Cost of Living in Thailand 2026: Official Regional Figures
Three official Thai sources describe what life costs. The National Statistical Office publishes what households in each region earn and spend. The Trade Policy and Strategy Office at the Ministry of Commerce publishes the Consumer Price Index every month. The Wage Committee sets a daily minimum wage for each province. This guide brings the three together, and adds the amounts of money that Thai visas ask newcomers to show. Every figure was read in those sources on 14 October 2026. Amounts are in Thai baht unless stated.
Quick answer
The average household in Thailand spent 22,282 baht a month in 2024, and the average household in Greater Bangkok spent 30,464 baht. Average monthly household income in 2023 was 29,030 baht nationally and 39,087 baht in Greater Bangkok. Consumer prices in September 2026 were 2.82% higher than a year earlier. The daily minimum wage runs from 337 baht to 400 baht, with 400 baht in Bangkok.
What households earn and spend, region by region
The figures come from Table 8.1 of the Statistical Yearbook Thailand 2025, which draws on the National Statistical Office's Household Socio-Economic Survey. They are monthly averages per household, in baht.
| Region | Average income, 2023 | Average expenditure, 2023 | Average expenditure, 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Whole Kingdom | 29,030 | 23,695 | 22,282 |
| Greater Bangkok | 39,087 | 32,096 | 30,464 |
| Central Region | 30,200 | 24,635 | 23,047 |
| Southern Region | 28,532 | 23,263 | 21,429 |
| Northern Region | 24,040 | 18,961 | 17,748 |
| Northeastern Region | 22,524 | 18,676 | 17,829 |
Greater Bangkok in this table means Bangkok together with Nonthaburi, Pathum Thani and Samut Prakan.
How to read the table:
- Households spend the most in the capital region. Households in Greater Bangkok spent 30,464 baht a month in 2024. In the Northern Region the figure was 17,748 baht.
- Incomes follow the same order at the top. Greater Bangkok had the highest average income in 2023 at 39,087 baht, and the Northeastern Region the lowest at 22,524 baht.
- The years differ by column. The survey collects income every second year and expenditure every year, so the latest income figure is for 2023 and the latest expenditure figure is for 2024.
- These are household averages. A single newcomer or a large family will differ, and the survey describes resident households.
How the figures have moved
| Region | Income, 2021 | Income, 2023 | Change printed in the table | Expenditure change, 2023 to 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Whole Kingdom | 27,352 | 29,030 | 6.1 percent | -6.0 percent |
| Greater Bangkok | 39,047 | 39,087 | 0.1 percent | -5.1 percent |
| Central Region | 28,166 | 30,200 | 7.2 percent | -6.4 percent |
| Northern Region | 20,995 | 24,040 | 14.5 percent | -6.4 percent |
| Northeastern Region | 21,587 | 22,524 | 4.3 percent | -4.5 percent |
| Southern Region | 26,621 | 28,532 | 7.2 percent | -7.9 percent |
The table records lower average household expenditure in 2024 than in 2023 in every region.
Prices in 2026
The Trade Policy and Strategy Office publishes the general Consumer Price Index for Thailand, with 2023 as the base year. The series ran to September 2026 when we read it, and was last updated on 6 October 2026.
| Month, 2026 | Index (2023 = 100) | Change over a year |
|---|---|---|
| January | 99.91 | -0.66% |
| February | 99.67 | -0.88% |
| March | 100.27 | -0.08% |
| April | 103.03 | 2.89% |
| May | 103.20 | 2.79% |
| June | 102.85 | 2.42% |
| July | 102.10 | 1.95% |
| August | 102.67 | 2.53% |
| September | 102.93 | 2.82% |
Prices were lower than a year earlier in the first three months of 2026, and have been between 1.95% and 2.89% higher in each month since April.
Which categories are rising
| Category | Change over a year, September 2026 |
|---|---|
| Transport and communication | 8.01% |
| Food and non-alcoholic beverages | 3.07% |
| Recreation, reading, education and religion | 1.38% |
| Medical and personal care | 0.81% |
| Tobacco and alcoholic beverages | 0.01% |
| Apparel and footwear | -0.43% |
| Housing | -1.10% |
Category names are our translation of the Thai headings.
The minimum wage
Thailand sets its minimum wage by the day and by province. The rates below come from the Wage Committee's Notification No. 14, which took effect on 1 July 2025 and is the latest listed on the Ministry of Labour's minimum wage page.
| Daily rate | Where it applies |
|---|---|
| 400 baht | Bangkok, Chachoengsao, Chonburi, Phuket, Rayong and Koh Samui District in Surat Thani |
| 380 baht | Mueang Chiang Mai District in Chiang Mai, and Hat Yai District in Songkhla |
| 372 baht | Nakhon Pathom, Nonthaburi, Pathum Thani, Samut Prakan and Samut Sakhon |
| 357 baht | Khon Kaen, the rest of Chiang Mai, Prachin Buri, Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya and Saraburi |
| 354 baht | Krabi and Trat |
| 352 baht | Chiang Rai, Phang Nga, the rest of Songkhla and Surat Thani, and eleven other provinces |
| 337 baht | Narathiwat, Pattani and Yala |
- The 400-baht rate also applies nationwide to hotels in categories 2, 3 and 4 and to service establishment businesses.
- A "day" means the employee's normal working hours, which do not exceed eight hours, or seven hours for work that may be hazardous to health and safety.
- The notification lists seventeen rates in all. The table above shows a selection.
Money that Thai visas ask you to show
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs' Thai e-Visa website sets financial evidence for each visa purpose. They are a guide to the funds each kind of newcomer has to document.
| Visa purpose | Financial evidence |
|---|---|
| Tourism | No less than 20,000 THB |
| Employment (Non-Immigrant B) | No less than 30,000 THB |
| Staying with Thai family for more than 60 days | Monthly income of no less than 40,000 THB, or a current balance of 400,000 THB |
| Retirement, aged 50 or older (Non-Immigrant O and O-A) | Monthly income of at least 65,000 THB, or a current balance of at least 800,000 THB |
| Destination Thailand Visa | Bank statements with a minimum balance of 500,000 THB or equivalent, or sponsorship letters |
| Long-stay O-X, aged 50 or older | A fixed deposit of at least 3,000,000 THB, or at least 1,800,000 THB together with an income of at least 1,200,000 THB per year, in a Thai bank |
Retirees should also budget for insurance. The O-A visa asks for health insurance with a minimum insured sum of 100,000 USD or 3,000,000 THB. The O-X visa asks for health insurance from an insurer in Thailand with an outpatient benefit of at least 40,000 THB and an inpatient benefit of at least 400,000 THB.
Tax residence
The Revenue Department defines a resident as a person residing in Thailand for more than 180 days in a calendar year. A resident is liable to tax on income from sources in Thailand and on the portion of foreign-source income that is brought into Thailand. We have not printed tax rates, because the department's English page was last updated on 21.03.2024. Confirm current rates with the Revenue Department.
How to use these numbers
- Pick your region and take its average household expenditure for 2024.
- Adjust for your household. The figure is an average across resident households of every size.
- Bring it forward with the price index. Consumer prices in September 2026 were 2.82% higher than a year earlier.
- Check the visa threshold for your route, since that is the amount you must be able to document.
What this page does not cover
We have not included rents by city, school fees, healthcare prices or utility tariffs, because we did not read them in an official source on the day of checking. The household survey describes how resident households spend. It is not a price list for a newcomer.
Frequently asked questions
What is the average cost of living in Thailand?
Average household expenditure was 22,282 baht a month in 2024 across the Whole Kingdom, according to the National Statistical Office's Household Socio-Economic Survey. It was 30,464 baht in Greater Bangkok and 17,748 baht in the Northern Region.
How much does it cost to live in Bangkok?
Households in Greater Bangkok, which includes Nonthaburi, Pathum Thani and Samut Prakan, spent an average of 30,464 baht a month in 2024, against 32,096 baht in 2023.
What is the average household income in Thailand?
29,030 baht a month in 2023, up from 27,352 baht in 2021. Greater Bangkok averaged 39,087 baht and the Northeastern Region 22,524 baht.
What is the inflation rate in Thailand?
The general Consumer Price Index was 2.82% higher in September 2026 than a year earlier, according to the Trade Policy and Strategy Office. The index stood at 102.93, with 2023 as 100.
What is the minimum wage in Thailand?
Between 337 baht and 400 baht a day, depending on the province, under the Wage Committee's Notification No. 14. The rate is 400 baht in Bangkok and 380 baht in Mueang Chiang Mai District.
Which region of Thailand is cheapest to live in?
Of the five regions in the survey, the Northern Region had the lowest average household expenditure in 2024 at 17,748 baht a month, followed by the Northeastern Region at 17,829 baht.
How much money do I need to retire in Thailand?
The retirement visas for people aged 50 or older ask for a monthly income of at least 65,000 THB or a current balance of at least 800,000 THB. The O-A visa also needs health insurance with a minimum insured sum of 100,000 USD or 3,000,000 THB.
Official sources
- National Statistical Office of Thailand — Statistical Yearbook Thailand 2025, Table 8.1
- Trade Policy and Strategy Office, Ministry of Commerce — General Consumer Price Index and rate of change: Thailand (Thai)
- Ministry of Labour of Thailand — Minimum wage rates, Wage Committee Notification No. 14
- Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Thailand, Thai e-Visa — Retirement
- Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Thailand, Thai e-Visa — Work and Business Visas
- Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Thailand, Thai e-Visa — Destination Thailand Visa (DTV)
- Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Thailand, Thai e-Visa — Staying with Family Visas
- Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Thailand, Thai e-Visa — Tourist Visas
- The Revenue Department of Thailand — Personal Income Tax
All figures verified against the official sources above on 14 October 2026. Household figures are for 2023 and 2024 and are averages across households. Information, not financial advice.