Cost of Living Comparison Between Maha Sarakham and Chiang Mai Cost of Living Comparison Between Maha Sarakham and Chiang Mai

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $916 per month in Maha Sarakham vs $852 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,498 per month in Maha Sarakham vs $1,354 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,079 per month in Maha Sarakham vs $1,857 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Maha Sarakham costs about 7% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Maha Sarakham and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Maha Sarakham 32% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.04 ฿99.5

$1.96 ฿64.0

55.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.12 ฿887

$18.81 ฿615

44.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.37 ฿208

$7.92 ฿259

-19.57%

Cappuccino

$2.01 ฿65.7

$1.91 ฿62.6

5.24%

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

$0.67 ฿21.89

$0.84 ฿27.41

-20.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 ฿8.70

$0.35 ฿11.51

-22.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.44 ฿79.9

$2.21 ฿72.1

10.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 ฿118

$3.80 ฿124

-5.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.75 ฿57.2

$1.64 ฿53.5

6.71%

White Bread (500g)

$1.33 ฿43.53

$1.62 ฿53.1

-17.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.27 ฿41.62

$1.18 ฿38.62

7.63%

Eggs

$2.20 ฿71.8

$2.01 ฿65.8

9.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.81 ฿615

$15.89 ฿520

18.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.01 ฿98.4

$3.01 ฿98.5

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.62 ฿347

$10.77 ฿352

-1.39%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿106

$2.61 ฿85.5

23.75%

Banana (1kg)

$1.25 ฿40.81

$1.22 ฿39.88

2.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 ฿62.2

$1.70 ฿55.7

11.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.57 ฿51.4

$1.58 ฿51.5

-0.63%

Potato (1kg)

$1.51 ฿49.43

$1.32 ฿43.14

14.39%

Onion (1kg)

$1.24 ฿40.70

$1.17 ฿38.23

5.98%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 ฿33.60

$0.67 ฿21.98

53.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.75

$0.56 ฿18.32

-8.93%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.40 ฿144

$4.53 ฿148

-2.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.89 ฿552

$18.20 ฿595

-7.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 ฿58.6

$1.83 ฿60.0

-2.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.75 ฿90.0

$3.23 ฿106

-14.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.95 ฿31.20

$0.89 ฿29.00

6.74%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.38 ฿634

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.09 ฿35.78

$1.35 ฿44.20

-19.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.20 ฿39.26

$1.35 ฿44.05

-11.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.20 ฿203

$8.25 ฿270

-24.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 ฿40.76

$1.27 ฿41.64

-1.57%

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

$28.1K ฿920.2K

$21.2K ฿691.8K

33.02%

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

$27.1K ฿887.4K

$22.5K ฿735.3K

20.69%

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

$75.9 ฿2,482

$70.2 ฿2,294

8.20%

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

$13.51 ฿442

$13.77 ฿450

-1.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.71 ฿612

$17.60 ฿575

6.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.2 ฿1,640

$41.57 ฿1,360

20.66%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.23 ฿400

$6.60 ฿216

85.30%

Cinema Ticket

$7.03 ฿230

$5.78 ฿189

21.63%

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

$297 ฿9,700

$306 ฿10.0K

-3.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,747 ฿318.7K

$14.8K ฿484.8K

-34.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$33.86 ฿1,107

$54.4 ฿1,778

-37.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.94 ฿1,143

$26.14 ฿855

33.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.0 ฿3,236

$84.5 ฿2,764

17.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.4 ฿2,336

$69.4 ฿2,270

2.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$427 ฿14.0K

$424 ฿13.9K

0.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$287 ฿9,375

$238 ฿7,788

20.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$813 ฿26.6K

$825 ฿27.0K

-1.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$655 ฿21.4K

$515 ฿16.8K

27.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,136 ฿69.8K

$2,049 ฿67.0K

4.22%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,589 ฿52.0K

$1,523 ฿49.8K

4.37%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$635 ฿20.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.45

9.00%

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

Last update for Maha Sarakham: April 27, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $427 in Maha Sarakham versus $424 in Chiang Mai. 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 $27.00 in Maha Sarakham versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $253 vs $243 – making Chiang Mai the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Maha Sarakham costs about 7% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by Getting Around. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,374 per month in Maha Sarakham and $1,278 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Chiang Mai, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $27.00 in Maha Sarakham and $19.00 in Chiang Mai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 4% more in Maha Sarakham, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $916 in Maha Sarakham and $852 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $852 versus $916 in Maha Sarakham. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Chiang Mai. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Maha Sarakham makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.