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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $977 per month in Pattaya vs $921 in Maha Sarakham, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,550 per month in Pattaya vs $1,498 in Maha Sarakham, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,122 per month in Pattaya vs $2,076 in Maha Sarakham, rent included.

Pattaya costs about 6% more than Maha Sarakham, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Pattaya and Maha Sarakham are more affordable than the global median – Pattaya 27% lower, Maha Sarakham 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.68 ฿121

$3.15 ฿103

16.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.34 ฿994

$26.88 ฿881

12.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.05 ฿297

$6.13 ฿201

47.63%

Cappuccino

$2.16 ฿70.9

$2.10 ฿68.7

2.86%

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

$0.80 ฿26.37

$0.71 ฿23.41

12.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.46

$0.27 ฿8.72

29.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.49 ฿81.7

$2.51 ฿82.3

-0.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.51 ฿82.4

$3.73 ฿122

-32.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.69 ฿55.5

$1.67 ฿54.7

1.20%

White Bread (500g)

$1.40 ฿45.77

$1.39 ฿45.40

0.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.26 ฿41.18

$1.28 ฿41.80

-1.56%

Eggs

$2.24 ฿73.5

$2.22 ฿72.7

0.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.59 ฿511

$18.62 ฿610

-16.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.30 ฿108

$2.95 ฿96.7

11.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.10 ฿364

$10.66 ฿349

4.13%

Apples (1kg)

$3.29 ฿108

$3.16 ฿103

4.11%

Banana (1kg)

$1.29 ฿42.30

$1.21 ฿39.69

6.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.94 ฿63.6

$1.90 ฿62.2

2.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.39 ฿45.59

$1.55 ฿50.7

-10.32%

Potato (1kg)

$1.54 ฿50.5

$1.49 ฿48.70

3.36%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.47

$1.20 ฿39.16

-2.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.63 ฿53.4

$1.01 ฿33.25

61.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 ฿18.60

$0.52 ฿17.02

9.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.67 ฿153

$4.32 ฿142

8.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.12 ฿561

$14.88 ฿488

15.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿59.1

$1.82 ฿59.5

-1.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.36 ฿77.3

$2.80 ฿91.8

-15.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 ฿9.66

$0.93 ฿30.61

-68.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.76 ฿615

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.37 ฿44.99

$1.06 ฿34.65

29.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 ฿44.39

$1.14 ฿37.36

18.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.33 ฿109

$6.23 ฿204

-46.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.33 ฿43.69

$1.28 ฿42.07

3.91%

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

$26.2K ฿857.2K

$27.6K ฿903.3K

-5.10%

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

$27.0K ฿883.2K

$27.9K ฿915.5K

-3.52%

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

$79.6 ฿2,608

$75.2 ฿2,463

5.85%

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

$13.73 ฿450

$13.95 ฿457

-1.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.27 ฿599

$18.43 ฿604

-0.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.66 ฿1,431

$49.91 ฿1,635

-12.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.86 ฿553

$11.96 ฿392

40.97%

Cinema Ticket

$7.72 ฿253

$7.01 ฿230

10.13%

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

$298 ฿9,749

$294 ฿9,628

1.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,372 ฿307.1K

$9,607 ฿314.8K

-2.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$29.61 ฿970

$34.07 ฿1,116

-13.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.62 ฿643

$34.19 ฿1,120

-42.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.6 ฿3,232

$100 ฿3,288

-1.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$44.52 ฿1,459

$71.3 ฿2,336

-37.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$549 ฿18.0K

$418 ฿13.7K

31.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$351 ฿11.5K

$286 ฿9,365

22.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,361 ฿44.6K

$806 ฿26.4K

68.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$674 ฿22.1K

$658 ฿21.6K

2.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,568 ฿84.2K

$2,221 ฿72.8K

15.64%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,504 ฿49.3K

$1,446 ฿47.4K

4.02%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$486 ฿15.9K

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 Pattaya: June 14, 2026

Last update for Maha Sarakham: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $549 in Pattaya versus $418 in Maha Sarakham. 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 $30.00 in Pattaya versus $27.00 in Maha Sarakham. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $247 – making Maha Sarakham 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

Pattaya vs Maha Sarakham: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $977 in Pattaya, $921 in Maha Sarakham – roughly 6% apart. Pattaya costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,466 per month in Pattaya and $1,381 in Maha Sarakham. 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 $30.00 in Pattaya and $27.00 in Maha Sarakham. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 1% more in Pattaya, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Maha Sarakham, where all-in costs run around $921, than in Pattaya at $977. 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 $921 in Maha Sarakham to $977 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.