Cost of Living Comparison Between Bangkok and Maha Sarakham Cost of Living Comparison Between Bangkok and Maha Sarakham

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,046 in Bangkok versus $925 in Maha Sarakham.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,754 in Bangkok versus $1,491 in Maha Sarakham.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,461 in Bangkok versus $2,057 in Maha Sarakham.

Living in Bangkok is roughly 13% more expensive than in Maha Sarakham, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Bangkok 22% lower, Maha Sarakham 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.02 ฿102

$3.00 ฿101

0.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$31.34 ฿1,055

$27.05 ฿910

15.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.15 ฿207

$6.14 ฿207

0.16%

Cappuccino

$2.47 ฿83.0

$2.01 ฿67.8

22.89%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.69 ฿23.15

$0.67 ฿22.56

2.99%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 ฿9.01

$0.29 ฿9.77

-6.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.52 ฿84.8

$2.42 ฿81.5

4.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.07 ฿137

$3.63 ฿122

12.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 ฿63.0

$1.76 ฿59.1

6.25%

White Bread (500g)

$1.34 ฿45.08

$1.38 ฿46.52

-2.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.46 ฿49.10

$1.33 ฿44.66

9.77%

Eggs

$2.19 ฿73.7

$2.17 ฿72.9

0.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.12 ฿610

$18.50 ฿622

-2.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.06 ฿103

$2.98 ฿100

2.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.62 ฿324

$10.92 ฿368

-11.90%

Apples (1kg)

$3.53 ฿119

$3.10 ฿104

13.87%

Banana (1kg)

$1.76 ฿59.3

$1.26 ฿42.40

39.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.27 ฿76.4

$1.88 ฿63.3

20.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.86 ฿62.7

$1.59 ฿53.5

16.98%

Potato (1kg)

$1.64 ฿55.2

$1.51 ฿50.9

8.61%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿49.96

$1.21 ฿40.71

22.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.34 ฿45.23

$0.98 ฿32.89

36.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 ฿16.70

$0.51 ฿17.26

-1.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.43 ฿149

$4.39 ฿148

0.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.10 ฿609

$15.22 ฿512

18.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 ฿59.5

$1.72 ฿57.9

2.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.40 ฿114

$2.74 ฿92.3

24.09%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.19 ฿40.18

$0.89 ฿30.09

33.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$36.61 ฿1,232

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.06 ฿35.83

$1.06 ฿35.64

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.19 ฿40.00

$1.14 ฿38.40

4.39%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.03 ฿203

$6.17 ฿208

-2.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 ฿42.17

$1.25 ฿42.02

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$37.2K ฿1.3M

$27.4K ฿921.9K

35.77%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$28.3K ฿951.9K

$27.4K ฿922.0K

3.24%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$91.6 ฿3,081

$74.9 ฿2,522

22.18%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$12.61 ฿424

$13.59 ฿457

-7.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.20 ฿579

$18.43 ฿620

-6.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.1 ฿1,754

$48.62 ฿1,636

7.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.49 ฿353

$12.17 ฿409

-13.80%

Cinema Ticket

$7.88 ฿265

$7.26 ฿244

8.54%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$603 ฿20.3K

$294 ฿9,883

105.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.4K ฿450.4K

$9,746 ฿327.9K

37.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.5 ฿1,969

$33.82 ฿1,138

73.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.64 ฿1,300

$34.16 ฿1,150

13.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 ฿3,527

$97.8 ฿3,292

7.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$93.7 ฿3,154

$71.6 ฿2,408

30.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$684 ฿23.0K

$418 ฿14.1K

63.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$324 ฿10.9K

$289 ฿9,723

11.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,905 ฿64.1K

$808 ฿27.2K

135.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$829 ฿27.9K

$649 ฿21.8K

27.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,056 ฿203.8K

$2,204 ฿74.2K

174.75%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,313 ฿111.5K

$1,636 ฿55.1K

102.52%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$622 ฿20.9K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.84

5.45

7.16%

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

Last update for Bangkok: July 12, 2026

Last update for Maha Sarakham: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $684 in Bangkok and $418 in Maha Sarakham. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $31.00 in Bangkok vs $27.00 in Maha Sarakham for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $263 vs $249 per month, with Maha Sarakham cheaper across the board.

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

Bangkok vs Maha Sarakham: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bangkok and Maha Sarakham differ by about 13% in total monthly costs ($1,046 vs $925 including rent). Maha Sarakham is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,569 in Bangkok and $1,388 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $684 in Bangkok versus $418 in Maha Sarakham. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 6% higher in Bangkok. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,046 per month in Bangkok versus $925 in Maha Sarakham – a 13% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $925 in Maha Sarakham versus $1,046 in Bangkok, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Maha Sarakham but tight or insufficient in Bangkok. The gap between the two cities makes Maha Sarakham the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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.

Safety-wise, Bangkok 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.

Expats usually find Maha Sarakham gentler on the wallet – expenses run 13% less than in Bangkok. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.