public parks, beaches, bars, and restaurants.  

If you want to go to Central Sriracha, which is the biggest department store here, you can drive there in less than 10 minutes. 

When it comes to food, you get a combination of local food, Western food, and Japanese food in Sriracha. 

Choices of local food are similar to Bangkok but slightly cheaper and come with a bigger portion. Ingredients are also fresher, especially the seafood.

Since many Japanese people live here, there are plenty of authentic Japanese restaurants, especially at J-PARK Sriracha, a Japanese community mall. Many of them are owned by Japanese people. Food costs around THB200 to THB300 per meal. 

While Western foods are limited at the moment, you can drive 30 minutes to Pattaya and have a good Western meal there. 

Since Sriracha is a beach town, there are tons of affordable seafood restaurants. You can enjoy fresh seafood every day for less than THB300 a meal. This is a perk that you can’t find in Bangkok. 

The cost of healthcare is similar to Bangkok. You can go to Samitivej Sriracha Hospital and Phyathai Sriracha Hospital. Both are private hospitals that can handle all your health issues. 

The cost of transportation is also cheap. Sriracha is a small beach town. You can take a songthaew to get to most parts of the city for less than THB10. 

For convenience sake, you can rent a scooter for around THB3,500 per month, including fuel. Or you can use a ride-sharing app like Bolt and Grab.

As a side note, Sriracha is becoming more popular among expat families, not just for convenience. There are tons of affordable international schools, nurseries, and family activities. 

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For example, it costs only THB6,000 to THB8,000 a month for a bilingual or international nursery school  such as EQ Nursery, Cambridge International Sriracha, Promkun School, and Playhouse International Preschool. 

In conclusion, what would cost you THB50,000 a month to live in Bangkok would only cost you THB39,500 a month in Sriracha.

Chiang Rai

• The most northern city in Thailand.
• Among the cheapest places to live in Thailand.
• Condos in the city costs just THB6,000 a month.
• Large houses cost just THB8,000 a month.
• You can spend THB40 a meal if you know where to look.
• Hiking, cycling, and riding motorbikes are fun activities here.
• Becoming more popular with retirees.
• Airport is only 15 minutes away from the city.
• Air quality is poor during the burning season.
• Spend at least THB14,500 less per month than if you lived in Bangkok. 

If you want a higher quality of life at a fraction of the cost than Bangkok, you should check out Chiang Rai. 

According to the National Statistical Office of Thailand, Chiang Rai has the lowest cost of living in Thailand. Locals only spend around THB12,000 a month per family. (For Bangkok, that number is THB30,000, on average).

The cost of rent here is two to three times lower than in Bangkok.You can rent a condo in the city center of Chiang Rai for just THB6,000 to THB7,000 a month. 

But if you want to live here, it’s better to rent a house. You get more space at affordable prices. For example, it’s possible to find a three-bedroom, two-bathroom house with a big yard near the city center for just THB8,000 a month. 

When it comes to food, Chiang Rai is known for northern food, especially its khao soi, which is a yellow curry with noodles, chicken or beef, and pickled vegetables. It’s rich in taste, creamy, slightly spicy, and sour. And you can buy it for just THB40 to THB50 per bowl. 

If you don’t mind eating at local markets, you can find food for only THB35. 

Since Chiang Rai is getting more popular for retirees and tourists, you can find many Western restaurants in the city center that offer great tastes and good prices — about THB150 to THB200 per meal. 

If you eat out at Western restaurants once a day, your food budget per month is going to be around THB10,000. 

Chiang Rai is a slow-paced city. People are very welcoming and friendly. There are also tons of outdoor activities, including hiking and riding bicycles. 

Because Chiang Rai is located in the mountains, the weather is great all year round. 

Traveling from Chiang Rai to other provinces is also easy. Chiang Rai airport is only 15 minutes away from the city center, with direct flights to Phuket and Bangkok.

If you live in the city, you can take a songthaew or blue tuk-tuk to get around. Or you can just rent a motorcycle. If you’re sick, you can go to Chiang Rai Ram Hospital. It’s an affordable private hospital and your health insurance plan (if you have one) will cover everything.

The only disadvantage of Chiang Rai, like everywhere else in Thailand, is the burning season. Air quality worsens here from January to April. 

Chiang Rai, however, gets even worse. On certain days, the air quality index (AQI) can surpass 200, which is four times higher than the safety standard of 50. 

In conclusion, what would cost you THB50,000 a month to live in Bangkok would only cost you THB 35,500 a month in Chiang Rai.

Rayong

• Rayong is actually more developed than many parts of Bangkok, except there is no MRT or BTS here. 
• Hospitals, parks, beaches, shopping malls, restaurants, and more can be easily accessed within 10 to 15 minutes.
• Roads in Rayong are some of the best in Thailand.
• The city lacks public transportation. 
• Rayong is becoming more popular with expat families and retirees. 

Rayong is a province in the eastern part of Thailand next to Chon Buri, about two hours away from Bangkok. It’s an underrated province to live in because many expats only know it for Koh Samed or its industrial parks.

In fact, Rayong, especially the city, is more developed than many parts of Bangkok, except there is no BTS or MRT here. Also, expat communities can be quite small.

If you live in Rayong, the lifestyle is similar to Bangkok without the traffic. And you can easily get to the beach. 

The weather in Rayong is also slightly better than in Bangkok. While the average temperature and AQI is similar, the constant breeze off the sea, infrequent traffic, and greener spaces help improve the air quality. 

One of the best things about Rayong is that you have everything here, including beachfront condos, houses in gated communities, mountains for hiking, private hospitals, shopping malls, parks, restaurants, and more. 

A newer condo in Rayong only costs about THB8,000 a month. But the cost of food is similar to that of Bangkok. 

In addition, traffic is fair most of the time. You can drive to most places within 10 to 15 minutes. Based on my experience, roads in Rayong are among the best in Thailand. 

When you need to travel, Rayong is about 45 minutes away from U-Tapao Airport, which has direct flights to Phuket, Chiang Mai, and Koh Samui.  

I saw an increasing number of expats here. Those who have families like to rent houses in gated communities in a city area. Retirees, on the other hand, tend to rent beachside condos. 

There are three downsides to living in Rayong though:

• Public transportation can be lacking. So, you need your own car or motorcycle.
• Because it’s close to many industrial parks, sometimes the city has air quality problems. 
• Rayong is home to just a small expat community at the moment. 

In conclusion, what would cost you THB50,000 a month to live in Bangkok would only cost you THB41,500 a month in Chiang Rai.

Find out more: What Does 50,000 Thai Baht (US$1,350) A Month Get You in Rayong?

Hat Yai

• The biggest city in southern Thailand.
• Air quality is great all year around. 
• Gives the vibe of Bangkok suburbs. 
• Easy to get around in songthaews.
• Has its own airport with direct flights to Singapore and Malaysia.
• Amazing seafood at affordable prices. 
• Beaches are peaceful. 
• Rent is much lower than in Bangkok.
• Other costs are the same. 

If you want to live in a city in Thailand but want to be away from the air quality problems, Hat Yai, in Songkhla province, is an interesting choice. 

In fact, most cities in southern Thailand rarely have air quality problems unless they’re from natural disasters like wildfires. 

Being the biggest city and the main economic hub of southern Thailand, Hat Yai is the most crowded city there. But, everything is easy to access. 

Hat Yai also has everything that Bangkok has, from big shopping malls, hospitals, nice cafes, and great Western food like Daddy Holmes Burger. 

What’s nice about Hat Yai is that it’s home to plenty of affordable seafood restaurants. You can find them in many partners of the city. You can also visit many beaches near Hat Yai in just about 30 minutes, such as Samila Beach. It’s peaceful, quiet, and has many affordable seafood restaurants. 

Getting around Hat Yai is also easy because songthaews covers most parts of the city. However, having your own transportation is recommended because the city is big and spread out. 

Getting to and from places can be quite inconvenient though if you don’t have your own car or motorcycle. 

Hat Yai also has its own airport with direct flights to Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Phuket, Malaysia, and Singapore.

While there are a lot of job opportunities for teachers, schools are mainly for Thais since the expat community is still small. 

Renting a newer condo in Hat Yai costs just about THB7,500 a month. It can be cheaper if you rent a two-story townhouse, which goes for about THB5,000 a month. 

However, food prices in Hat Yai are similar to those in Bangkok.  

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The overall cost of living in Hat Yai is similar to Bangkok except the cost of rent is much lower. 

Still, there are three main disadvantages of Hat Yai: 

• It rains a lot. You can expect heavy rain most of the time, especially from November to January. Dry season only lasts four months, which is from July to October. Mold can become an issue. 
• There’s a concern for security. While Hat Yai is safe, a bombing there did occur in 2021. And there are still regular bombings in three of Thailand’s southern border provinces, which are around 120 kilometers away from Hat Yai.
• Expat communities here are still small. In addition to that, locals might not be able to speak English when compared to those from other cities in this guide. 

So, with the same lifestyle you’d live in Bangkok on THB50,000 a month, you would pay THB41,000 a month in Hat Yai.

Bangkok Suburbs 

• There are many suburbs in Bangkok, such as Lasalle, Min Buri, and Pracha Chuen, that are good to live in and much cheaper than the city center. 
• Rent can be more than 60 percent cheaper than in downtown Bangkok.
• You still get all the facilities and amenities you need. 
• Getting around is easy because of the expansion of Bangkok’s rail transportation network.
• Traffic is usually much lighter than in the city.
• It’s more relaxing with a slower pace of life.
• More expats, especially those with families, move to the Bangkok suburbs.
• Social networking and nightlife can be limited.
• You save around THB13,500 a month when living in these areas as opposed to living in Bangkok. 

Bangkok is quite big. In fact, it’s about two times bigger than New York City and around the same size as London.

So when you think of Bangkok, you might think of its concrete buildings and things going on all around night and day. 

Many expats only know Bangkok for its downtown area and never have a chance to truly explore its suburbs. 

When you do, you’ll be amazed at how life differs between downtown and the suburbs. It’s much more relaxing and the pace of life is slower. 

There are many areas where you can live in Bangkok’s suburbs. Lasalle (near MRT Si La Salle), Min Buri (near MRT Min Buri Market Station), and Pracha Chuen (near MRT Bang Son Station) are interesting options. 

You can find all the facilities you need to live here as if you are downtown Bangkok.

If you get sick, good hospitals are nearby. Restaurants, cafes, supermarkets, and malls are also plentiful. 

As Bangkok keeps expanding its railways system, many Bangkok suburbs now have either an MRT or BTS station, making it much easier to get around. Traffic is also much better and places are much less packed.

The cost of living in Bangkok suburbs is much lower than downtown. 

For example, the same condo you’d pay THB20,000 a month for in Asok is going to cost you only THB8,000. Condos also come with gyms, swimming pools, convenient stores, dry cleaners, and more. 

You get the same comfort, but at a much better price. 

The cost of food is also 10 percent to 20 percent cheaper than what you’d find in the city. 

So, you should expect to pay around THB39,500 per month for the same lifestyle you’d get in Bangkok with THB50,000. That means you’d save at least THB10,000 on food and rent every month. 

So, living in the Bangkok suburbs is a great option if you don’t have to regularly travel downtown. 

In fact, we notice more expats who live in Thailand long term moving to the suburbs of Bangkok, especially those with families. Not just for the space either. The entire quality of life is better. 

For example, with a THB20,000 budget, instead of renting a small condo downtown, you can rent a multi-bedroom house in a gated community with plenty of space for you and your kids. 

And there are tons of good schools in the suburbs.

Find out more: What Does a 50,000 Baht (US$1,350) Monthly Budget Get You in Bangkok Suburbs?

Now, on to You

In summary, Sriracha, Chiang Rai, Rayong, Hatyai, and Bangkok’s suburbs are the five cheaper alternatives to Bangkok if you’re looking for the same lifestyle that the capital city has to offer.

Note that the cost of living mentioned in this article is estimated only. Your budget may be different depending on your standards of living. 

If you live in Thailand and want to suggest other alternatives, please feel free to let us know in the comment section below.