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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,232 per month in Phuket vs $916 in Maha Sarakham, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,255 per month in Phuket vs $1,498 in Maha Sarakham, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,279 per month in Phuket vs $2,079 in Maha Sarakham, rent included.

Phuket costs about 34% more than Maha Sarakham, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Phuket and Maha Sarakham are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 8% lower, Maha Sarakham 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.63 ฿151

$3.04 ฿99.5

52.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.84 ฿1,532

$27.12 ฿887

72.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 ฿289

$6.37 ฿208

38.78%

Cappuccino

$3.00 ฿98.0

$2.01 ฿65.7

49.25%

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

$0.74 ฿24.25

$0.67 ฿21.89

10.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.95

$0.27 ฿8.70

37.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.44 ฿79.8

$2.44 ฿79.9

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.61 ฿118

$3.59 ฿118

0.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ฿73.9

$1.75 ฿57.2

29.14%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 ฿60.1

$1.33 ฿43.53

38.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.24 ฿73.4

$1.27 ฿41.62

76.38%

Eggs

$2.32 ฿75.7

$2.20 ฿71.8

5.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.67 ฿643

$18.81 ฿615

4.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.65 ฿119

$3.01 ฿98.4

21.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.10 ฿428

$10.62 ฿347

23.35%

Apples (1kg)

$3.39 ฿111

$3.23 ฿106

4.95%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.7

$1.25 ฿40.81

31.20%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿79.0

$1.90 ฿62.2

26.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿66.4

$1.57 ฿51.4

29.30%

Potato (1kg)

$1.56 ฿50.9

$1.51 ฿49.43

3.31%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿48.94

$1.24 ฿40.70

20.97%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 ฿33.50

$1.03 ฿33.60

-0.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.00

$0.51 ฿16.75

-3.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.45 ฿145

$4.40 ฿144

1.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.88 ฿617

$16.89 ฿552

11.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

$1.79 ฿58.6

-0.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.75 ฿90.1

$2.75 ฿90.0

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.40 ฿45.81

$0.95 ฿31.20

47.37%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.48 ฿376

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.12 ฿102

$1.09 ฿35.78

186.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.00 ฿32.67

$1.20 ฿39.26

-16.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.09 ฿461

$6.20 ฿203

127.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 ฿44.19

$1.25 ฿40.76

8.00%

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

$27.2K ฿888.9K

$28.1K ฿920.2K

-3.40%

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$27.1K ฿887.4K

21.32%

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

$125 ฿4,087

$75.9 ฿2,482

64.66%

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

$13.57 ฿444

$13.51 ฿442

0.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.52 ฿606

$18.71 ฿612

-1.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.5 ฿2,010

$50.2 ฿1,640

22.57%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.84 ฿551

$12.23 ฿400

37.69%

Cinema Ticket

$9.19 ฿300

$7.03 ฿230

30.73%

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

$698 ฿22.8K

$297 ฿9,700

135.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.6K ฿509.9K

$9,747 ฿318.7K

59.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.8 ฿1,889

$33.86 ฿1,107

70.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.24 ฿1,152

$34.94 ฿1,143

0.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 ฿3,699

$99.0 ฿3,236

14.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.4 ฿2,825

$71.4 ฿2,336

20.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$616 ฿20.1K

$427 ฿14.0K

44.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$446 ฿14.6K

$287 ฿9,375

55.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,048 ฿67.0K

$813 ฿26.6K

152.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 ฿48.8K

$655 ฿21.4K

127.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,779 ฿123.6K

$2,136 ฿69.8K

76.90%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,649 ฿86.6K

$1,589 ฿52.0K

66.65%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$524 ฿17.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

5.45

-2.20%

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

Last update for Phuket: April 27, 2026

Last update for Maha Sarakham: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $616 in Phuket 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 $47.00 in Phuket versus $27.00 in Maha Sarakham. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $292 vs $253 – 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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $1,232 in Phuket, $916 in Maha Sarakham – roughly 34% apart. Phuket costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,847 per month in Phuket 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 $47.00 in Phuket 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 16% more in Phuket, 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 $916, than in Phuket at $1,232. In Maha Sarakham it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Phuket has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $916 in Maha Sarakham to $1,232 in Phuket. 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, Phuket makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.