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: $1,068 in Bangkok versus $904 in Maha Sarakham.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,732 in Bangkok versus $1,491 in Maha Sarakham.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,396 in Bangkok versus $2,078 in Maha Sarakham.

Living in Bangkok is roughly 18% more expensive than Maha Sarakham, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Bangkok 20% lower, Maha Sarakham 33% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.17 ฿103

$3.13 ฿102

1.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.33 ฿991

$27.44 ฿896

10.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.27 ฿205

$6.31 ฿206

-0.63%

Cappuccino

$2.51 ฿81.9

$2.04 ฿66.6

23.04%

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

$0.68 ฿22.34

$0.73 ฿23.80

-6.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 ฿8.79

$0.27 ฿8.71

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.44 ฿79.6

$2.51 ฿82.0

-2.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.94 ฿129

$3.63 ฿118

8.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.80 ฿58.8

$1.68 ฿54.8

7.14%

White Bread (500g)

$1.39 ฿45.38

$1.38 ฿45.16

0.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.42 ฿46.22

$1.32 ฿43.22

7.58%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿73.8

$2.12 ฿69.3

6.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.40 ฿601

$18.53 ฿605

-0.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.01 ฿98.4

$3.09 ฿101

-2.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.38 ฿306

$10.83 ฿354

-13.39%

Apples (1kg)

$3.55 ฿116

$3.26 ฿106

8.90%

Banana (1kg)

$1.76 ฿57.6

$1.24 ฿40.58

41.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$1.96 ฿64.2

12.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.84 ฿59.9

$1.59 ฿51.9

15.72%

Potato (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$1.52 ฿49.54

7.89%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿48.88

$1.26 ฿41.27

19.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.31 ฿42.67

$0.97 ฿31.82

35.05%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.10

$0.52 ฿16.95

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.25 ฿139

$4.43 ฿145

-4.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.02 ฿490

$13.94 ฿455

7.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.9

$1.78 ฿58.2

1.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.39 ฿111

$2.80 ฿91.5

21.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.19 ฿39.00

$0.96 ฿31.50

23.96%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$36.43 ฿1,190

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.10 ฿35.84

$1.10 ฿35.81

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.20 ฿39.07

$1.14 ฿37.20

5.26%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.13 ฿200

$6.12 ฿200

0.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 ฿40.88

$1.28 ฿41.82

-2.34%

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

$37.3K ฿1.2M

$27.4K ฿893.5K

36.46%

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

$28.6K ฿934.5K

$27.6K ฿903.0K

3.49%

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

$91.9 ฿3,000

$76.9 ฿2,510

19.52%

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

$12.96 ฿423

$13.50 ฿441

-4.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.67 ฿577

$18.41 ฿601

-4.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.9 ฿1,759

$49.34 ฿1,611

9.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.68 ฿349

$12.43 ฿406

-14.08%

Cinema Ticket

$7.90 ฿258

$7.16 ฿234

10.34%

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

$601 ฿19.6K

$297 ฿9,714

102.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.2K ฿432.6K

$9,551 ฿311.9K

38.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.0 ฿1,863

$33.41 ฿1,091

70.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.28 ฿1,250

$35.25 ฿1,151

8.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 ฿3,376

$98.2 ฿3,207

5.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$95.0 ฿3,103

$71.4 ฿2,331

33.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$669 ฿21.9K

$415 ฿13.5K

61.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$326 ฿10.7K

$285 ฿9,298

14.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,877 ฿61.3K

$816 ฿26.6K

130.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$843 ฿27.5K

$647 ฿21.1K

30.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,307 ฿206.0K

$1,768 ฿57.7K

256.74%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,371 ฿110.1K

$1,395 ฿45.6K

141.53%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$747 ฿24.4K

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Maha Sarakham: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $669 in Bangkok and $415 in Maha Sarakham. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $30.00 in Bangkok vs $27.00 in Maha Sarakham for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $257 vs $247 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 18% in total monthly costs ($1,068 vs $904 including rent). Maha Sarakham is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,602 in Bangkok and $1,356 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: $669 in Bangkok versus $415 in Maha Sarakham. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 4% higher in Bangkok. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,068 per month in Bangkok versus $904 in Maha Sarakham – a 18% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $904 in Maha Sarakham versus $1,068 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 18% less than in Bangkok. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.