Cost of Living Comparison Between Maha Sarakham and Pattaya Cost of Living Comparison Between Maha Sarakham and Pattaya

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $905 per month in Maha Sarakham vs $1,010 in Pattaya, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,478 per month in Maha Sarakham vs $1,584 in Pattaya, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,050 per month in Maha Sarakham vs $2,159 in Pattaya, rent included.

Maha Sarakham is about 10% cheaper than Pattaya, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Maha Sarakham and Pattaya are more affordable than the global median – Maha Sarakham 32% lower, Pattaya 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.16 ฿106

$3.76 ฿126

-15.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.03 ฿904

$31.32 ฿1,048

-13.70%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.12 ฿205

$9.24 ฿309

-33.77%

Cappuccino

$2.00 ฿66.9

$2.18 ฿72.9

-8.26%

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

$0.67 ฿22.57

$0.84 ฿28.15

-20.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 ฿9.79

$0.35 ฿11.65

-17.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 ฿80.7

$2.52 ฿84.3

-4.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿125

$2.41 ฿80.5

54.36%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.76 ฿59.0

$1.75 ฿58.7

0.57%

White Bread (500g)

$1.40 ฿46.82

$1.36 ฿45.63

2.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.33 ฿44.43

$1.31 ฿43.97

1.53%

Eggs

$2.23 ฿74.4

$2.24 ฿75.0

-0.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.11 ฿606

$15.46 ฿517

17.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.09 ฿103

$3.37 ฿113

-8.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.60 ฿354

$11.40 ฿381

-7.02%

Apples (1kg)

$3.13 ฿105

$3.42 ฿115

-8.48%

Banana (1kg)

$1.26 ฿42.20

$1.34 ฿44.68

-5.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 ฿63.7

$1.98 ฿66.2

-4.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿53.2

$1.45 ฿48.44

9.66%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿51.2

$1.46 ฿48.82

4.79%

Onion (1kg)

$1.26 ฿42.31

$1.21 ฿40.59

4.13%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 ฿33.92

$1.63 ฿54.5

-38.04%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿17.10

$0.56 ฿18.82

-8.93%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.42 ฿148

$4.71 ฿157

-6.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.14 ฿674

$17.67 ฿591

13.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 ฿58.0

$1.78 ฿59.4

-2.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.81 ฿94.0

$2.38 ฿79.6

18.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ฿30.31

$0.32 ฿10.82

184.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.52 ฿620

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.05 ฿35.23

$1.37 ฿45.77

-23.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.15 ฿38.36

$1.29 ฿43.23

-10.85%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.27 ฿210

$3.35 ฿112

87.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 ฿41.35

$1.29 ฿43.24

-3.88%

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

$27.4K ฿915.9K

$26.2K ฿876.2K

4.53%

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

$27.8K ฿928.5K

$27.5K ฿918.2K

1.12%

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

$77.5 ฿2,592

$77.3 ฿2,586

0.22%

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

$13.64 ฿456

$13.73 ฿459

-0.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.70 ฿625

$18.13 ฿606

3.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.80 ฿1,666

$44.84 ฿1,500

11.06%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.43 ฿416

$17.12 ฿573

-27.39%

Cinema Ticket

$7.12 ฿238

$7.48 ฿250

-4.81%

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

$304 ฿10.2K

$287 ฿9,597

6.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,844 ฿329.3K

$9,182 ฿307.2K

7.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$33.93 ฿1,135

$29.58 ฿990

14.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.79 ฿1,164

$20.05 ฿671

73.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.6 ฿3,297

$102 ฿3,415

-3.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.0 ฿2,340

$44.21 ฿1,479

58.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$419 ฿14.0K

$546 ฿18.2K

-23.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$284 ฿9,485

$343 ฿11.5K

-17.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$798 ฿26.7K

$1,332 ฿44.6K

-40.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$654 ฿21.9K

$690 ฿23.1K

-5.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,200 ฿73.6K

$2,513 ฿84.1K

-12.46%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,614 ฿54.0K

$1,453 ฿48.6K

11.04%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$460 ฿15.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.45

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

Last update for Maha Sarakham: July 27, 2026

Last update for Pattaya: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $419 in Maha Sarakham versus $546 in Pattaya. 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 $31.00 in Pattaya. Groceries tell a different story – $258 in Maha Sarakham vs $252 in Pattaya – so Pattaya wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Pattaya: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $905 in Maha Sarakham, $1,010 in Pattaya – roughly 12% apart. Pattaya costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,357 per month in Maha Sarakham and $1,515 in Pattaya. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Maha Sarakham, 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 $31.00 in Pattaya. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 2% cheaper in Pattaya – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Maha Sarakham, where all-in costs run around $905, than in Pattaya at $1,010. In Maha Sarakham it covers expenses comfortably, while in Pattaya it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Pattaya has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $905 in Maha Sarakham to $1,010 in Pattaya. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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