Thailand
Bangkok
15.0 million people in the metro
The gist
A vast, affordable, energetic city where foreigners are genuinely welcomed and family is central. The catch: there is no real citizenship-by-marriage path and the visa is a yearly renewal, so this suits a long-term expat, not a settler.
The score, in four parts
The pool
How many people you could realistically meet, and how balanced the odds are.
Singles 25 to 34
1.1 million
Never-married people in their late twenties and thirties, estimated
Never married
50% / 46%
Men / women age 25 to 34 who have never married
Balance
More single men than women
105 single men per 100 single women, age 25 to 34
First marriage
29 / 26
Median age for men / women
The scene
Whether people here actually get married, and how open the city is to someone like you.
Want to marry
70%
Single adults who say they want to marry
How fast people marry
25 per 1,000
Weddings per 1,000 unmarried adults each year
Marrying foreigners
8%
Marriages between a local and a foreigner
How people meet
Apps 8/10
Matchmaking and singles events 5/10
The costs
What dating, marrying, and raising a family costs here, against what people earn.
Date night
$40
Dinner for two, drinks, a movie
Family rent
$900/mo
A 2-3 bed apartment, city-wide
A wedding
$8,000
Typical total cost
The reality
Safety, stability, and what daily life is like after the honeymoon phase.
Safety
Generally safe
58 out of 100
Divorce
Moderate divorce rate
1.4 per 1,000 people a year
Healthcare
68/100
Quality of care
English
Learn the language
Everyday usability for a foreigner
The culture
Not scored. Whether these are features or mismatches depends on you.
- Religion shapes daily life
- Family approval matters
- Open to marrying foreigners
Marriage payment custom: Sin sod customary (payment to her family).
Marrying in Thailand
What the law says if you marry a Thailand national. Reviewed 2026-08-17. Informational, not legal advice.
- Spousal visa difficulty
- 5 out of 10, where 10 is hardest.
- Marriage process for foreigners
- Marriage is registered at a district office (Amphur). Foreigners need an affirmation of freedom to marry from their embassy (translated and legalized at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs), passport, and divorce/death certificates if previously married. Two witnesses required.
- Path to citizenship by marriage
- No fixed timeline
- Property regime
- Distinguishes personal property (sin suan tua) from marital property (sin somros). Marital property is generally split equally on divorce. A prenup can alter this if registered.
- Prenup enforceability
- moderate
- Worth knowing
- Thailand is marriage-friendly for foreigners but the visa is a yearly renewal, not permanent residence. Land ownership by foreigners is restricted, which matters if you plan to settle. Informational, not legal advice.
* Some numbers come from national statistics and might differ from the city itself. Last updated August 22, 2026.