Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Maha Sarakham and Austin, TX

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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Living in Maha Sarakham costs roughly 66% less than in Austin, TX, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

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

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Maha Sarakham
Austin, TX
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.05 ฿102
$20.77 $20.77
-85.32%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$22.47 ฿751
$84.6 $84.6
-73.44%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.08 ฿237
$12.32 $12.32
-42.53%
Cappuccino
$2.12 ฿71.0
$5.63 $5.63
-62.34%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.73 ฿24.23
$3.72 $3.72
-80.38%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.33 ฿11.15
$2.50 $2.50
-86.80%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.02 ฿67.6
$8.05 $8.05
-74.91%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.04 ฿102
$9.01 $9.01
-66.26%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Maha Sarakham
Austin, TX
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.74 ฿58.2
$1.12 $1.12
55.36%
White Bread (500g)
$1.39 ฿46.53
$3.75 $3.75
-62.93%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.35 ฿45.20
$3.26 $3.26
-58.59%
Eggs
$2.07 ฿69.1
$4.17 $4.17
-50.36%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$16.39 ฿548
$12.90 $12.90
27.05%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$2.75 ฿92.0
$14.16 $14.16
-80.58%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.23 ฿342
$16.22 $16.22
-36.93%
Apples (1kg)
$3.03 ฿101
$4.33 $4.33
-30.02%
Banana (1kg)
$1.08 ฿36.10
$1.46 $1.46
-26.03%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.16 ฿72.3
$4.51 $4.51
-52.11%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.90 ฿63.4
$4.34 $4.34
-56.22%
Potato (1kg)
$1.49 ฿49.65
$2.58 $2.58
-42.25%
Onion (1kg)
$1.11 ฿37.11
$2.35 $2.35
-52.77%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.12 ฿37.41
$1.78 $1.78
-37.08%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.48 ฿16.12
$2.22 $2.22
-78.38%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.44 ฿149
$9.88 $9.88
-55.06%
Wine (Bottle)
$17.25 ฿577
$15.08 $15.08
14.39%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.70 ฿56.9
$2.92 $2.92
-41.78%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.78 ฿92.8
$3.46 $3.46
-19.65%
🚌 Getting Around
Maha Sarakham
Austin, TX
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.90 ฿30.10
$1.49 $1.49
-39.60%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$41.72 $41.72
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.26 ฿42.02
$2.73 $2.73
-53.85%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.12 ฿37.42
$1.66 $1.66
-32.53%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$4.93 ฿165
$35.30 $35.30
-86.03%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.34 ฿44.74
$0.95 $0.95
41.05%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.0K ฿869.7K
$36.0K $36.0K
-27.81%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.4K ฿881.4K
$27.1K $27.1K
-2.58%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Maha Sarakham
Austin, TX
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$82.5 ฿2,755
$229 $229
-63.99%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.45 ฿383
$59.4 $59.4
-80.72%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$19.19 ฿641
$69.9 $69.9
-72.55%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Maha Sarakham
Austin, TX
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$47.10 ฿1,574
$57.2 $57.2
-17.71%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$13.97 ฿467
$16.33 $16.33
-14.45%
Cinema Ticket
$6.63 ฿222
$14.28 $14.28
-53.57%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Maha Sarakham
Austin, TX
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$563 ฿18.8K
$1,506 $1,506
-62.63%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$10.7K ฿357.3K
$21.5K $21.5K
-50.17%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Maha Sarakham
Austin, TX
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$51.3 ฿1,715
$52.8 $52.8
-2.86%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$29.17 ฿975
$43.82 $43.82
-33.43%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$78.1 ฿2,610
$84.8 $84.8
-7.89%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$76.8 ฿2,565
$103 $103
-25.49%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Maha Sarakham
Austin, TX
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$441 ฿14.7K
$1,907 $1,907
-76.87%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$293 ฿9,807
$1,274 $1,274
-76.97%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,382 ฿46.2K
$3,664 $3,664
-62.28%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$740 ฿24.7K
$2,538 $2,538
-70.84%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,901 ฿63.5K
$7,614 $7,614
-75.03%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,610 ฿53.8K
$3,157 $3,157
-49.01%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Maha Sarakham
Austin, TX
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$5,121 $5,121
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.57
6.79
-17.97%

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

Last update for Maha Sarakham: October 12, 2026

Last update for Austin, TX: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Maha Sarakham
$293
Austin, TX
$1.3K 334% $981
Groceries & Markets
Maha Sarakham
$244
Austin, TX
$405 65.9% $161
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Maha Sarakham
$113
Austin, TX
$358 217% $245
Clothing & Footwear
Maha Sarakham
$106
Austin, TX
$128 20.9% $22
Eating Out
Maha Sarakham
$92
Austin, TX
$354 287% $262
Sport & Entertainment
Maha Sarakham
$60
Austin, TX
$86 42.1% $25
Getting Around
Maha Sarakham
$10 *
Austin, TX
$59 461% $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 $441 in Maha Sarakham and $1,907 in Austin, TX. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

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

Good to know
🇹🇭 Maha Sarakham
🇺🇸 Austin, TX
🕒 Local time
01:19 1:19 AM
13:19 1:19 PM
12 h behind Maha Sarakham
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
46,523
974,447
💱 Currency
Thai Baht THB ฿
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

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).

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

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

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
Maha Sarakham vs Austin, TX: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Maha Sarakham or Austin, TX?
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 Maha Sarakham and in Austin, TX?
You'd need roughly $1,378 in Maha Sarakham and $3,995 in Austin, TX 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 Maha Sarakham compared to Austin, TX?
Rent for a central apartment: $441 in Maha Sarakham versus $1,907 in Austin, TX. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do childcare costs compare in Maha Sarakham and in Austin, TX?
Childcare runs $563 in Maha Sarakham versus $1,506 in Austin, TX. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
How do dining costs compare in Maha Sarakham and in Austin, TX?
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 Maha Sarakham or in Austin, TX?
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: Maha Sarakham or Austin, TX?
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 Maha Sarakham compared to Austin, TX?
Safety-wise, Maha Sarakham and Austin, TX 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.

Maha Sarakham vs other spots: cost of living compared

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