Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Maha Sarakham

For one person, living costs are similar in Chiang Mai and in Maha Sarakham: $935 and $925 a month, rent and utilities included.

45

Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
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Chiang Mai Living Index
45

Cost of Living Index in Maha Sarakham
Learn more

Maha Sarakham Living Index

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Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$935

/mo nomad

Maha Sarakham

🇹🇭 Thailand

$925

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chiang Mai 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 Chiang Mai and in Maha Sarakham actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $935 per month in Chiang Mai vs $925 in Maha Sarakham, rent included.

Chiang Mai $935
Maha Sarakham $925

A couple spends around $1,467 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,533 in Maha Sarakham, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,467
Maha Sarakham $1,533

A family of three spends $1,999 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,140 in Maha Sarakham, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,999
Maha Sarakham $2,140

Chiang Mai and Maha Sarakham have comparable living costs – the differences are in the details.

Both Chiang Mai and Maha Sarakham are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 31% lower, Maha Sarakham 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.13 ฿72.0

$2.92 ฿98.4

-27.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.62 ฿628

$27.94 ฿943

-33.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.60 ฿189

$7.50 ฿253

-25.33%

Cappuccino

$1.66 ฿56.1

$1.71 ฿57.8

-2.92%

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

$0.65 ฿21.83

$0.60 ฿20.37

8.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 ฿10.29

$0.33 ฿11.27

-9.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.32 ฿78.4

$1.82 ฿61.5

27.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 ฿124

$2.95 ฿99.4

24.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.02 ฿68.0

$1.71 ฿57.6

18.13%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 ฿47.51

$1.33 ฿45.02

6.02%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 ฿46.96

$1.41 ฿47.67

-1.42%

Eggs

$2.37 ฿79.9

$2.41 ฿81.3

-1.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.52 ฿557

$17.68 ฿597

-6.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.67 ฿90.1

$2.66 ฿89.6

0.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.02 ฿304

$11.67 ฿394

-22.71%

Apples (1kg)

$2.40 ฿80.9

$2.80 ฿94.5

-14.29%

Banana (1kg)

$1.04 ฿35.13

$1.11 ฿37.29

-6.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.66 ฿56.0

$2.36 ฿79.5

-29.66%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.56 ฿52.6

$1.75 ฿58.9

-10.86%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 ฿41.76

$1.28 ฿43.31

-3.13%

Onion (1kg)

$1.09 ฿36.66

$1.16 ฿39.12

-6.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.76 ฿25.70

$1.06 ฿35.82

-28.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿17.35

$0.45 ฿15.20

13.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.12 ฿139

$4.32 ฿146

-4.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.93 ฿605

$20.25 ฿683

-11.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 ฿54.8

$1.92 ฿64.9

-15.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.82 ฿95.2

$2.62 ฿88.3

7.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.93 ฿31.53

$0.87 ฿29.37

6.90%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$52.9 ฿1,785

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.18 ฿39.70

$1.34 ฿45.25

-11.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.17 ฿5.79

$1.16 ฿39.28

-85.34%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.81 ฿61.1

$4.26 ฿144

-57.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 ฿49.69

$1.31 ฿44.25

12.21%

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

$21.0K ฿708.9K

$27.1K ฿914.3K

-22.46%

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

$26.5K ฿894.6K

$27.1K ฿914.5K

-2.17%

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

$62.6 ฿2,111

$93.9 ฿3,166

-33.34%

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

$11.60 ฿392

$10.16 ฿343

14.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.30 ฿685

$16.73 ฿565

21.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.88 ฿1,278

$42.96 ฿1,450

-11.82%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.70 ฿125

$11.62 ฿392

-68.16%

Cinema Ticket

$6.51 ฿220

$5.64 ฿190

15.43%

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

$727 ฿24.5K

$581 ฿19.6K

25.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.6K ฿559.2K

$15.5K ฿522.7K

6.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.5 ฿1,807

$45.52 ฿1,536

17.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.80 ฿837

$30.46 ฿1,028

-18.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.4 ฿3,050

$84.5 ฿2,852

6.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.0 ฿2,428

$81.5 ฿2,751

-11.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$481 ฿16.2K

$485 ฿16.4K

-0.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$310 ฿10.5K

$288 ฿9,731

7.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,058 ฿35.7K

$1,219 ฿41.1K

-13.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$659 ฿22.2K

$745 ฿25.1K

-11.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,418 ฿81.6K

$2,021 ฿68.2K

19.65%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,609 ฿54.3K

$1,677 ฿56.6K

-4.07%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿20.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: November 1, 2026

Last update for Maha Sarakham: November 1, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Chiang Mai

$310 33.1%

Maha Sarakham

$288 31.2% 6.9% $22

Groceries & Markets

Chiang Mai

$237 25.3%

Maha Sarakham

$257 27.8% 8.6% $20

Clothing & Footwear

Chiang Mai

$108 11.6%

Maha Sarakham

$109 11.8% 0.6% $0.6

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chiang Mai

$94 10.1%

Maha Sarakham

$121 13.1% 27.8% $26

Eating Out

Chiang Mai

$77 8.2%

Maha Sarakham

$85 9.2% 11.2% $8.6

Getting Around

Chiang Mai

$59 6.3%

Maha Sarakham

$11 * 1.2% 81.8% $48

Sport & Entertainment

Chiang Mai

$51 5.4%

Maha Sarakham

$54 5.9% 6.6% $3.3

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $481 in Chiang Mai versus $485 in Maha Sarakham. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19 in Chiang Mai versus $28 in Maha Sarakham. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $237 vs $257 – making Chiang Mai the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Maha Sarakham

🕒 Local time

01:08 1:08 AM

Same time as Chiang Mai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

127,240

46,523

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.96 USD

100 THB = 2.65 EUR

100 THB = 2.96 USD

100 THB = 2.65 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Chiang Mai Maha Sarakham 540 km ≈ 1 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Chiang Mai
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

Chiang Mai vs Maha Sarakham: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,403 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,388 in Maha Sarakham. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A central 1-bedroom goes for about $481 in Chiang Mai and $485 in Maha Sarakham. The gap holds across neighborhoods – outer areas show a similar spread, just at lower price points.

Interestingly, groceries are about 8% cheaper in Chiang Mai – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19 in Chiang Mai and $28 in Maha Sarakham. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $935 in Chiang Mai and $925 in Maha Sarakham, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

It depends on your priorities. Chiang Mai has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $925 in Maha Sarakham to $935 in Chiang Mai. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.