Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Maha Sarakham and Bangkok

For one person, living is cheaper in Maha Sarakham: $925 a month against $1,125 in Bangkok, rent and utilities included – about $2,400 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

Maha Sarakham, Thailand
Bangkok, Thailand
Maha Sarakham
🇹🇭 Thailand
$925
/mo nomad
Bangkok
🇹🇭 Thailand
$1,125
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Maha Sarakham and in Bangkok

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 Bangkok actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $925 in Maha Sarakham versus $1,125 in Bangkok.

  • Maha Sarakham $925
  • Bangkok $1,125

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,487 in Maha Sarakham versus $1,837 in Bangkok.

  • Maha Sarakham $1,487
  • Bangkok $1,837

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,049 in Maha Sarakham versus $2,549 in Bangkok.

  • Maha Sarakham $2,049
  • Bangkok $2,549

Living in Maha Sarakham costs roughly 18% less than in Bangkok, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both cities sit below the global median: Maha Sarakham 32% lower, Bangkok 17% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Maha Sarakham
Bangkok
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.06 ฿103
$2.90 ฿98.1
5.52%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$24.12 ฿815
$35.48 ฿1,198
-32.02%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.57 ฿256
$7.37 ฿249
2.71%
Cappuccino
$1.93 ฿65.3
$2.73 ฿92.2
-29.30%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.66 ฿22.18
$0.67 ฿22.75
-1.49%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.33 ฿11.03
$0.32 ฿10.96
3.13%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.11 ฿71.4
$2.63 ฿88.8
-19.77%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.96 ฿100
$4.54 ฿153
-34.80%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Maha Sarakham
Bangkok
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.78 ฿60.0
$1.85 ฿62.3
-3.78%
White Bread (500g)
$1.47 ฿49.70
$1.48 ฿49.98
-0.68%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.37 ฿46.27
$1.41 ฿47.61
-2.84%
Eggs
$1.99 ฿67.0
$2.60 ฿87.9
-23.46%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$16.71 ฿564
$17.29 ฿584
-3.35%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$2.69 ฿90.7
$3.55 ฿120
-24.23%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.30 ฿348
$12.69 ฿428
-18.83%
Apples (1kg)
$2.91 ฿98.2
$3.70 ฿125
-21.35%
Banana (1kg)
$1.06 ฿35.81
$1.72 ฿58.2
-38.37%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.15 ฿72.6
$2.74 ฿92.6
-21.53%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.89 ฿63.7
$1.96 ฿66.3
-3.57%
Potato (1kg)
$1.52 ฿51.4
$1.67 ฿56.5
-8.98%
Onion (1kg)
$1.06 ฿35.79
$1.51 ฿50.9
-29.80%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.08 ฿36.38
$1.27 ฿42.88
-14.96%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.53 ฿18.06
$0.50 ฿16.96
6.00%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.36 ฿147
$4.80 ฿162
-9.17%
Wine (Bottle)
$17.70 ฿598
$14.88 ฿503
18.95%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.71 ฿57.9
$1.84 ฿62.1
-7.07%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.89 ฿97.5
$3.22 ฿109
-10.25%
🚌 Getting Around
Maha Sarakham
Bangkok
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.92 ฿31.12
$1.02 ฿34.33
-9.80%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$35.37 ฿1,194
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.16 ฿39.25
$1.05 ฿35.48
10.48%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.12 ฿37.90
$1.20 ฿40.66
-6.67%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$6.06 ฿205
$6.10 ฿206
-0.66%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.34 ฿45.41
$1.43 ฿48.30
-6.29%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.4K ฿892.2K
$30.8K ฿1.0M
-14.15%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.8K ฿905.1K
$26.9K ฿907.8K
-0.30%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Maha Sarakham
Bangkok
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$82.2 ฿2,777
$109 ฿3,668
-24.29%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.66 ฿394
$14.94 ฿504
-21.95%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.97 ฿641
$18.05 ฿610
5.10%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Maha Sarakham
Bangkok
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$47.45 ฿1,602
$56.3 ฿1,900
-15.67%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$13.36 ฿451
$18.45 ฿623
-27.59%
Cinema Ticket
$6.58 ฿222
$7.46 ฿252
-11.80%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Maha Sarakham
Bangkok
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$581 ฿19.6K
$802 ฿27.1K
-27.56%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$10.9K ฿368.8K
$17.0K ฿573.2K
-35.67%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Maha Sarakham
Bangkok
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$50.4 ฿1,700
$71.5 ฿2,416
-29.62%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$29.75 ฿1,005
$42.12 ฿1,422
-29.37%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$77.1 ฿2,605
$97.1 ฿3,279
-20.55%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$76.1 ฿2,571
$107 ฿3,604
-28.65%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Maha Sarakham
Bangkok
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$439 ฿14.8K
$713 ฿24.1K
-38.50%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$298 ฿10.1K
$347 ฿11.7K
-13.97%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,135 ฿38.3K
$2,219 ฿74.9K
-48.88%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$686 ฿23.2K
$820 ฿27.7K
-16.23%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,968 ฿66.5K
$5,948 ฿200.9K
-66.92%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,481 ฿50.0K
$3,151 ฿106.4K
-52.99%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Maha Sarakham
Bangkok
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$612 ฿20.7K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.57
5.25
6.10%

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

Last update for Maha Sarakham: October 25, 2026

Last update for Bangkok: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Maha Sarakham
$298
Bangkok
$347 16.2% $48
Groceries & Markets
Maha Sarakham
$246
Bangkok
$271 10% $25
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Maha Sarakham
$113
Bangkok
$142 25.5% $29
Clothing & Footwear
Maha Sarakham
$105
Bangkok
$143 36% $38
Eating Out
Maha Sarakham
$91
Bangkok
$104 14.9% $14
Sport & Entertainment
Maha Sarakham
$61
Bangkok
$71 17.5% $11
Getting Around
Maha Sarakham
$10 *
Bangkok
$47 345% $36

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 $439 in Maha Sarakham and $713 in Bangkok. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $24 in Maha Sarakham vs $35 in Bangkok for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $246 vs $271 per month, with Maha Sarakham cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇹🇭 Maha Sarakham
🇹🇭 Bangkok
🕒 Local time
05:57 5:57 AM
05:57 5:57 AM
Same time as Maha Sarakham
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
46,523
5,666,264 Capital
💱 Currency
Thai Baht THB ฿
Thai Baht THB ฿
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 33.77 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.59 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Maha Sarakham Bangkok 410 km
From you
  • Maha Sarakham
  • Bangkok

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 Bangkok: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Maha Sarakham and in Bangkok?
Total monthly costs including rent come to $925 in Maha Sarakham and $1,125 in Bangkok, so Maha Sarakham is about 18% cheaper – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
What salary covers living expenses in Maha Sarakham compared to Bangkok?
You’d need roughly $1,387 in Maha Sarakham and $1,687 in Bangkok 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 Maha Sarakham and in Bangkok?
Rent for a central apartment: $439 in Maha Sarakham versus $713 in Bangkok. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Supermarket bills run roughly 10% higher in Bangkok. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Which city is more expensive overall: Maha Sarakham or Bangkok?
All in, you’ll spend $925 per month in Maha Sarakham versus $1,125 in Bangkok – Maha Sarakham is about 18% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.
How does quality of life compare between Maha Sarakham and Bangkok?
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 Maha Sarakham or Bangkok safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Maha Sarakham and Bangkok are both considered safe, so it’s unlikely to be the deciding factor between them.

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