Da Nang Vietnam vs Pattaya Jomtien and Bangkok, which one is cheaper to stay
We arrived in Da Nang after already living in Pattaya for a while, so this comparison is not from googling numbers, it’s from actually staying in both places. A lot of people ask us the same question in DM: is Da Nang really cheaper than Pattaya, or is that just something people repeat online without checking? So here is our honest comparison: Da Nang vs Pattaya (Jomtien) and Bangkok, based on rent, food, and daily life.
We also made a video about this; you can watch it here: Da Nang vs Thailand Cost Comparison.
Is Da Nang cheaper than Pattaya?
Yes, but not by as much as people think, and food is actually where it gets interesting. On paper, Da Nang looks cheaper because the numbers in Vietnamese Dong look small, but once you convert to real money, some Jomtien meals win.
For example,
the cheapest boat noodle we found in Jomtien was 40–50 THB, which is about $1.20–$1.50 USD (€1.05–€1.32).
The cheapest pho we found in Da Nang was 59,000 VND, which comes out to about $2.25 USD (€1.97).
So in this case, the “cheap” Vietnamese street food actually cost more than the “cheap” Thai one, once you look at what you really paid instead of just the local price tag on the menu.
This is the trap a lot of comparison articles fall into, they compare raw numbers in different currencies without converting them, so Vietnam always looks cheaper on the surface. In our real experience, rent in Jomtien can also be very close to Da Nang prices if you know where to look. Bangkok is the one that is clearly more expensive out of the three.
Accommodation: Da Nang vs Bangkok vs Jomtien
Da Nang, from what we saw:
- Central one-bedroom apartment: $250 – $450 USD/month
- Studio near the beach (An Thuong area): $200 – $350 USD/month
Jomtien, from our own experience staying there:
- Basic studio condo: 8,000 – 10,000 THB/month (around $170 – $260 USD)
- One-bedroom near Jomtien Beach or Thappraya Road: 10,000 – 18,000 THB/month
Bangkok:
- Central one-bedroom condo: 15,000 – 30,000 THB/month, noticeably higher than both Da Nang and Jomtien
So if you compare Da Nang vs Jomtien specifically, the price tag alone doesn’t tell the full story, they’re almost the same on paper. The real difference is what you actually get for that price.
Jomtien condos, even the basic ones we stayed in, usually come with a pool, gym, and sauna included as standard, plus 24-hour security.
In Da Nang, buildings at the same price point rarely have all three, you’ll often find a pool but no gym, or neither, unless you move up to the $400+ range. So for close to the same rent, Thailand generally wins on facilities.
Food and daily cost, Da Nang vs Pattaya (real receipts, not estimates)
This is where converting the currency properly actually matters, because Vietnamese Dong numbers look tiny but add up differently once you convert.
Da Nang, from our own receipts:
- Cheapest pho we paid: 59,000 VND → $2.25 USD (€1.97)
- Local coffee: around $1 USD (€0.88)
- Beer at a local spot: often under $1 USD (€0.88)
Jomtien, from our own receipts:
- Cheapest boat noodle we paid: 40-50 THB → $1.20–$1.50 USD (€1.05- €1.32)
- Coffee shop coffee: 50 – 90 THB → $1.50–$2.70 USD (€1.32–€2.37)
- Beer at a local restaurant: 60 – 100 THB → $1.80–$3.00 USD (€1.58–€2.63)
So the cheapest bowl of noodles we actually paid for was lower in Jomtien than in Da Nang, which surprised us too. Coffee and beer still lean cheaper in Da Nang overall, but the difference is smaller than the raw price tags suggest once everything is converted to the same currency. Jomtien also wins on variety, since you get more international food options, plus 7-Eleven and Top Daily on almost every corner for quick cheap meals when you don’t feel like cooking or going out.
What about Western food?
This is where Da Nang pulls ahead more clearly. A McDonald’s combo meal runs about 120,000 VND ($4.60 USD) in Vietnam versus 200 THB ($6.00 USD) in Thailand, and a plain cheeseburger is around $1.40 in Vietnam versus $1.80 in Thailand. So the pattern we noticed is: local street food is close between the two, and Thailand can even win on specific dishes, but Western and fast food chains are consistently cheaper in Da Nang.
Danang Transportation vs Pattaya
Grab works the same way in both Da Nang and Pattaya, pricing is similar. Motorbike taxis are a little cheaper in Da Nang. Bangkok is a different story, the BTS and MRT make it much easier to get around without renting a scooter, which Pattaya and Da Nang don’t really have as an option.
Our experience living in both places
Honestly, Jomtien felt easier day to day, mostly because we already knew our way around. But language wasn’t really the dividing line we expected. Da Nang surprised us, English is spoken almost as much as in Pattaya, especially around the beach and expat areas, so booking a condo or ordering food wasn’t the struggle we thought it would be. The real difference was more about familiarity than language, Da Nang felt quieter and more local, less built around tourists compared to Pattaya.
If we had to describe it simply: Da Nang saves you a little on daily spending overall, Jomtien saves you the hassle of figuring things out and sometimes even wins on food once you convert the price, and Bangkok gives you the most convenience if you’re willing to pay for it.
So which one should you pick?
- Pick Da Nang if your main goal is stretching your budget as far as possible and you don’t mind a slower pace
- Pick Jomtien if you want beach living with rent close to Da Nang prices, but with easier English communication and better condo amenities
- Pick Bangkok if you value public transport and city convenience more than saving on rent
- Pick a combo trip if you can, flights between Bangkok and Da Nang are short and cheap, so a lot of travelers now do both in one trip
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