Cost of living
Build a realistic monthly budget by lifestyle tier.
Try it free →Read this first: Prachinburi is a real working province, but community-contributed price data for it is thin, with relatively few recent contributors. Rather than publish false-precision figures, the tables below give indicative ranges typical of an inexpensive, industry-influenced Eastern-Thailand province, clearly labelled as guide estimates. Confirm current asking prices — especially rent — directly for the specific area and building you choose.
Food & dining (indicative)
| Item | Indicative price | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Meal, inexpensive local restaurant / market stall | ฿45–70 | Industrial-town and market prices keep street food genuinely cheap |
| Meal for two, mid-range restaurant | ฿400–700 | Highway and riverside restaurants sit at the top of this range |
| Cappuccino / café coffee | ฿45–75 | A growing café scene, especially on the green Khao Yai fringe |
| Local draft beer (small) | ฿60–100 | Cheaper at local spots, more at restaurants and resorts |
Where people actually shop
Four real, address-verified options between the provincial capital and the Kabin Buri / 304 corridor — small-format Thai markets fill in for fresh produce and everyday staples everywhere else.
| Store | Address | What it's for |
|---|---|---|
| Big C Prachinburi | 630/1 Ratsadon Damri Rd, Na Muang, Mueang Prachinburi | Hypermarket — groceries, household goods, cinema/plaza zone; tel 037-217-500-6, daily 9am–10pm |
| Lotus's (Tesco Lotus) Prachinburi | 15/1 Moo 4, Bang Muang Mai, Mueang Prachinburi | Hypermarket in the provincial capital — cross-checked against an independent SCB bank-branch directory sited at this store |
| Lotus's (Tesco Lotus) Kabin Buri | 899 Moo 8, Mueang Kao, Kabin Buri, tel 02-635-5566 | Serves the Kabin Buri / 304 corridor — the province's deepest, cheapest worker-housing supply — independently cross-checked against an SCB bank-branch directory sited at this store |
| Makro Prachinburi | 243/6 Prachintakham Rd, Na Mueang, Mueang Prachinburi, tel 037-623-920 / 037-655-962 | Wholesale/bulk buying — confirmed directly on Makro's own branch contact page |
Housing & utilities (indicative)
Housing is the biggest swing in any Prachinburi budget. The Kabin Buri / 304 corridor is the cheapest for a modern apartment; the provincial capital costs a little more for town services and hospital proximity; suburban and northern houses cost more again. See the rental market guide for lease terms.
| Item | Indicative range | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Worker / staff apartment or studio, Kabin Buri & the 304 corridor | ฿3,000–6,000/mo | The deepest, cheapest supply in the province |
| 1-bed apartment or small condo, provincial capital | ฿4,000–12,000/mo | More for a modern building near the hospital and offices |
| 2–3 bed house, Si Maha Phot or the northern districts | ฿5,000–18,000/mo | Detached houses with parking; rented from local owners |
| Basic utilities (electricity, water, common areas) | ฿1,200–3,000/mo | Electricity dominates; higher with heavy air-con use |
Utilities: the national PEA residential electricity rate for the September–December 2026 billing period is a base tariff of ฿3.78/unit plus an Ft (fuel adjustment) charge of ฿0.1623/unit, averaging ≈฿3.95/unit before VAT — the Energy Regulatory Commission froze the Ft at this level, unchanged from May–August 2026, with actual tiered rates running roughly ฿3.25–4.42/unit by consumption band (the first 200 units for residential customers carrying no more than ฿3/unit). Water and internet costs were not found independently verifiable specifically for Prachinburi, so neither is quoted by figure here.
Transport, connectivity & everyday (indicative)
| Item | Indicative price | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol (1 litre) | ฿35–45 | A car or motorbike is a real budget line — there's no mass transit |
| Mobile plan (calls + data) | ฿300–500/mo | AIS and True (which absorbed dtac in a merger completed 1 March 2023) cover the province, plus state-owned NT |
| Home broadband (fibre, unlimited) | ฿450–800/mo | AIS Fibre, True and 3BB serve the towns and estates |
| Songthaew / short local trip | ฿10–40 | No BTS/MRT — songthaews, motorbike taxis and factory shuttles fill in |
Prachinburi has no mass transit and no airport — a motorbike or car is the practical default for almost everyone, consistent with the getting-around guide.
Why we present ranges, not single figures
Prachinburi draws a working industrial and agricultural population rather than the tourist or nomad crowds that fund granular cost-of-living coverage in Phuket or Chiang Mai, so the public datasets for it are thin. Rather than inventing a precise number to complete the picture, this guide uses honest indicative ranges and flags them clearly. As verified, Prachinburi-specific data becomes available, these tables will be updated to cite it directly.
Frequently asked
Is there reliable cost-of-living data for Prachinburi?Only partly. Community-contributed price trackers carry limited Prachinburi data, with relatively few recent contributors for a province this size, so exact figures should be treated as indicative rather than precise. This guide presents indicative ranges typical of an inexpensive, industry-influenced Eastern-Thailand province and is explicit that they are guide estimates, not a verified Prachinburi-specific benchmark. We would rather flag the uncertainty than publish a false-precision number.
How much does it cost to live in Prachinburi per month?For a single long-stayer, a realistic all-in budget is broadly in the ฿16,000–32,000/month range depending heavily on housing choice — a worker or staff apartment near Kabin Buri at the low end, a modern city-centre condo or a suburban house at the higher end — plus whether you run a car. Prachinburi runs well below Bangkok and far below the beach provinces, largely because it's a working industrial and agricultural economy rather than a tourist market.
Why is Prachinburi relatively cheap?It's a working industrial and agricultural province rather than a tourist or expat-premium market, and the large factory workforce around the 304 Industrial Park supports a deep, competitive market for cheap rooms, street food and everyday services. That combination keeps day-to-day costs low by national standards.
What's the biggest cost driver in Prachinburi?Housing and whether you need a car. Rents swing widely between a cheap worker apartment and a modern condo or suburban house, and with no mass transit and no airport, anyone living here will spend real money on a motorbike or car and fuel.
How does Prachinburi compare to Bangkok for cost of living?Directionally, Prachinburi is much cheaper than Bangkok across housing, food and daily costs — it has a smaller, industrial economy, no tourist or expat-premium pricing, and a factory-driven rental market. We present this as directional rather than a precise percentage, since verified side-by-side Prachinburi data is thin.
Where do people actually shop for groceries in Prachinburi?Big C and Lotus's (Tesco Lotus) both run full hypermarkets in the provincial capital, Makro serves bulk/wholesale buying from its Na Mueang branch, and a second Lotus's in Kabin Buri covers the 304 Industrial Park corridor directly — useful given that's also the province's cheapest, deepest worker-housing supply. Small-format Thai markets and mom-and-pop shops fill in for fresh produce and everyday staples in every district beyond those four anchors.
Considering Prachinburi for your relocation?
BAANLYY can connect you with vetted local agents who know the province's real rental market.
Sources & References
- Prachinburi province — Wikipedia
- Cost of Living in Thailand — Numbeo
- Big C Prachinburi — Big C Supercenter's own store page (corporate.bigc.co.th)
- Makro's own Prachinburi branch contact page (makro.co.th)
- Lotus's Prachinburi and Lotus's Kabin Buri — SCB bank-branch directories sited at each store (cross-checked)
- True Corporation — dtac amalgamation (investor.true.th)
- CapSolar — Thailand residential electricity rate 2026 (ERC Sep–Dec Ft resolution)
- National Statistical Office, Thailand
- Tourism Authority of Thailand
Primary and official sources are cited above. Government rules, fees and procedures in Thailand change over time and vary by office; always confirm current requirements with the relevant authority before relying on them. BAANLYY never takes paid placement in editorial content.
Founder of BAANLYY · International real estate broker, investor & relocation specialist
Last updated 11 September 2026 · Last reviewed 11 September 2026