Where to live
Six towns. Six very different retirements.
Healthcare access, cost, the sea, the airport, the noise and the social scene all pull in different directions. Ten questions will narrow it to a shortlist worth a research trip.
The quiz
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Question 1 of 10
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The options
Budget figures are researched planning estimates for one person living modestly, not quotes.
| Beach | Quiet | Healthcare | Airport | Cost | Without a car | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pattaya | ||||||
| Jomtien | ||||||
| Hua Hin | ||||||
| Chiang Mai | ||||||
| Bangkok | ||||||
| Phuket |
Five dots is best for that column. “Cost” means better value, so five dots is cheaper. Ratings are our editorial judgement, not measured data.
Eastern Seaboard, Chonburi
The most practical option for most first-time retirees.
Pattaya has more retirement infrastructure than anywhere else in Thailand: three large private hospitals within a short drive, enormous condo stock at every price point, western food when you want it, and a two-hour road link to Bangkok. Its reputation is loud, but most retirees live in the quieter districts and barely go near it.
Estimated monthly budget: ฿45,000 – ฿70,000
South Pattaya
Pattaya's quieter beachfront, and where a lot of retirees actually live.
A long, flat beach road south of the main city with a large and settled long-stay population. Jomtien is calmer than central Pattaya, cheaper per square metre in most buildings, and still only ten to fifteen minutes from the big hospitals and shopping centres.
Estimated monthly budget: ฿42,000 – ฿65,000
Prachuap Khiri Khan
Calmer, greener, more couples, more golf.
A long-standing Thai royal seaside town roughly three hours south of Bangkok. Hua Hin attracts an older, quieter and more couple-heavy expat population than Pattaya, with excellent golf and a gentler pace — at the cost of a smaller social scene and a longer airport run.
Estimated monthly budget: ฿45,000 – ฿72,000
Northern Thailand
Cheapest of the big options, and the most culture — but no sea.
A northern city with a large, long-established foreign community, excellent food, low costs, good private hospitals and a genuine cultural life. The trade-offs are no coastline and a burning season in roughly February to April when air quality falls badly.
Estimated monthly budget: ฿38,000 – ฿60,000
Central Thailand
Best healthcare and transport in the country. Also the busiest.
If medical access is your priority, Bangkok is unmatched — the top private hospitals in the region are here. It also has the country's best public transport, biggest choice of housing and everything you can think of within a short ride. It is also hot, dense and expensive by Thai standards.
Estimated monthly budget: ฿55,000 – ฿90,000
Andaman Coast
The best beaches, and the highest bills.
Thailand's largest island has genuinely world-class beaches, a good international hospital, an international airport and a very international community. It is also comfortably the most expensive of these options and it is car-dependent almost everywhere.
Estimated monthly budget: ฿60,000 – ฿95,000
Guides
where to live
A practical comparison of Pattaya and Hua Hin for retirees: cost, healthcare, social life, transport and airport access.
7 min read · Updated 1 August 2026
The How to Retire in Thailand Playbook covers visas, money, healthcare, housing and everyday life across 45 chapters, with ten downloadable checklists and planners.
