What Does THB 50,000 (US$1,350) A Month Get You in Sriracha?

Sriracha isn’t just known for its spicy sauce — it’s also an underrated beach city with a large Japanese community in Chon Buri province. 

While the city is often overlooked by expats, Sriracha is actually a great place to live. It offers a good combination between modern conveniences and a relaxed lifestyle. It’s affordable, with many food, accommodations, and international kindergartens.

In this guide, you’ll find out more about Sriracha, including the lifestyle it offers, what kind of food you are going to eat, the place you will be living, and activities you can do by living there. 

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About Sriracha

Sriracha is a beach town in Chon Buri province located 45 minutes from Pattaya and an hour and a half from Bangkok by car. 

The nickname of the city is “Little Osaka” because of how popular it is with Japanese expats and workers. Sriracha has many things that cater to the Japanese, including restaurants, hospitals, shopping malls, schools, and even a Shinto shrine. 

But there are plenty of things for other non-Japanese expats as well. Sriracha has many schools for younger children and family friendly activities for those of all ages, making it a good place to raise a family. 

Fun Fact: Sriracha is home to the famous Sriracha sauce. Although many sauces in Thailand and around the world go by that name nowadays, only the sauce distributed within Thailand made by Sriraja Panish is the original. 

Quality of Life

While Sriracha is close to Pattaya, its vibe differs from the place known as Thailand’s “Sin City.”

Pattaya is packed with tourists and expats, making things more expensive overall. It’s busy almost round the clock, too, with tons of things to do and home to some of the country’s most infamous red light districts.

But Sriracha is more chill and affordable. While you have less things to do, it’s a convenient place to live. The city has local shops, restaurants, grocery stores, markets, malls, hospitals, daycare centers, and schools, all within a 15- to 20-minute drive. 

It’s also a good place to raise a family. Since many Japanese families live in Sriracha, there are many daycares, schools, and places for kids to go. While a lot of them cater for Japanese families, they are becoming more international with more English-speaking families. 

However, nightlife can be limited to beachside restaurants and Japanese bars. 

Therefore, Sriracha is a good option if you want to live an easy life with an access to a city lifestyle and some partying at night.  

Cost of Living

Sriracha is one of the most affordable beach cities in all of Thailand. 

It’s much cheaper to live in Sriracha than Pattaya or Phuket. And because it’s not a tourist city, the cost of food and rent aren’t inflated by tourist prices. 

You can live here comfortably with a monthly budget of only THB40,000. If you’re really on a budget, it’s even possible to live here for less than THB20,000 a month. 

That said, let’s take a detailed look at the monthly cost of living in Sriracha.

Rent

The cost of rent is affordable in Sriracha. You pay only THB10,000 to THB15,000 a month for a 50 square meter condo like Ladda Condo View Condominium and Sriracha Condoview. 

These condos are fully furnished and located inside the city. There are many shops nearby and you can walk to most department stores and hospitals as long as the midday sun isn’t out. 

Since many Japanese expats live here, some condos, including Keen Centre Sriracha, offer Japanese style condos that even come with an Onsen. Others have golf simulators and include cleaning services twice a week. 

If you have a family and want more space for your kids, you can find many houses for rent in Sriracha for THB12,000 to THB25,000 a month in gated communities near J-Park, which is an outdoor mall with lots of Japanese restaurants. 

If you’re on a budget, you can find condos near Kasetsart University – Sriracha Campus for only THB8,000 a month. 

Food

It’s easy to find an assortment of food in Sriracha, especially if you live downtown. 

As for local food, because many Thai-Chinese families have lived in Sriracha for decades, a lot of local shops run by grandma and grandpas offer great Thai-Chinese cuisine, including noodles, congee, khao mun gai, fish maw soup, and more. These meals are affordable at only THB40 to THB50 per dish, on average. 

If you’re a Japanese food lover, there are plenty of authentic Japanese restaurants in Sriracha. Many of them are owned by Japanese expats and give you that authentic Japanese vibe and taste. Some of the more popular places include Shimai Japanese Restaurant, KOBE Gyu no Takumi, Kamome Izakaya Sriracha, Nanja Tei. In addition, you can find lots of Japanese restaurants in J-Park. 

In addition to Japanese food, Sriracha is known for its affordable seafood restaurants. You can find many of them near Sriracha Fishing Pier and Udom Bay. These restaurants use fresh, quality ingredients, especially for their seafood dishes. 

As for Western food in Sriracha, you can enjoy great homemade pizza at the waterfront Italian restaurant Emporio Mare, a nice cut of beef at Silom Steak, and more. Tops Market is also located on the bottom floor of Robinson Sriracha. It carries almost all the imported foods you’d find at a Western supermarket in Bangkok.

As for coffee in Sriracha, there is a StarBucks at both Robinson Sriracha and Central Sriracha.

Transportation

If you live downtown or near downtown in Sriracha, you can rely on public transportation to get around. While public transportation in Sriracha is limited, there are a few options available, including:

• Songtheaws: modified pickup trucks available along Sukhumvit Road.
• Motorcycle taxis: available all throughout Sriracha.
• Tuk-tuks: covered three-wheelers available at all major landmarks in Sriracha.
• Taxis: not as available as taxis in Bangkok. It’s better to use a ride-hailing app like Grab or Bolt.

Sriracha isn’t a tourist city, so you’re unlikely to be scammed by tuk-tuk drivers. In fact, it’s incredible how cheap traveling by tuk-tuk is in Sriracha as compared to Bangkok. You can travel two or three times as far in Sriracha for the same amount you’d pay to go down the road in a tuk-tuk in Bangkok. Getting from Sukhumvit Road to the beach, for example, only costs THB60.

Because of this, many students, families, and shoppers take tuk-tuks all throughout Sriracha. But this also means that at peak travel times, finding a tuk-tuk can be challenging.

So, having your own mode of transportation could help you get around much easier. Driving in Sriracha is quite easy since the roads are generally wide and in good condition. Traffic is also light most times of the day, except during the morning and evening rush hour. 

Healthcare and Exercise

The healthcare system in Sriracha is good, both in terms of quality and quantity. 

Samitivej Sriracha Hospital is a leading private hospital in Sriracha. Treatments, as well as prices, are on par with leading private hospitals in Bangkok. So, if you have a good health insurance plan, this is going to be your go-to hospital in times of need.

There’s also Phyathai Sriracha Hospital, which is more affordable than Samitivej Sriracha Hospital. 

When it comes to government hospitals, you can go to Queen Savang Vadhana Memorial Hospital. It’s one of the biggest government hospitals in the east of Thailand. While facilities and treatment might not be as good as leading government hospitals in Bangkok, it’s good enough if you don’t mind waiting in long queues. And the medical staff can speak English.

Other than that, you can easily find pharmacies, clinics, and dentists in Sriracha. 

It’s also worth mentioning that Sriracha has a public park called Surasak Montri. But if you want to get there by tuk-tuk or motorcycle taxi, you have to ask to go to suan sukapop (healthy park). The park is located right near the beach, has a large running track, live music, and multiple outdoor playgrounds for kids. Many locals go here at night to exercise, sing karaoke, or have a sunset picnic. 

Gyms are also available in Sriracha, including CK Muay Thai Academy if you’re looking for a different kind of workout. 

Social Life

Although there are places to socialize in Sriracha, you will be limited when compared to someplace like Bangkok.

There are bars and outdoor restaurants where you can meet new people, but they mainly cater to Japanese expats. So, you might be better off traveling 45 minutes to Pattaya if you’re looking for that type of thing. 

However, if you’re a golfer, it’s a different story. There are many great golf courses and driving ranges in and around Sriracha. It’ll be easy to make new friends at these places. 

Activities 

While Sriracha isn’t popular for tourism, there are still many things you can do while living here. Below are a few.

• Beachside restaurants: There are many affordable beachside restaurants in Sriracha, especially near Sriracha Fishing Pier and Udom Bay.

• Cycling: There are many good cycling trails in Sriracha, especially at Bang Phra Reservoir and Khao Kheow.

• Museums: Space Inspirium is a good place for children to learn about space.

• Muay Thai training: You can train Muay Thai at CK MUAY THAI Academy.

• Nightlife: You have some options for nightlife in Sriracha, mainly along Sriracha Nakorn 1 Road. 

• Islands: You can take a 45-minute ferry ride to Koh Sichang. It’s a chill island and a popular weekend getaway among Thais. Just be careful when riding a motorcycle there. Roads have unexpected sharp curves on certain parts of the island.

• Golfing: Sriracha has many good golf courses, including Bangpra Golf Club, Pleasant Valley Golf And Country Club, and Khao Kheow Country Club. 

• Shopping: There are two good shopping malls in Sriracha, including Robinson Sriracha (Pacific Park Sriracha), and Central Sriracha. They are moderate-sized shopping malls with lots of stores and restaurants. In fact, Central Sriracha is completely different from the other Centrals located all throughout Thailand.

• Zoos: There are two popular zoos in Sriracha, including Khao Kheow Open Zoo, which is one of the best zoos in Thailand, and Sriracha Tiger Zoo. 

Beaches

While Sriracha is a beach city, it’s more well known for its logistics ports than its beaches. In fact, it only has one small stretch of sand at low tide in suan sukapop (healthy park mentioned above).

You can walk along that strip of sand and your children (if you have any) can collect seashells. But as far as swimming and enjoying the beach, that would be out of the question. Sadly, the water is filled with too much debris. Many people do hang out along the rock wall next to the beach. Here, they picnic and enjoy the sunset.  

If you want to enjoy a somewhat nicer beach, the closest one is Bangsaen Beach. But this area is also not very clean, with garbage strewn around the beach and in the water. Bangsaen is popular for its beachside restaurants though, and Thais love to go there to rent tables and chairs on holidays and weekends. 

Your best option is to drive to Sattahip, about 45 minutes past Pattaya. There are many clean beaches here with fine sand and blue water. You can even go snorkeling nearby. And because the area is owned by the Royal Thai Navy, it’s safe and secure.

Education and Family Life

As mentioned earlier, Sriracha is a good city to raise a family in. Since a lot of Japanese families live here, there are over 20 international daycares, nursery schools, and kindergartens that aren’t only for Japanese speakers but English speakers too. 

Many of them use the Montessori method, including Kids Avenue International Kindergarten, EQ Nursery, and Playhouse International Preschool. Some kindergartens such as Cambridge International Sriracha use an international curriculum. 

You should expect to pay around THB6,000 to THB8,000 a month to send your kids to these schools.

Swimming schools, indoor playgrounds, and outdoor playgrounds are also readily available in Sriracha.   

In addition, there are two zoos nearby. Both of them are among the best in Thailand, including Sriracha Tiger Zoo and Khao Kheow Open Zoo. 

But school options are limited for children age 6 and over. ISE International School Eastern Seaboard is among the closest international schools to Sriracha. But it takes around 30 minutes to get there from Sriracha. 

If your children can speak Thai, there are three leading Thai private schools in Sriracha that offer an English program, including Assumption College Sriracha (male only), Saint Paul Convent School (female only), and Darasamutr School.

The education standards at these schools are great. They also offer an EP program, with yearly tuition fees starting at THB100,000. 

There is also Thai-Japanese Association School Sriracha, which is a Japanese international school and only available for Japanese. 

Job Opportunities

Job opportunities in Sriracha are limited to mostly the logistics industry. So if this is your field of expertise, you may be able to land a job here. But keep in mind that most of these positions will go to Thai or Japanese nationals first.

There also aren’t a lot of teaching positions available because many schools in Sriracha are for children younger than 6 years old. 

So, if you want to live in Sriracha, you need to run your own business, work remotely, or have other sources of income such as investments or pensions.

Nightlife

Nightlife in Sriracha is very unique. What you get is a mix of Thai and Japanese bars mostly located on Sriracha Nakorn 1 Road. 

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This street gives you a similar vibe to Khao San Road in Bangkok, but with less street food and more bars and nightclubs. But many of them target Japanese expats. 

In addition to nightclubs and bars, there are many beachside restaurants and rooftop bars in this area. 

Expat Community

The expat community in Sriracha is limited at the moment to mostly Japanese nationals. There aren’t a lot of Westerners here.

But we expect more expat families to start moving here in the future because it’s safe, affordable, convenient, and has a lot of education options for preschool aged children. 

Weather and Air Quality

Weather and air quality in Sriracha are basically the same as what you’d get in Pattaya, with an average yearly temperature of 28 Celsius (82.4 Fahrenheit).

Rain, however, can be especially heavy during September and October.

Like many provinces in Thailand, Sriracha also suffers from air pollution during the burning season from January to April. But it isn’t as bad as in the north of Thailand. 

Floods

Sriracha does flood from time to time. Because it’s a hilly city, certain parts of the city are prone to sudden flooding. But these floods disperse within a few hours. 

So, when looking for a place to live here, it’s better to stay in the higher areas.  

Popular Neighborhoods

If you want to live in Sriracha, there are two areas you should check out.

• Downtown: It’s convenient to live in the center of Sriracha. Since it’s a small city, living downtown lets you walk from place to place. Food is easy to find. But accommodations can be limited to just condos.

• East Sriracha: This is a residential area of Sriracha with a lot of gated communities. Many of them are near J-Park, an outdoor Japanese mall. You can rent a house in a good neighborhood here. But you need to have your own transportation and cook at home. Also, some gated communities are next to the highway. Thai means you may have to deal with pollution and noise from the traffic.

Lifestyle With a THB50,000 Monthly Budget

You can live a comfortable life with THB50,000 per month in Sriracha. In fact, if you live alone, this will be more than enough unless you want to eat at fancy restaurants every day. 

Here’s what you could get for this amount:

• You can rent a 42 square meter room in KEEN Center Sriracha. Condos come fully furnished with built-in kitchens, bathtubs, and cleaning services twice a week. The condo is conveniently located downtown, opposite Robinson Sriracha, which is one of the biggest malls in the city. 

• You can eat at local food shops, street food stands, and restaurants without having to cook at home.

• You can party one time a week.

• You can hire a laundry service.

• You can rent or buy a scooter to get around.

• You can join a gym membership or train Muay Thai.

• You can buy a mid-tier health insurance plan (from Luma Health) to cover the cost of hospitalization in full. 

• You still have THB5,000 left for traveling.

Here’s a cost breakdown:

Expense	Cost (Baht)
Rent	16,000
Food	12,500
Transportation	3,500
Health	5,500
Utilities	3,000
Social Activities	2,000
Visa	500
Travel	5,000
Misc.	2,000
Total	50,000

Trade-offs

• If you are older than 60, the cost of health insurance can be more than THB10,000 per month depending on your choice of coverage. So, you need to choose a cheaper place to rent, eat at local shops more, or travel less. 
• If you have school age children, you should have a monthly budget of at least THB80,000 to live in Sriracha. With this amount, you can buy a used car, rent a house in a good gated community, and send your kids to a bilingual daycare, kindergarten, or private school with an English program. 

Cheaper alternatives

• If you have a budget of less than THB50,000 a month, it’s still possible to live in Sriracha comfortably. You can rent an older condo that’s still conveniently located downtown for less than THB10,000 a month.

• There are also many townhouses available for less than THB10,000 a month. 

• If you want to rent a house but have a limited budget, you can check out a gated community near Tiger Topia Sriracha Zoo. It’s possible to rent a two-bedroom house for THB15,000 a month.

• If your children can study in a Thai-language program, their tuition is going to be half the cost of an English or bilingual program. 

Should You Live in Sriracha? 

To help you decide whether Sriracha is right for you, let’s take a quick look at the pros and cons of living here. 

Pros

• Quiet, small beach city that’s convenient and affordable
• Good healthcare with plenty of hospitals
• Great for families with preschool aged kids because there are tons of family-friendly activities, daycares, and kindergartens
• Easy to find quality and affordable food
• Many shopping malls offer some nightlife
• A lot of great golf courses nearby 
• Has a better public transportation than most beach towns in Thailand
• Not too many tourists

Cons

• Sudden floods in certain areas during a rainy season
• While it’s a beach city, you’re limited in how much you can enjoy the beach 
• It can be too quiet for active expats who need lots of activities 
• Small expat community at the moment

Sriracha Vs. Nearby Beach Cities 

Let’s compare Sriracha and similar beach towns in Thailand that offer the same lifestyle. 

• Sriracha vs. Pattaya: Pattaya is a busy beach city with a lot more things to do than Sriracha. There are also more choices for international schools. But it’s also more expensive and can be more dangerous, especially at night.
• Sriracha vs. Rayong: Rayong has a better city and more outdoor activities than Sriracha. However, it’s also slightly more expensive. In addition, there’s a lack of international schools and nursery schools for expat families at the moment. 
• Sriracha vs. Hua Hin: The lifestyle between Sriracha and Hua Hin is quite similar. But Sriracha has a better city life. On the other hand, Hua Hin has better weather, beaches, and a larger expat community. 

Find out more: What Does 50,000 Thai Baht (US$1,350) A Month Get You in Rayong?

Now, on to You

Overall, Sriracha is a small beach city. While it has a big Japanese community, living there is suitable for those who want an easy life but still have access to modern conveniences. 

Since the city isn’t that popular with tourists, it’s affordable to live here. It also has tons of education options and summer camps for kids. 

But if you live in Sriracha, sudden floods can be an issue. So make sure to rent a place in one of the higher areas of the city.