😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,476 in Barcelona versus $933 in Maha Sarakham.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,545 in Barcelona versus $1,514 in Maha Sarakham.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,613 in Barcelona versus $2,096 in Maha Sarakham.
🌍Living in Barcelona is roughly 166% more expensive than in Maha Sarakham, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Barcelona is 81% above, Maha Sarakham is 32% below.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Barcelona
Maha Sarakham
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$18.74€16.32
$3.00฿99.7
524.67%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$69.5€60.5
$22.47฿747
209.17%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$13.77€11.99
$7.68฿255
79.30%
Cappuccino
$3.10€2.70
$2.01฿66.8
54.23%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.83€2.47
$0.70฿23.29
304.29%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.88€1.64
$0.34฿11.32
452.94%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$3.98€3.47
$2.18฿72.5
82.57%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.53€3.95
$3.13฿104
44.73%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Barcelona
Maha Sarakham
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.27€1.11
$1.81฿60.3
-29.83%
White Bread(500g)
$2.16€1.88
$1.41฿46.90
53.19%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.76€1.53
$1.40฿46.47
25.71%
Eggs
$5.13€4.47
$2.13฿70.7
140.85%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$17.88€15.58
$15.99฿532
11.82%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$9.65€8.41
$2.64฿87.8
265.53%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$20.15€17.55
$10.38฿345
94.12%
Apples(1kg)
$3.25€2.83
$3.13฿104
3.83%
Banana(1kg)
$2.23€1.94
$1.11฿36.96
100.90%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.60€2.27
$2.25฿74.8
15.56%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.76€2.40
$1.91฿63.7
44.50%
Potato(1kg)
$2.21€1.93
$1.46฿48.51
51.37%
Onion(1kg)
$2.12€1.85
$1.09฿36.19
94.50%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.55€1.35
$1.14฿37.86
35.96%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.95€0.83
$0.53฿17.58
79.25%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$7.34€6.40
$4.33฿144
69.52%
Wine(Bottle)
$8.05€7.01
$17.05฿567
-52.79%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.54€1.35
$1.67฿55.5
-7.78%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.79€2.43
$2.98฿98.9
-6.38%
🚌 Getting Around
Barcelona
Maha Sarakham
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$3.11€2.71
$0.95฿31.44
227.37%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$25.86€22.53
-
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.27€2.85
$1.28฿42.70
155.47%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.48€1.29
$1.15฿38.24
28.70%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$34.27€29.86
$3.92฿130
774.23%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.73€1.51
$1.38฿45.93
25.36%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$36.4K€31.7K
$27.1K฿902.1K
34.05%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$30.5K€26.6K
$27.7K฿920.5K
10.32%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Barcelona
Maha Sarakham
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$187€163
$85.1฿2,829
119.86%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$15.14€13.19
$11.92฿396
27.01%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$37.69€32.83
$19.11฿635
97.23%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Barcelona
Maha Sarakham
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$55.9€48.73
$47.52฿1,580
17.72%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.08€14.88
$14.40฿479
18.61%
Cinema Ticket
$11.41€9.94
$6.74฿224
69.29%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Barcelona
Maha Sarakham
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$997€868
$580฿19.3K
71.94%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$16.5K€14.4K
$11.3K฿374.6K
46.73%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Barcelona
Maha Sarakham
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$92.6€80.7
$51.6฿1,715
79.59%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$41.22€35.91
$29.70฿988
38.79%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$111€96.9
$78.0฿2,592
42.65%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$125€109
$76.1฿2,530
64.45%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Barcelona
Maha Sarakham
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,707€1,487
$449฿14.9K
279.91%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,286€1,120
$302฿10.0K
325.71%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,565€2,235
$1,433฿47.6K
79.04%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,942€1,692
$753฿25.0K
158.07%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$7,647€6,662
$1,989฿66.1K
284.54%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$5,167€4,501
$1,607฿53.4K
221.61%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Barcelona
Maha Sarakham
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$2,348€2,046
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
3.16
5.57
-43.27%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Barcelona: September 13, 2026
Last update for Maha Sarakham: September 13, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,707 in Barcelona and $449 in Maha Sarakham. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
🛒Dining out: $69.0 in Barcelona vs $22.00 in Maha Sarakham for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $336 vs $245 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
Barcelona vs Maha Sarakham: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Barcelona and in Maha Sarakham?
Barcelona and Maha Sarakham differ by about 166% in total monthly costs ($2,476 vs $933 including rent). Maha Sarakham is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
What salary covers living expenses in Barcelona compared to Maha Sarakham?
You'd need roughly $3,714 in Barcelona and $1,399 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 do apartment prices compare in Barcelona and in Maha Sarakham?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,707 in Barcelona versus $449 in Maha Sarakham. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Barcelona and Maha Sarakham?
Childcare runs $997 in Barcelona versus $580 in Maha Sarakham. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
Dining out is cheaper in Maha Sarakham – a meal for two runs $22.00 versus $69.0 in Barcelona. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
At $933 in Maha Sarakham versus $2,476 in Barcelona, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Maha Sarakham but tight or insufficient in Barcelona. The gap between the two cities makes Maha Sarakham the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Barcelona and 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.
Is Barcelona or Maha Sarakham safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Barcelona 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.
Where should expats move: Barcelona or Maha Sarakham?
Expats usually find Maha Sarakham gentler on the wallet – expenses run 166% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.