Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Singapore and Maha Sarakham

For one person, living is cheaper in Maha Sarakham: $919 a month against $3,500 in Singapore, rent and utilities included – about $31,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Singapore
🇸🇬 Singapore
$3,500
/mo nomad
Maha Sarakham
🇹🇭 Thailand
$919
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Singapore and in Maha Sarakham

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Singapore and in Maha Sarakham actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,500 per month in Singapore vs $919 in Maha Sarakham, rent included.

  • Singapore $3,500
  • Maha Sarakham $919

A couple spends around $5,265 per month in Singapore vs $1,507 in Maha Sarakham, rent included.

  • Singapore $5,265
  • Maha Sarakham $1,507

A family of three spends $7,030 per month in Singapore vs $2,094 in Maha Sarakham, rent included.

  • Singapore $7,030
  • Maha Sarakham $2,094

Singapore costs about 281% more than Maha Sarakham, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Singapore sits 159% above the global median, while Maha Sarakham is 32% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Singapore
Maha Sarakham
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.76 SGD 15.05
$3.05 ฿102
285.57%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$70.6 SGD 90.4
$22.47 ฿751
214.29%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.55 SGD 10.94
$7.08 ฿237
20.76%
Cappuccino
$5.20 SGD 6.66
$2.12 ฿71.0
145.28%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.77 SGD 2.27
$0.73 ฿24.23
142.47%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.23 SGD 1.58
$0.33 ฿11.15
272.73%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$8.26 SGD 10.58
$2.02 ฿67.6
308.91%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$10.17 SGD 13.01
$3.04 ฿102
234.54%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Singapore
Maha Sarakham
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$3.04 SGD 3.89
$1.74 ฿58.2
74.71%
White Bread (500g)
$2.55 SGD 3.26
$1.39 ฿46.53
83.45%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.86 SGD 3.66
$1.35 ฿45.20
111.85%
Eggs
$3.53 SGD 4.51
$2.07 ฿69.1
70.53%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$21.12 SGD 27.02
$16.39 ฿548
28.86%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.90 SGD 12.67
$2.75 ฿92.0
260.00%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$25.42 SGD 32.53
$10.23 ฿342
148.48%
Apples (1kg)
$4.57 SGD 5.85
$3.03 ฿101
50.83%
Banana (1kg)
$3.13 SGD 4.00
$1.08 ฿36.10
189.81%
Oranges (1kg)
$4.72 SGD 6.04
$2.16 ฿72.3
118.52%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.23 SGD 2.85
$1.90 ฿63.4
17.37%
Potato (1kg)
$2.57 SGD 3.29
$1.49 ฿49.65
72.48%
Onion (1kg)
$2.29 SGD 2.93
$1.11 ฿37.11
106.31%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.87 SGD 2.39
$1.12 ฿37.41
66.96%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.44 SGD 1.84
$0.48 ฿16.12
200.00%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$13.97 SGD 17.88
$4.44 ฿149
214.64%
Wine (Bottle)
$23.48 SGD 30.05
$17.25 ฿577
36.12%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$4.54 SGD 5.80
$1.70 ฿56.9
167.06%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.44 SGD 5.68
$2.78 ฿92.8
59.71%
🚌 Getting Around
Singapore
Maha Sarakham
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.57 SGD 2.01
$0.90 ฿30.10
74.44%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$93.8 SGD 120
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.64 SGD 4.66
$1.26 ฿42.02
188.89%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.76 SGD 0.97
$1.12 ฿37.42
-32.14%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$16.14 SGD 20.66
$4.93 ฿165
227.38%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.45 SGD 3.14
$1.34 ฿44.74
82.84%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$155.2K SGD 198.5K
$26.0K ฿869.7K
496.18%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$148.5K SGD 190.0K
$26.4K ฿881.4K
463.07%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Singapore
Maha Sarakham
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$172 SGD 220
$82.5 ฿2,755
108.07%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$12.39 SGD 15.86
$11.45 ฿383
8.21%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$26.21 SGD 33.54
$19.19 ฿641
36.58%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Singapore
Maha Sarakham
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$108 SGD 138
$47.10 ฿1,574
129.34%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$12.31 SGD 15.75
$13.97 ฿467
-11.88%
Cinema Ticket
$11.64 SGD 14.90
$6.63 ฿222
75.57%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Singapore
Maha Sarakham
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,481 SGD 1,895
$563 ฿18.8K
163.13%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$28.3K SGD 36.3K
$10.7K ฿357.3K
165.13%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Singapore
Maha Sarakham
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$80.6 SGD 103
$51.3 ฿1,715
57.02%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$50.1 SGD 64.1
$29.17 ฿975
71.79%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$112 SGD 143
$78.1 ฿2,610
43.17%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$129 SGD 165
$76.8 ฿2,565
67.93%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Singapore
Maha Sarakham
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,015 SGD 3,858
$441 ฿14.7K
583.47%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,171 SGD 2,778
$293 ฿9,807
639.73%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$5,842 SGD 7,475
$1,382 ฿46.2K
322.58%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$4,044 SGD 5,174
$740 ฿24.7K
446.34%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$23.8K SGD 30.4K
$1,901 ฿63.5K
1151.10%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$16.8K SGD 21.4K
$1,610 ฿53.8K
940.66%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Singapore
Maha Sarakham
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$4,385 SGD 5,611
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
2.44
5.57
-56.19%

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

Last update for Singapore: October 13, 2026

Last update for Maha Sarakham: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Singapore
$2.2K
Maha Sarakham
$293 86.5% $1.9K
Groceries & Markets
Singapore
$458
Maha Sarakham
$244 46.7% $214
Eating Out
Singapore
$256
Maha Sarakham
$92 64.2% $164
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Singapore
$210
Maha Sarakham
$113 46.2% $97
Clothing & Footwear
Singapore
$167
Maha Sarakham
$106 36.6% $61
Sport & Entertainment
Singapore
$131
Maha Sarakham
$60 54% $71
Getting Around
Singapore
$107
Maha Sarakham
$10 * 90.3% $97

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $3,015 in Singapore versus $441 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 $71.0 in Singapore versus $22.00 in Maha Sarakham. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $458 vs $244 – making Maha Sarakham the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇸🇬 Singapore
🇹🇭 Maha Sarakham
🕒 Local time
00:52 12:52 AM
23:52 11:52 PM
1 h behind Singapore
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
5,535,002 Capital
46,523
💱 Currency
Thai Baht THB ฿
Exchange rates and currency converter

THB, USD, EUR to SGD – Singapore Dollar Converter

Singapore Dollar exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 1.28 SGD (1 SGD = 0.781 USD). 1 EUR = 1.44 SGD (1 SGD = 0.695 EUR).

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 33.42 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.58 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Singapore Maha Sarakham 1,660 km ≈ 2 h 30 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Singapore
  • Maha Sarakham

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Singapore vs Maha Sarakham: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Singapore and in Maha Sarakham compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $3,500 in Singapore, $919 in Maha Sarakham – roughly 281% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.
What salary covers living expenses in Singapore compared to Maha Sarakham?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,251 per month in Singapore and $1,378 in Maha Sarakham. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Singapore and Maha Sarakham?
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.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $71.0 in Singapore and $22.00 in Maha Sarakham. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Groceries cost about 88% more in Singapore, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Maha Sarakham, where all-in costs run around $919, than in Singapore at $3,500. In Maha Sarakham it covers expenses comfortably, while in Singapore it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Where should families live: Singapore or Maha Sarakham?
Families tend to lean toward Maha Sarakham – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Is Singapore or Maha Sarakham safer for residents?
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.
How do I decide between Singapore and Maha Sarakham?
If budget matters most, go with Maha Sarakham. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Singapore makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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