What Does A THB50,000 (US$1,350) Monthly Budget Get You in Hua Hin?

Hua Hin is one of the most popular places to retire in Thailand. It’s known for being a laid-back beach city but still offers some modern conveniences. 

Life in Hua Hin moves at a slower pace but does offer things to do both during the day and night. 

In this guide, you are going to find out everything you need to know about living in Hua Hin, including the lifestyle you can get, food you can eat, where you can live, and things you can do here on a monthly budget of THB50,000 a month (US$1,350 or EUR1,520). 

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About Hua Hin

Hua Hin is a small and quiet beach town in Prachuap Khiri Khan province. 

It’s also the gateway to southern Thailand and around three hours away from Bangkok by car. 

Since Hua Hin is known for its beaches, peaceful atmosphere, good weather, and close proximity to Bangkok, King Rama IX had a vacation home there that he frequently visited. 

For decades, it’s also been a popular beach destination with Thais looking for a weekend getaway. In fact, many Thais buy vacation homes in Hua Hin. 

But Hua Hin is growing from a small and quiet beach town to a destination for expats who want to retire or raise families in Thailand — and you can see why. 

Quality of Life

Hua Hin offers convenience and a good mix of Thai and Western lifestyles. 

Life in Hua Hin almost always moves at a slower pace. You can wake up early and enjoy a morning walk on the beach while watching the sunrise, play a round of golf in the afternoon, and have a few drinks with friends at night.  

But you still get access to malls, hospitals, groceries stores, restaurants, and more. 

Since Hua Hin is rather small, it’s possible to get to these places by walking if you live in the center of the city. 

And if you have children, there are many daycares, schools, and kid-friendly activities. 

Since many expats live in Hua Hin, there is lots of Western food, services, and activities. You’ll be able to find your community and blend right in. 

As for public transportation, it’s easy to get around with songthaews (modified pickup trucks), mini-buses, tuk-tuks, vans, and more. 

The main downside to Hua Hin is the traffic, which can be heavy on weekends and holidays but nothing like Bangkok. Malls and restaurants are also packed on weekends. 

Cost of Living

The cost of living in Hua Hin is slightly high by Thai standards but affordable to many expats. 

To put it simply, it’s cheaper to live in Hua Hin than Koh Samui or Phuket, with food, rent, and transportation all being less expensive. 

But it’s important to note that there’s a big price difference in Hua Hin between the tourist areas and where locals live. A good rule of thumb is this: The closer you live to the beach, the more expensive life will be. 

For example, eating pad Thai at Casa di Laciana al mare cost more than THB200, but the same dish costs only THB50 at Pad Thai Petchaburi.

This is also true for accommodations. It costs only a few thousand Thai Baht per month to stay at Kwanchanok Apartment. 

On the other hand, a 45 sqm room at InterContinental Residences Hua Hin, a beachside condo in the city, costs you THB42,000 a month.

This means that Hua Hin has something for everyone. If you are on budget, it’s possible to stay here for less than THB25,000 a month. 

But to live in Hua Hin comfortably, you should have at least THB40,000 a month to spend. Many expat couples without kids live here with a monthly budget of THB50,000 to THB70,000.

Related article: Cost of Living in Thailand as an Expat: How Much Do You Need Per Month?

Rent

Being a popular travel destination, Hua Hin offers plenty of quality yet affordable accommodations. 

For example, a fully furnished two- to three-bedroom pool villa in Hua Hin goes for just THB25,000 a month. 

In fact, there are many pool villas in Hua Hin scattered throughout the city for both short-term and long-term stays. If you don’t like pool villas, garden villas or traditional houses are also available. 

While costs depend on location, size, and how modern the house is, you should expect to pay between THB20,000 to THB40,000 a month to rent a villa in Hua Hin. 

But villas in Hua Hin are usually five to 10 minutes away from the beach by car. So if you want to live closer to the beach, you have to rent or buy a condo instead. 

If you rent a condo at InterContinental Residences Hua Hin for THB42,000 per month, you’ll get the feeling that you’re living in a resort. Plus it’s conveniently located inside the city center opposite of Market Village Hua Hin, which is the biggest mall here.

If you have a lower budget but still want to live near the beach, you can check out The Crest Santora Hua Hin, La Casita Hua Hin, and Mykonos Condo. These places run between THB15,000 to THB25,000 a month. 

Keep in mind that less expensive accommodations are further from the beach. 

If you prefer to stay in a quiet area, you should stay away from popular tourist areas or Hua Hin’s famous water parks. Otherwise, you might hear the sound of people partying all night and children having fun at the water park. 

Not sure where in Hua Hin to stay? Find a short-term rental and stay there for a week to get a better idea of the area before you commit to signing a long-term lease. 

Food

Since Hua Hin has a good mix of cultures, there are plenty of beachside restaurants, bars, five-star hotels, and street food shops to eat at. 

And Hua Hin has more than just Thai food. You also have a lot of options for Western meals. As I mentioned earlier, there’s a large expat community in Hua Hin. 

In addition to that, there are many outdoor and night markets in Hua Hin, making it easy to find food at all times of the day and night. 

Cicada Market and Tamarind Market are popular choices for expats living here. They are weekend night markets with tons of food and local products available. 

For something more local, you can check out Hua Hin Night Market, Baan Khun Por, and Saphan Pla Night Market.

Or you can find something to eat from Hua Hin Market Village and Blueport Hua Hin. They are going to be your go-to shopping malls in the city.

When it comes to groceries, you can buy from places such as Tesco, Big C, and Villa Market — all found throughout Hua Hin. 

Food prices in Hua Hin are cheaper than touristy places like Koh Samui or Phuket. 

You should expect to pay around THB50 to THB80 for street food or at a local shop and THB300 to THB500 per meal at a Western restaurant. 

Transportation

You’ll have no problem getting around Hua Hin. Depending on where you live, it’s possible to live in Hua Hin and rely solely on public transportation.

Since it’s a small, yet popular tourist town, there are songthaews, which are modified pickup trucks, that run through most parts of the city, especially along Phet Kasem Road. 

These songthaews operate from early morning until late night and cost about THB10 to THB20 per trip. Ride-hailing apps such as Grab and Bolt also work in Hua Hin. 

Or you can take a tuk-tuk starting at THB100 per trip. It’s a more expensive option because they mainly target tourists and expats. 

Still, having your own vehicle is the best way to get around. There are many scooter rental shops in Hua Hin that rent scooters for about THB2,500 a month. 

If you need your own vehicle but are on a budget, you can get a good deal if you buy a used scooter from an expat who’s about to leave Hua Hin. But make sure you or a mechanic you trust inspects the scooter thoroughly before you buy it. 

Also, it’s easy to travel to other cities from Hua Hin. You can take a bus or train to many major cities in Thailand, including Bangkok, Phuket, Chiang Mai, and more.

There’s also a bus that runs from Hua Hin right to Suvarnabhumi Airport, which is convenient if you fly often.  

Hua Hin also has its own airport. But right now flights are limited only to Chiang Mai. 

Healthcare

Hua Hin also offers quality healthcare. The two most popular hospitals for expats are Bangkok Hospital Hua Hin and San Paolo Hospital. Both are private hospitals with English-speaking staff. 

Bangkok Hospital Hua Hin is a branch of Bangkok Hospital, which is one of the leading hospital chains in Thailand. The quality of treatment and doctors is comparable to those found at private hospitals in Bangkok.

However, private hospitals in Hua Hin can be a bit pricey. You should expect to pay around THB2,000 to THB3,000 per visit. 

For a less expensive option, you can visit San Paolo Hospital. But since it’s smaller, waiting times can be longer. And the services and facilities may not be on par with Bangkok Hospital Hua Hin. 

You can buy a mid-tier health insurance plan to have your hospitalization expenses from these hospitals covered in full. It costs about THB3,500 a month if you are 40 years old. 

Read more: Health Insurance in Thailand: What You Need to Know as an Expat

Pharmacies, clinics, and dentists can be found throughout Hua Hin. Most of the staff at these places can speak English well. 

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It’s also good to know that Hua Hin has a lot of nursing homes and elderly care services. Most of them cater to retirees who want to spend the rest of their lives in Thailand.

Social Life

Since Hua Hin has a large expat community, it’s easy to meet new people, especially other retirees and expat families. 

You can find groups of expats hanging out at coffee shops throughout the city and along the beaches. In fact, almost every Friday a group of expats (some with families) meet at Mod Beach Bar and Restaurant to enjoy dinner and drinks on the beach. 

In addition, there are many Facebook groups for expats in Hua Hin. Some have over 20,000 members. 

And group members regularly post social events, from rugby clubs to spinning classes to cultural exchanges. So, it’s easy to blend it and meet new people while in Hua Hin.

However, there are three points to consider:

• Retirees make up the largest expat community in Hua Hin. 
• The community for expat families is growing. 
• The size of the expat community is smaller than those found in Bangkok, Phuket, Pattaya, and Chiang Mai. 

Activities 

While Hua Hin is known as a quiet town, there are still many activities available here.

• Beaches: When living in Hua Hin, you can enjoy walking along the beach every day. You can also ride horses. But if you prefer a quiet beach, you can go to Sam Roi Yot beach. It’s about a 40-minute drive from Hua Hin. 
• Coffee shops: If you are a coffee drinker, you will find nice coffee shops throughout the city. 
• Elephant observation: You can drive 40 minutes to the Elephant Observatory Site in Kui Buri National Park and enjoy watching wild elephants. It’s a lesser-known spot for many elephant-watching enthusiasts. 
• Golf: If you’re a golfer, Hua Hin is paradise. There are more than five golf courses all within a 20-minute drive from Hua Hin. 
• Hiking: There are many mountains near Hua Hin for hiking, including Khao Hin Lek Fai (be careful of monkeys), Khao Sam Roi Yot National Park, and Phra Pratun Cave.  
• Kitesurfing: Hua Hin has a good environment for kitesurfing. You can kitesurf almost all throughout the year. There are also many kitesurfing schools. 
• Muay Thai: There are many Muay Thai gyms in Hua Hin where you can train, such as Sitjaopho, King of Muay Thai Gym, Hin Lek Fai Gym, Pro Muay Thai Hua Hin, and many more.
• Nightout: There are many night markets, bars, and clubs in Hua Hin. 
• Water parks: Since Hua Hin is a popular weekend getaway for Thai families, there are a lot of water parks in the area, including Black Mountain Water Park and Vana Nava Water Jungle. 
• Movie theaters: There are two cinemas, including Major Cineplex Hua Hin and Blueport Cineplex. 
• Yoga: Hua Hin is a top destination for Yoga retreats in Thailand. In fact, one of our writers fell in love with Hua Hin after joining a Yoga retreat here.
• Zoos: You can find a few zoos here, including Hua Hin Zoo, Hua Hin Safari and Adventure Park, and Huai Sai Wildlife Breeding Center. 

Beaches

While Hua Hin beaches aren’t as beautiful as those in the south of Thailand in places like Phuket, Krabi, or Koh Samui, they are quieter and more relaxed. 

You can find many horses on Hua Hin beaches. In fact, horse riding along the beach is one of the most popular activities. 

But because horse riding is popular, you should also be careful of horse dung while walking or swimming.

In addition to that, it can be a challenge to find a parking spot since beachside areas are mainly occupied by hotels and resorts. 

For the cleanest beaches near Hua Hin, you can check out Takiab Beach or Cha-Am Beach. 

Education and Family Life

Hua Hin is a great place to raise a family. 

In fact, the city is becoming more popular with expat families. For example, there’s a Parent of Hua Hin Facebook group for families in Hua Hin to network and share ideas. The group has thousands of members. 

There are many reasons that make Hua Hin a good place for raising a family:

• There are many kindergartens, bilingual schools, and international schools in Hua Hin, including Pratthana Kindergarten and Nursery, Beaconhouse Yamsaard School Hua Hin, Da Vinci International School, Hua Hin International School, and more. 
• School fees in Hua Hin are similar to other cities. The starting tuition fee for a bilingual school is THB120,000 per year and THB500,000 per year for an international school. 
• You have plenty of options for family-friendly activities, such as water parks, zoos, dance classes, sports clubs, swimming pools, and more. 
• It’s easy to find an English-speaking nanny.
• Hua Hin is a safe place to live and has a low crime rate. It’s safe to walk alone at night, even though you should always exercise safety precautions. 

Job Opportunities

Job opportunities in Hua Hin are still limited. Most of the jobs available are from bilingual schools, international schools, and hotels. 

Also, some expats can find work teaching how to kitesurf or do yoga. 

Nightlife

Nightlife activities in Hua Hin are more laid back than other popular beach cities and mostly revolve around walking the night markets, enjoying drinks, or having a nice dinner. 

Many retirees and families eat and drink in these places. Many clubs and bars in Hua Hin are located on Soi 80, 88, 94, 102, and more. 

While Hua Hin has a red-light district, it’s smaller and isn’t as hardcore as Pattaya. 

Community

Since Hua Hin is a convenient yet laid-back beach city, has good healthcare and great weather and many retirees, people from Scandinavian countries tend to choose Hua Hin as their destination.

In 2023, Forbes even listed Hua Hin as one of the greatest places in the world to retire. 

So, you will find a large retirement community here. In addition, more families are moving to Hua Hin. And some digital nomads make Hua Hin their temporary homebase. 

Nursing Homes

It’s also good to know that there are many nursing homes in Hua Hin. They have assisted living services and also partner with local hospitals who send nurses to perform regular health checkups. 

They can also offer airport pickup from Suvarnabhumi Airport in Bangkok. 

Weather and Air Quality

The overall weather in Hua Hin is generally mild. It doesn’t rain a lot like in the south of Thailand and is not as hot as many parts of western Thailand. The city has an average temperature of 25 degrees Celsius at night and 32 degrees Celsius during the day.

But temperatures could be slightly lower or higher depending on the season.

Also, Hua Hin is quite windy most of the time, making the air quality somewhat better than other provinces during the burning season from January to March. 

Still, Hua Hin has some air quality problems during this time. But it’s still better than the north of Thailand.   

Popular Neighborhoods

If you want to live in Hua Hin, here are three popular areas to check out.

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• Central Hua Hin: Convenient to live here because shops, restaurants, bars, beaches, malls, and more are all within walking distance, especially if you live near Market Village Hua Hin. You can also find a lot of good condos and villas in this area. But the living cost is among the highest and the beach isn’t that great. 
• Takiab Beach: Slightly south of Hua Hin, this area is quieter than central Hua Hin and has a better beach. Beachside properties are also more affordable. Many retirees from Europe chose to live here. 
• West Hua Hin: Since it’s 10 to 15 minutes away from the beach, land prices in west Huan Hin are still affordable. There are many villas in west Hua Hin too. But the infrastructure isn’t as good as that in the beach areas. 

Lifestyle with a THB50,000 Monthly Budget

With a monthly budget of THB50,000 (US$1,350 or EUR1,520), you can live comfortably in Hua Hin. Here’s the lifestyle you’d get. 

• You can rent a 50 sqm room in a modern condo located inside the city in a place like La Casita Hua Hin. This is only a 10 minute walk to many of the facilities you’d need for daily life, including convenient stores, Bangkok Hospital, Market Village, Blueport, night markets, beaches, and restaurants.
• You don’t have to cook your own food unless you want to and can enjoy a mix of food from local shops, street food, or Western and Thai restaurants. 
• You can drink or party once or twice a week. 
• You can rent or buy a used scooter to get around. 
• You can buy a mid-tier health insurance plan from Luma Health that covers your hospitalization in full at private hospitals in Hua Hin.
• You can hire a maid to clean your place once or twice per week. 
• You have THB5,000 left over. You can use it to travel to other cities, train Muay Thai, or play golf. 

Here’s a cost breakdown: 

Expense	Cost (Baht)
Rent	18,000
Food	12,500
Transportation	3,500
Health	3,500
Utilities*	3,000
Social Activities	2,000
Visa*	500
Travel*	5,000
Misc*	2,000
Total	50,000

*These expenses are the same no matter where you live in Thailand.

Trade-offs

• If you want to rent a villa, you should add THB15,000 to your rent budget because costs in Hua Hin are around THB30,000 a month. 
• If you want to stay in a beachside condo in Hua Hin’s city area, you need to have THB30,000 more for your rent budget. These condos typically cost around THB55,000 a month. 
• If you are older than 60, your health insurance is going to be more expensive too. So you should have at least THB5,000 more for your health budget. 
• If you want to buy a car, you need to find a cheaper place to rent, eat local food more often, and decrease your travel budget.
• If you have school-aged children, you should have a starting monthly budget of THB100,000. With this, you can send your kid to study at a bilingual school with a tuition of THB100,000 a year. 
• However, if you want your kid to study at a Hua Hin international school with a tuition of THB500,000 a year, you should have a THB150,000 monthly budget.

Should You Live in Hua Hin? 

Here’s a quick list of pros and cons to help you decide whether or not you should live in Hua Hin.

Pros

• A laid-back beach town but still offers access to modern conveniences and nightlife.
• Cheaper to live here than other popular beach cities like Phuket, Koh Samui, and Pattaya.
• Quality accommodations for all budgets. 
• Plenty of food, from local to international cuisine. 
• Good place to raise a family because of schools and family-friendly activities.
• Easy to get around, even if you don’t have your own car.
• Easy to go to other nearby provinces by bus or train.
• World-class golf courses.

Cons

• The town can be too sleepy, especially on weekdays.
• Tourist crowds during weekends. 
• Some housing estates can be too noisy. 
• Lack of city life.
• Heavy traffic during long holidays. 
• Monkeys on some mountains.

Cheaper Alternatives

If you have a budget of less than THB50,000 a month, you can live in Hua Hin by making the following adjustments.

• Instead of eating at touristy places, eat at local shops to significantly decrease your food costs.
• You can rent a condo that’s slightly further from Market Village Hua Hin or from the beach. There are many studio condos available that cost below THB10,000 a month. 
• Pak Nam Pran is about 30 km south of Hua Hin. It’s a quiet area with a peaceful environment but still comfortable. You can find foods, activities, and expat communities there. 
• Cha-am is on the north of Hua Hin. The cost of living here is slightly cheaper than Hua Hin but comes with better beaches and is known for affordable seafood among locals. But facilities aren’t as great as those in Hua Hin. 

Hua Hin Vs. Other Beach Cities 

If you are still deciding whether Hua Hin is the right beach city for you, in this section we’ll do a quick comparison between Hua Hin and other popular beach cities in Thailand.

• Hua Hin vs. Phuket: Phuket is way busier than Hua Hin with more things to do. It’s also more expensive to live in Phuket than Hua Hin. So, it’s good for those who want to have an active lifestyle. 
• Hua Hin vs. Pattaya: Pattaya is busier than Hua Hin and offers a better city life and healthcare, and it’s good for those who want to party at night. 
• Hua Hin vs. Koh Samui: Both places offer a similar lifestyle. But it’s cheaper and more convenient to live in Hua Hin than Koh Samui. On the other hand, Koh Samui has better beaches. 

Now, on to You

I hope this guide gives you a good idea on what life is like in Hua Hin. 

One last piece of advice is that before living in Hua Hin long-term, it’s a good idea to at least visit Hua Hin for a few weeks to see if you like it. By immersing yourself in the area, you’ll know if it’s too sleepy for you, how the weekend traffic is, and what it lacks compared to other cities. 

If possible, come here in March or April, which are the hottest months in Hua Hin, and experience the heat yourself. 

During this time, it’ll also be easy to find short-term accommodations in Hua Hin. And if you like it, you can extend your lease or find long-term housing.