🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $916 in Maha Sarakham versus $2,227 in Lisbon.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,498 in Maha Sarakham versus $3,305 in Lisbon.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,079 in Maha Sarakham versus $4,384 in Lisbon.
🙂Living in Maha Sarakham costs roughly 59% less than in Lisbon, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Maha Sarakham is 32% below, Lisbon is 66% above.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Maha Sarakham
Lisbon
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.04฿98.9
$16.17€13.81
-81.20%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$27.12฿882
$64.6€55.1
-58.00%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$6.37฿207
$10.38€8.86
-38.63%
Cappuccino
$2.01฿65.3
$2.77€2.37
-27.44%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.67฿21.76
$2.25€1.92
-70.22%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.27฿8.65
$1.57€1.34
-82.80%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.44฿79.5
$3.49€2.98
-30.09%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.59฿117
$4.00€3.42
-10.25%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Maha Sarakham
Lisbon
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.75฿56.9
$1.08€0.93
62.04%
White Bread(500g)
$1.33฿43.27
$1.74€1.49
-23.56%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.27฿41.37
$1.74€1.48
-27.01%
Eggs
$2.20฿71.4
$3.18€2.71
-30.82%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$18.81฿611
$13.43€11.47
40.06%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.01฿97.8
$7.99€6.83
-62.33%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$10.62฿345
$16.09€13.74
-34.00%
Apples(1kg)
$3.23฿105
$2.28€1.95
41.67%
Banana(1kg)
$1.25฿40.58
$1.72€1.47
-27.33%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.90฿61.8
$1.94€1.66
-2.06%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.57฿51.1
$2.54€2.17
-38.19%
Potato(1kg)
$1.51฿49.14
$1.83€1.56
-17.49%
Onion(1kg)
$1.24฿40.46
$2.04€1.74
-39.22%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.03฿33.40
$1.98€1.69
-47.98%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.51฿16.66
$0.85€0.73
-40.00%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.40฿143
$6.85€5.85
-35.77%
Wine(Bottle)
$16.89฿549
$5.78€4.93
192.21%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.79฿58.3
$1.37€1.17
30.66%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.75฿89.5
$2.90€2.48
-5.17%
🚌 Getting Around
Maha Sarakham
Lisbon
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.95฿31.02
$2.28€1.95
-58.33%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
-
$46.84€40.00
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$1.09฿35.57
$4.08€3.48
-73.28%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.20฿39.03
$0.82€0.70
46.34%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$6.20฿202
$18.27€15.60
-66.06%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.25฿40.53
$2.01€1.71
-37.81%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.1K฿914.8K
$35.3K€30.1K
-20.21%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$27.1K฿882.2K
$38.5K€32.9K
-29.49%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Maha Sarakham
Lisbon
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$75.9฿2,467
$145€124
-47.80%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.51฿439
$20.96€17.90
-35.54%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.71฿608
$40.05€34.21
-53.28%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Maha Sarakham
Lisbon
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$50.2฿1,631
$48.79€41.66
2.81%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$12.23฿398
$18.69€15.97
-34.56%
Cinema Ticket
$7.03฿229
$9.06€7.74
-22.41%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Maha Sarakham
Lisbon
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$297฿9,643
$607€518
-51.10%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$9,747฿316.9K
$16.3K€13.9K
-40.31%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Maha Sarakham
Lisbon
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$33.86฿1,101
$105€89.4
-67.65%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$34.94฿1,136
$40.95€34.97
-14.68%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$99.0฿3,217
$93.6€79.9
5.76%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$71.4฿2,322
$119€101
-39.75%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Maha Sarakham
Lisbon
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$427฿13.9K
$1,604€1,370
-73.38%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$287฿9,321
$1,236€1,055
-76.80%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$813฿26.4K
$3,046€2,601
-73.32%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$655฿21.3K
$2,057€1,756
-68.15%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$2,136฿69.4K
$7,709€6,583
-72.29%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,589฿51.7K
$4,266€3,644
-62.75%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Maha Sarakham
Lisbon
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
-
$1,584€1,353
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.45
3.81
43.04%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Maha Sarakham: April 27, 2026
Last update for Lisbon: April 26, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $427 in Maha Sarakham and $1,604 in Lisbon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
🛒Dining out: $27.00 in Maha Sarakham vs $65.0 in Lisbon for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $253 vs $271 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
Maha Sarakham vs Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Maha Sarakham and Lisbon?
Maha Sarakham and Lisbon differ by about 143% in total monthly costs ($916 vs $2,227 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 Maha Sarakham compared to Lisbon?
You'd need roughly $1,374 in Maha Sarakham and $3,341 in Lisbon 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 Lisbon?
Rent for a central apartment: $427 in Maha Sarakham versus $1,604 in Lisbon. 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 7% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Which city is more expensive overall: Maha Sarakham or Lisbon?
All in, you'll spend $916 per month in Maha Sarakham versus $2,227 in Lisbon – a 143% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
At $916 in Maha Sarakham versus $2,227 in Lisbon, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Maha Sarakham but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Maha Sarakham the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Maha Sarakham and Lisbon?
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 Lisbon safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Maha Sarakham and Lisbon 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: Maha Sarakham or Lisbon?
Expats usually find Maha Sarakham gentler on the wallet – expenses run 143% less than in Lisbon. 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