Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Austin, TX and Maha Sarakham

For one person, living is cheaper in Maha Sarakham: $919 a month against $2,663 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $20,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Austin, TX
🇺🇸 United States
$2,663
/mo nomad
Maha Sarakham
🇹🇭 Thailand
$919
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Austin, TX and in Maha Sarakham

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Austin, TX and in Maha Sarakham actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,663 in Austin, TX versus $919 in Maha Sarakham.

  • Austin, TX $2,663
  • Maha Sarakham $919

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,133 in Austin, TX versus $1,507 in Maha Sarakham.

  • Austin, TX $4,133
  • Maha Sarakham $1,507

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,603 in Austin, TX versus $2,094 in Maha Sarakham.

  • Austin, TX $5,603
  • Maha Sarakham $2,094

Living in Austin, TX is roughly 190% more expensive than in Maha Sarakham, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Austin, TX is 97% above, Maha Sarakham is 32% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Austin, TX
Maha Sarakham
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$20.77 $20.77
$3.05 ฿102
580.98%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$84.6 $84.6
$22.47 ฿751
276.46%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$12.32 $12.32
$7.08 ฿237
74.01%
Cappuccino
$5.63 $5.63
$2.12 ฿71.0
165.57%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.72 $3.72
$0.73 ฿24.23
409.59%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.50 $2.50
$0.33 ฿11.15
657.58%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$8.05 $8.05
$2.02 ฿67.6
298.51%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$9.01 $9.01
$3.04 ฿102
196.38%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Austin, TX
Maha Sarakham
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.12 $1.12
$1.74 ฿58.2
-35.63%
White Bread (500g)
$3.75 $3.75
$1.39 ฿46.53
169.78%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.26 $3.26
$1.35 ฿45.20
141.48%
Eggs
$4.17 $4.17
$2.07 ฿69.1
101.45%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.90 $12.90
$16.39 ฿548
-21.29%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$14.16 $14.16
$2.75 ฿92.0
414.91%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$16.22 $16.22
$10.23 ฿342
58.55%
Apples (1kg)
$4.33 $4.33
$3.03 ฿101
42.90%
Banana (1kg)
$1.46 $1.46
$1.08 ฿36.10
35.19%
Oranges (1kg)
$4.51 $4.51
$2.16 ฿72.3
108.80%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.34 $4.34
$1.90 ฿63.4
128.42%
Potato (1kg)
$2.58 $2.58
$1.49 ฿49.65
73.15%
Onion (1kg)
$2.35 $2.35
$1.11 ฿37.11
111.71%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.78 $1.78
$1.12 ฿37.41
58.93%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.22 $2.22
$0.48 ฿16.12
362.50%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$9.88 $9.88
$4.44 ฿149
122.52%
Wine (Bottle)
$15.08 $15.08
$17.25 ฿577
-12.58%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.92 $2.92
$1.70 ฿56.9
71.76%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.46 $3.46
$2.78 ฿92.8
24.46%
🚌 Getting Around
Austin, TX
Maha Sarakham
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.49 $1.49
$0.90 ฿30.10
65.56%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$41.72 $41.72
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.73 $2.73
$1.26 ฿42.02
116.67%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.66 $1.66
$1.12 ฿37.42
48.21%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$35.30 $35.30
$4.93 ฿165
616.02%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.95 $0.95
$1.34 ฿44.74
-29.10%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$36.0K $36.0K
$26.0K ฿869.7K
38.52%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$27.1K $27.1K
$26.4K ฿881.4K
2.65%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Austin, TX
Maha Sarakham
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$229 $229
$82.5 ฿2,755
177.73%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$59.4 $59.4
$11.45 ฿383
418.69%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$69.9 $69.9
$19.19 ฿641
264.30%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Austin, TX
Maha Sarakham
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$57.2 $57.2
$47.10 ฿1,574
21.53%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.33 $16.33
$13.97 ฿467
16.89%
Cinema Ticket
$14.28 $14.28
$6.63 ฿222
115.38%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Austin, TX
Maha Sarakham
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,506 $1,506
$563 ฿18.8K
167.59%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$21.5K $21.5K
$10.7K ฿357.3K
100.69%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Austin, TX
Maha Sarakham
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$52.8 $52.8
$51.3 ฿1,715
2.94%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$43.82 $43.82
$29.17 ฿975
50.22%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$84.8 $84.8
$78.1 ฿2,610
8.57%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$103 $103
$76.8 ฿2,565
34.21%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Austin, TX
Maha Sarakham
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,907 $1,907
$441 ฿14.7K
332.40%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,274 $1,274
$293 ฿9,807
334.17%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,664 $3,664
$1,382 ฿46.2K
165.09%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,538 $2,538
$740 ฿24.7K
242.95%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$7,614 $7,614
$1,901 ฿63.5K
300.40%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,157 $3,157
$1,610 ฿53.8K
96.13%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Austin, TX
Maha Sarakham
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$5,121 $5,121
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.79
5.57
21.90%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Austin, TX: October 12, 2026

Last update for Maha Sarakham: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Austin, TX
$1.3K
Maha Sarakham
$293 77% $981
Groceries & Markets
Austin, TX
$405
Maha Sarakham
$244 39.7% $161
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Austin, TX
$358
Maha Sarakham
$113 68.4% $245
Eating Out
Austin, TX
$354
Maha Sarakham
$92 74.1% $262
Clothing & Footwear
Austin, TX
$128
Maha Sarakham
$106 17.3% $22
Sport & Entertainment
Austin, TX
$86
Maha Sarakham
$60 29.6% $25
Getting Around
Austin, TX
$59
Maha Sarakham
$10 * 82.2% $48

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,907 in Austin, TX and $441 in Maha Sarakham. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $85.0 in Austin, TX vs $22.00 in Maha Sarakham for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $405 vs $244 per month, with Maha Sarakham cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇺🇸 Austin, TX
🇹🇭 Maha Sarakham
🕒 Local time
14:04 2:04 PM
02:04 2:04 AM
12 h ahead of Austin, TX
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
974,447
46,523
💱 Currency
Thai Baht THB ฿
Exchange rates and currency converter

THB, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.889 EUR).

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 33.42 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.58 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Austin, TX Maha Sarakham 14,380 km ≈ 18 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Austin, TX
  • Maha Sarakham

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.
Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index
Austin, TX vs Maha Sarakham: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Austin, TX or Maha Sarakham?
Maha Sarakham wins on cost – living expenses run 190% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Maha Sarakham the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Austin, TX and in Maha Sarakham?
You'd need roughly $3,995 in Austin, TX and $1,378 in Maha Sarakham to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Austin, TX compared to Maha Sarakham?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,907 in Austin, TX versus $441 in Maha Sarakham. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do childcare costs compare in Austin, TX and in Maha Sarakham?
Childcare runs $1,506 in Austin, TX versus $563 in Maha Sarakham. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
How do dining costs compare in Austin, TX and in Maha Sarakham?
Dining out is cheaper in Maha Sarakham – a meal for two runs $22.00 versus $85.0 in Austin, TX. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Can you live on $2,000/month in Austin, TX or in Maha Sarakham?
At $919 in Maha Sarakham versus $2,663 in Austin, TX, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Maha Sarakham but tight or insufficient in Austin, TX. The gap between the two cities makes Maha Sarakham the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city offers a better quality of life: Austin, TX or Maha Sarakham?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.
How safe is Austin, TX compared to Maha Sarakham?
Safety-wise, Austin, TX and Maha Sarakham are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Maha Sarakham gentler on the wallet – expenses run 190% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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