Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Suez Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Suez

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $947 per month in Chiang Mai vs $390 in Suez, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,411 per month in Chiang Mai vs $624 in Suez, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,874 per month in Chiang Mai vs $858 in Suez, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 143% more than Suez, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Suez are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 31% lower, Suez 72% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿68.4

$2.85 E£145

-27.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.64 ฿644

$14.82 E£754

32.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.65 ฿186

$3.09 E£157

82.85%

Cappuccino

$1.81 ฿59.2

$1.41 E£71.6

28.37%

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

$0.71 ฿23.40

$0.31 E£15.87

129.03%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 ฿10.36

$0.10 E£5.22

220.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.24 ฿73.4

$1.47 E£74.7

52.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 ฿119

$1.59 E£80.7

128.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.96 ฿64.3

$0.88 E£44.70

122.73%

White Bread (500g)

$1.50 ฿49.29

$1.08 E£54.9

38.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.34 ฿43.84

$0.58 E£29.28

131.03%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿74.3

$1.46 E£74.2

54.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.26 ฿533

$2.92 E£149

456.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.95 ฿96.9

$4.03 E£205

-26.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.94 ฿326

$7.79 E£396

27.60%

Apples (1kg)

$2.57 ฿84.4

$1.39 E£70.5

84.89%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 ฿34.66

$0.56 E£28.52

89.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.61 ฿52.9

$0.43 E£22.10

274.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿49.86

$0.37 E£19.04

310.81%

Potato (1kg)

$1.27 ฿41.68

$0.35 E£17.74

262.86%

Onion (1kg)

$1.07 ฿34.99

$0.38 E£19.21

181.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.63

$0.15 E£7.73

380.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.69

$0.20 E£9.98

155.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 ฿138

$1.80 E£91.4

132.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.87 ฿586

$6.98 E£355

156.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 ฿55.6

$1.50 E£76.5

12.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 ฿93.1

$1.69 E£85.9

68.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.93 ฿30.36

$0.11 E£5.77

745.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.9 ฿1,767

$7.06 E£359

662.89%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.23 ฿40.50

$0.22 E£11.16

459.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ฿18.92

$0.20 E£10.31

190.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.42 ฿79.5

$1.31 E£66.8

84.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 ฿46.34

$0.38 E£19.21

271.05%

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

$21.4K ฿703.6K

$33.6K E£1.7M

-36.25%

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

$27.3K ฿896.8K

$24.1K E£1.2M

13.52%

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

$63.7 ฿2,089

$22.15 E£1,127

187.45%

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

$12.85 ฿422

$4.10 E£208

213.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.22 ฿663

$8.90 E£453

127.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.74 ฿1,271

$15.24 E£775

154.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.97 ฿130

$6.67 E£339

-40.48%

Cinema Ticket

$6.74 ฿221

$2.41 E£122

179.67%

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

$778 ฿25.5K

$88.0 E£4,478

783.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿479.4K

$1,674 E£85.2K

772.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.3 ฿1,781

$17.01 E£865

219.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.45 ฿835

$46.05 E£2,343

-44.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.3 ฿3,095

$105 E£5,347

-10.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.4 ฿2,410

$34.67 E£1,764

111.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.1K

$83.4 E£4,244

486.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$289 ฿9,492

$44.05 E£2,241

556.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$894 ฿29.3K

$138 E£7,009

548.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$517 ฿17.0K

$89.6 E£4,557

477.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,955 ฿64.1K

$555 E£28.2K

252.26%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,477 ฿48.5K

$270 E£13.7K

447.38%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿19.8K

$128 E£6,533

368.85%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

17.03

-67.29%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: August 31, 2026

Last update for Suez: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $490 in Chiang Mai versus $83.4 in Suez. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 369% higher in Chiang Mai, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $15.00 in Suez. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $240 vs $124 – making Suez 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

Chiang Mai vs Suez: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 143% more than Suez, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,421 per month in Chiang Mai and $585 in Suez. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Suez, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $778 per month in Chiang Mai and $88.0 in Suez. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 95% more in Chiang Mai, 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 Suez, where all-in costs run around $390, than in Chiang Mai at $947. In Suez it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chiang Mai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Suez costs $390 versus $947 in Chiang Mai. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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