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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $861 per month in Chiang Mai vs $518 in Suran, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,350 per month in Chiang Mai vs $802 in Suran, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,838 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,085 in Suran, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 66% more than Suran, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Suran are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Suran 61% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿65.9

$6.18 SYP 750

-68.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.35 ฿617

$27.23 SYP 3,309

-32.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.48 ฿252

$5.65 SYP 687

32.39%

Cappuccino

$2.02 ฿67.8

$1.54 SYP 187

31.17%

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

$0.85 ฿28.52

$1.13 SYP 137

-24.78%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.97

$0.72 SYP 88.0

-50.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.9

$1.58 SYP 192

35.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 ฿121

$2.48 SYP 301

44.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿55.5

$1.02 SYP 124

61.76%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.7

$0.59 SYP 71.4

166.10%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿40.05

$1.67 SYP 203

-28.74%

Eggs

$1.94 ฿65.1

$1.86 SYP 226

4.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿545

$3.17 SYP 385

410.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.99 ฿101

$7.73 SYP 939

-61.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.94 ฿368

$11.39 SYP 1,384

-3.95%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 ฿91.2

$0.92 SYP 112

194.57%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿39.27

$1.75 SYP 212

-33.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.69 ฿56.8

$1.03 SYP 125

64.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 ฿54.0

$0.88 SYP 106

81.82%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿46.56

$0.61 SYP 74.2

126.23%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 ฿40.47

$0.63 SYP 76.3

90.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿22.51

$0.37 SYP 45.04

81.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.74

$0.62 SYP 74.8

-9.68%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.64 ฿156

$2.92 SYP 355

58.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.62 ฿593

$8.03 SYP 976

119.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.6

$1.02 SYP 124

82.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 ฿111

$1.78 SYP 216

85.39%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.70

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.34 ฿651

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿45.92

$1.02 SYP 124

33.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿45.00

$1.22 SYP 148

9.84%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.21 ฿276

$6.35 SYP 772

29.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ฿41.20

$3.73 SYP 454

-67.29%

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

$21.4K ฿718.5K

$18.5K SYP 2.2M

15.65%

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

$22.5K ฿758.1K

$21.3K SYP 2.6M

5.96%

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

$70.7 ฿2,378

$100 SYP 12.2K

-29.51%

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

$14.04 ฿472

$8.23 SYP 1,001

70.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.49 ฿589

$54.3 SYP 6,603

-67.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.15 ฿1,418

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿231

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿199

$2.97 SYP 361

99.33%

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

$309 ฿10.4K

$43.20 SYP 5,250

614.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K ฿500.7K

$1,832 SYP 222.6K

712.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,876

$29.84 SYP 3,626

86.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.11 ฿879

$25.66 SYP 3,118

1.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.0 ฿2,793

$45.44 SYP 5,522

82.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.5 ฿2,371

$55.6 SYP 6,759

26.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$432 ฿14.5K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿8,040

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$822 ฿27.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$512 ฿17.2K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,915 ฿64.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,467 ฿49.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$579 ฿19.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.75

-63.64%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Last update for Suran: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $18.00 in Chiang Mai versus $27.00 in Suran. Groceries tell a different story – $243 in Chiang Mai vs $173 in Suran – so Suran 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

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

Chiang Mai costs about 66% more than Suran, 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 $1,292 per month in Chiang Mai and $778 in Suran. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $18.00 in Chiang Mai and $27.00 in Suran. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 41% 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.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $861 in Chiang Mai and $518 in Suran, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Suran costs $518 versus $861 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 Suran. 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.