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Surat Thani cost of living

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Nomad score 6.0/10

9.1404, 99.3241 Asia/Bangkok #1843

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Researched Updated Nov 12, 2026 Last changed Nov 14, 2026 About costs

Cost breakdown

Digital nomad: short-term stay (1-3 months). Furnished Airbnb or coliving near center, coworking, eating out ~3x/day, travel health insurance.

Expat: long-term resident (1+ years). Renting apartment in center, mix of cooking and dining out, local health insurance, settled lifestyle.

Family: middle-class 4-person family. 2-3 bedroom in suburbs, groceries for 4, international school, car/transport, family health plan.

Local: budget-conscious local resident. Renting outside center, cooking at home, public transport, local phone plan.

Tourist: short-stay visitor (1-14 days). Hotel/Airbnb nightly, all meals at restaurants, taxis, sightseeing.

CategoryCost
Housing 1 2 3 4 5 6 $564 $224 $447 $149 $24
Utilities 5 6 25 27 $60 $52 $70 $47 —
Internet & Mobile 15 14 $55 $29 $40 $29 $1
Groceries 7 8 9 10 11 6 5 $73 $197 $423 $102 $4
Transportation 4 13 22 23 24 $111 $76 $214 $35 $11
Dining Out 6 4 12 $157 $166 $245 $78 $16
Leisure Activities 6 4 5 28 $117 $80 $2,456 $54 $13
Health Insurance 17 18 $63 $85 $246 — $2
Visa & Legal Fees 20 $23 $30 $92 — —
Total $1,223 $939 $4,233 $494 $71

Itemized prices

Local prices converted to the selected currency.

Housing

Apartment (1 bedroom) 1 2 6 $223.68 $209 – $253 per month
Coworking Space 21 $93.91 per month
Airbnb (1 month) 3 $564.00 $362 – $666 per month
Coliving Space — per month

Food & Dining

Coffee 4 6 $1.79 per cup
Beer 6 5 $2.40 per pint
Meal (Inexpensive) 6 5 $1.86 per meal
Fast Food Combo 12 6 $6.83 per meal
Apples 10 $1.14 per kg
Bread 11 $1.07 per loaf
Milk 6 5 $1.69 per liter
Rice 7 6 $1.16 per kg
Chicken Fillets 8 6 $2.51 per kg
Beef 9 $5.82 per kg
Wine (Mid-range) 6 5 $18.59 per bottle
Meal (Mid-range, 2 people) 6 5 $17.90 per meal
Water (1.5L bottle) 6 5 $0.42 per bottle

Transportation

Taxi Start 4 $0.60 per trip
Taxi per km 4 $0.36 per km
Monthly Transport Pass 4 6 5 $20.94 per month
Gasoline 13 6 $1.17 per liter
Ride-hailing (5km) 4 $1.79 per trip
Scooter Rental 22 23 24 $83.50 per month

Services

Mobile Plan 14 6 $11.25 per month
Internet (60 Mbps+) 15 6 $17.86 per month
Gym Membership 16 6 5 $52.18 per month
Tennis Court (Weekend) $10.70 per hour
SIM Card (Tourist, prepaid) 14 $8.92 one-time

Entertainment

Cinema Ticket 6 5 $4.47 per ticket

Clothing

Jeans 26 6 $38.47 per pair
Summer Dress $18.34 per dress
Running Shoes 6 5 $96.08 per pair

Personal Care

Haircut 5 $5.25 per visit
Laundry $1.22 per kg

Healthcare

Doctor Visit (GP) 19 5 $29.82 per visit
Pharmacy (basic meds) 5 $3.42 per purchase

About these costs

Method
Researched
Last updated
Nov 12, 2026
Last changed
Nov 14, 2026
Exchange rate
1 USD = 33.532 THB on Oct 19, 2026

Checked against the sources below and compared with similar cities. Numbers in the list point to these sources.

Compared with Hat Yai, Khon Kaen, Nakhon Ratchasima, Bangkok

  1. 108Siam Mueang Surat Thani rentals: The Garden one-bedroom 7,500 baht per month and Plus Condo 5 one-bedroom 8,500 baht (district rent band 7,450-22,900 baht)Listings
  2. PropertyHub Si Wichai Rd: Plus Condo furnished one-bedroom 7,000 baht (1-year), The Garden 8,000 bahtListings
  3. Airbnb Surat Thani entire homes, December 2026 month with monthly discounts: mainland city homes 362-666 USD (apartments 362, 478, 666; median 564); island and villa listings 750-9,301 USDListings
  4. Wikivoyage Surat Thani: tuk-tuks 10-20 baht per person, airport transfer 100 baht, lattes 60-70 and 75 baht, hotels 199-550 budget / 450-1,200 mid-range, pools 20-120 baht, Makro and Tesco Lotus in the citySecondary
  5. Livingcost Surat Thani crowdsourced basket (updated June 2026): 1BR centre 215 USD, utilities 46.5/70.3 USD, lunch 1.92, pub beer 2.43, haircut 5.25, gym 48.5, doctor 27.9, intl primary 14,108 USD per yearIndex
  6. Numbeo Surat Thani (last update May 2025, 8 contributors): meal 62.5 baht, dinner for two 600, beer 85, milk 56.8/L, water 1.5L 14, gym 1,600, cinema 150, 1BR centre 7,833/outside 5,000, mobile 376.67, broadband 577Index
  7. Makro Benjarong jasmine rice 5 kg at 195 baht (national online store; Makro branch in the city)Listings
  8. Makro chicken boneless breast 84 baht per kg (10+ kg 68)Listings
  9. Makro MENA FOOD frozen minced beef 1 kg at 195 bahtListings
  10. Makro Chinese Fuji apples, 10-piece tray 99 baht (2.6 kg)Listings
  11. Makro FARMHOUSE Royal Sandwich Bread 275 g loaf at 36 bahtListings
  12. McDonald's Thailand delivery menu: Big Mac meal set 229 bahtOfficial
  13. Caltex Thailand retail fuel board 11 Nov 2026: gasohol 95 at 39.34 baht per litre, Gold 95 at 48.81Official
  14. AIS Traveller SIM: NET SIM 88 baht 7-day data SIM, 299 baht 8-day 15 GB, 1,250 baht 30-day 300 GBOfficial
  15. True Online home fibre My Plan 500/500 Mbps from 598-599 baht per month (excl. VAT)Official
  16. Jetts Thailand Freedom membership 1,750 baht per month, unlimited clubs (national chain rate; no Jetts club in Surat Thani)Official
  17. SafetyWing Nomad Insurance Essential 62.72 USD per 4 weeks (ages 10-39)Official
  18. LUMA Thailand Hi5 indicative premiums: age 35 from 27,187 baht per year, age 30 from 22,383 (mid deductible, Sep 2026 page)Official
  19. BLEZ Clinic general consultation 1,000 baht (national private-clinic band, borrowed)Official
  20. Destination Thailand Visa: 300 GBP fee, 5 years, 180 days per entryOfficial
  21. Punspace Chiang Mai monthly membership 3,149 baht (borrowed coworking rate)Secondary
  22. X Motorbike Rentals Surat Thani: 110 cc scooters 250 baht per day, 125 cc 300 baht, larger bikes 500-800 baht (no monthly tariff published)Listings
  23. Fatboy budget scooter from 3,000 baht per month (national operator floor)Listings
  24. Mango Bikes Honda Click 125i 2,900 baht per month, Spacy 2,700Listings
  25. Thailand residential electricity 3.972 baht per kWh (March 2026, sources ERC/MEA/PEA)Index
  26. Uniqlo Thailand online store, men slim straight jeans 1,290 baht (rendered price)Listings
  27. Provincial Electricity Authority tariff page (Surat Thani electricity operator; tariff PDFs and service fees)Official
  28. Amarin Thai Massage Surat Thani city menu: traditional Thai massage 300 baht per hour, 450 for 90 minutes, 600 for two hoursShop

Change history

    • Method Generated Researched
    • Airbnb (1 month) 305.64 564
    • Apartment (1 bedroom) 152.82 223.68
    • Apples 3.06 1.14
    • Beef 9.17 5.82
    • Beer 1.83 2.4
    37 more changes
    • Bread 1.22 1.07
    • Chicken Fillets 3.67 2.51
    • Cinema Ticket 5.5 4.47
    • Coffee 1.53 1.79
    • Coliving Space 244.51 not set
    • Coworking Space 106.97 93.91
    • Dining Out local 30.56, nomad 366.77, expat 61.13, family 91.69, tourist 24.45 local 77.61, nomad 156.55, expat 166.42, family 244.6, tourist 15.8
    • Doctor Visit (GP) 15.28 29.82
    • Fast Food Combo 4.89 6.83
    • Gasoline 1.22 1.17
    • Groceries local 152.82, nomad 61.13, expat 183.38, family 366.77, tourist 6.11 local 102.45, nomad 72.74, expat 196.83, family 423.48, tourist 3.82
    • Gym Membership 24.45 52.18
    • Haircut 4.58 5.25
    • Health Insurance local 15.28, nomad 76.41, expat 91.69, family 244.51, tourist 1.53 local 0, nomad 62.72, expat 85.13, family 246.34, tourist 2.24
    • Housing local 122.26, nomad 366.77, expat 244.51, family 458.46, tourist 36.68 local 149.11, nomad 564, expat 223.68, family 447.36, tourist 23.86
    • Internet & Mobile local 15.28, nomad 122.26, expat 45.85, family 67.24, tourist 3.06 local 29.11, nomad 55.14, family 40.36, tourist 1.12
    • Internet (60 Mbps+) 18.34 17.86
    • Jeans 30.56 38.47
    • Leisure Activities local 15.28, nomad 91.69, expat 76.41, family 91.69 local 53.75, nomad 116.96, expat 79.92, family 2455.72, tourist 12.6
    • Meal (Inexpensive) 1.53 1.86
    • Meal (Mid-range, 2 people) 21.39 17.9
    • Milk 1.68 1.69
    • Mobile Plan 7.64 11.25
    • Monthly Transport Pass 18.34 20.94
    • Pharmacy (basic meds) 2.45 3.42
    • Rice 0.92 1.16
    • Ride-hailing (5km) 3.06 1.79
    • Running Shoes 76.41 96.08
    • SIM Card (Tourist, prepaid) 7.64 8.92
    • Scooter Rental 7.64 83.5
    • Taxi Start 1.07 0.6
    • Taxi per km 0.31 0.36
    • Transportation local 45.85, nomad 122.26, expat 91.69, family 152.82, tourist 9.17 local 34.6, nomad 110.94, expat 76.32, family 213.78, tourist 10.59
    • Utilities local 30.56, nomad 61.13, expat 45.85, family 76.41, tourist 0 local 46.5, nomad 59.53, expat 52.43, family 70.3, tourist 0
    • Visa & Legal Fees local 0, nomad 45.85, expat 61.13, family 702.97 local 0, nomad 22.92, expat 30, family 91.68
    • Water (1.5L bottle) 0.31 0.42
    • Wine (Mid-range) 15.28 18.59

    Apartment (1 bedroom) range, Monthly Transport Pass, Groceries, Transportation, Dining Out and Leisure Activities recomputed exactly at 33.532 baht per US dollar, with massages priced at the city shop rate of 300 baht per hour Source

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