Edition 9 September 2026
Pattaya
A basic month in Pattaya runs $924. A comfortable one runs $1,888. Both are totals for one person, all in, including rent, at the rates of 8 September 2026.
42,000 unsold units
- A basic month
- $924
- A comfortable month
- $1,888
- Visa
- Retirement, DTV
- Public transport
- None
- Air
- Clean
Who Pattaya suits, and who it does not
Choose Pattaya if you are over 50, want private healthcare within twenty minutes, and intend to rent. At THB 62,100 a month ($1,888) you get a modern one-bedroom in Jomtien or on Pratumnak, and Bangkok is a THB 148 coach ride away. At THB 30,400 ($924) you get an older studio in Nong Prue and the same hospitals.
Do not choose Pattaya if any of the following describes you.
- You are buying something you may need to sell inside five years.
- You want a walkable city rather than a resort strip.
- You are moving a family and have not looked at the map.
- You need certainty about the water, on either side of the sea wall.
- You need to work for a Thai employer or take Thai clients.
The guide gives the reason behind each one, with its figures.
Where people actually live
- Naklua and Wongamat
- Pratumnak Hill
- Jomtien
- Central Pattaya
- East Pattaya — Nong Prue, Khao Talo, Siam Country Club
- Na Jomtien and Bang Saray
- The reputation, and exactly where it is
The rest of the city
Compare Pattaya
Thailand rules
Other cities in Thailand: Chiang Mai, Hua Hin, Bangkok, Koh Samui, Phuket
Edition 9 September 2026. Every figure carries the date it was true and the source it came from. We last changed this page on 21 September 2026.