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 $988 per month in Pattaya vs $916 in Maha Sarakham, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,558 per month in Pattaya vs $1,498 in Maha Sarakham, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,129 per month in Pattaya vs $2,079 in Maha Sarakham, rent included.

Pattaya costs about 8% more than Maha Sarakham, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Pattaya and Maha Sarakham are more affordable than the global median – Pattaya 26% lower, Maha Sarakham 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.74 ฿122

$3.04 ฿99.5

23.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.45 ฿996

$27.12 ฿887

12.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.39 ฿307

$6.37 ฿208

47.41%

Cappuccino

$2.08 ฿68.1

$2.01 ฿65.7

3.48%

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

$0.81 ฿26.56

$0.67 ฿21.89

20.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿12.12

$0.27 ฿8.70

37.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.39 ฿78.2

$2.44 ฿79.9

-2.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 ฿82.6

$3.59 ฿118

-29.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 ฿56.9

$1.75 ฿57.2

-0.57%

White Bread (500g)

$1.36 ฿44.41

$1.33 ฿43.53

2.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.27 ฿41.42

$1.27 ฿41.62

Eggs

$2.35 ฿76.9

$2.20 ฿71.8

6.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.41 ฿504

$18.81 ฿615

-18.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.27 ฿107

$3.01 ฿98.4

8.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.07 ฿362

$10.62 ฿347

4.24%

Apples (1kg)

$3.36 ฿110

$3.23 ฿106

4.02%

Banana (1kg)

$1.28 ฿41.96

$1.25 ฿40.81

2.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.94 ฿63.5

$1.90 ฿62.2

2.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.47 ฿48.07

$1.57 ฿51.4

-6.37%

Potato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿49.84

$1.51 ฿49.43

0.66%

Onion (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.52

$1.24 ฿40.70

-2.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.65 ฿53.8

$1.03 ฿33.60

60.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.36

$0.51 ฿16.75

3.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.61 ฿151

$4.40 ฿144

4.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.44 ฿603

$16.89 ฿552

9.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

$1.79 ฿58.6

-0.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 ฿74.7

$2.75 ฿90.0

-17.09%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.32 ฿10.62

$0.95 ฿31.20

-66.32%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.81 ฿615

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 ฿46.56

$1.09 ฿35.78

30.28%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.31 ฿42.82

$1.20 ฿39.26

9.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.36 ฿110

$6.20 ฿203

-45.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.33 ฿43.49

$1.25 ฿40.76

6.40%

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

$25.9K ฿845.5K

$28.1K ฿920.2K

-8.11%

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

$27.2K ฿889.4K

$27.1K ฿887.4K

0.23%

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

$78.1 ฿2,554

$75.9 ฿2,482

2.91%

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

$13.91 ฿455

$13.51 ฿442

2.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.20 ฿595

$18.71 ฿612

-2.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.87 ฿1,435

$50.2 ฿1,640

-12.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.13 ฿560

$12.23 ฿400

40.07%

Cinema Ticket

$7.48 ฿245

$7.03 ฿230

6.40%

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

$294 ฿9,616

$297 ฿9,700

-0.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,071 ฿296.6K

$9,747 ฿318.7K

-6.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$30.33 ฿992

$33.86 ฿1,107

-10.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.90 ฿651

$34.94 ฿1,143

-43.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.8 ฿3,263

$99.0 ฿3,236

0.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$43.74 ฿1,430

$71.4 ฿2,336

-38.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$553 ฿18.1K

$427 ฿14.0K

29.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$347 ฿11.3K

$287 ฿9,375

20.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,321 ฿43.2K

$813 ฿26.6K

62.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$674 ฿22.0K

$655 ฿21.4K

2.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,998 ฿98.0K

$2,136 ฿69.8K

40.34%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,658 ฿54.2K

$1,589 ฿52.0K

4.29%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$479 ฿15.7K

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Maha Sarakham: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $553 in Pattaya versus $427 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. Groceries tell a different story – $251 in Pattaya vs $253 in Maha Sarakham – 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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $988 in Pattaya, $916 in Maha Sarakham – roughly 8% apart. Pattaya costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,482 per month in Pattaya and $1,374 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.

Interestingly, groceries are about 1% 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 $916, than in Pattaya at $988. 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 $916 in Maha Sarakham to $988 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.