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 $866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $516 in Suran, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,351 per month in Chiang Mai vs $813 in Suran, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,835 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,110 in Suran, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 68% more than Suran, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Suran are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Suran 62% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.94 ฿63.5

$6.13 SYP 678

-68.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.64 ฿609

$27.77 SYP 3,068

-32.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.82 ฿255

$5.34 SYP 590

46.44%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.8

$1.54 SYP 170

26.62%

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

$0.85 ฿27.77

$1.14 SYP 126

-25.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.58

$0.71 SYP 78.5

-50.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ฿69.6

$1.55 SYP 172

37.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿122

$2.45 SYP 270

52.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿56.0

$1.04 SYP 115

64.42%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$0.63 SYP 69.8

158.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 ฿37.15

$1.70 SYP 188

-32.94%

Eggs

$1.93 ฿63.1

$1.85 SYP 204

4.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.21 ฿530

$3.16 SYP 349

412.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ฿102

$7.49 SYP 828

-58.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 ฿356

$11.39 SYP 1,259

-4.30%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 ฿90.0

$0.88 SYP 96.9

212.50%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.52

$1.80 SYP 199

-32.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.0

$1.02 SYP 113

58.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$0.90 SYP 99.0

76.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 ฿45.70

$0.62 SYP 68.4

125.81%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.17

$0.62 SYP 68.5

88.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.60

$0.38 SYP 41.55

73.68%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.22

$0.61 SYP 67.5

-13.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿153

$2.93 SYP 324

60.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.66 ฿609

$5.90 SYP 651

216.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.8

$0.98 SYP 108

83.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$1.84 SYP 203

75.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.26

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.91

$1.02 SYP 112

38.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿42.12

$1.24 SYP 137

4.03%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$6.49 SYP 717

20.80%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.58

$3.61 SYP 399

-64.82%

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

$21.3K ฿694.9K

$18.6K SYP 2.1M

14.43%

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

$22.2K ฿725.4K

$20.6K SYP 2.3M

7.66%

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

$69.1 ฿2,256

$103 SYP 11.4K

-32.81%

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

$14.08 ฿460

$8.65 SYP 956

62.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 ฿588

$55.6 SYP 6,148

-67.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 ฿1,341

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿193

$2.92 SYP 323

102.74%

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

$299 ฿9,766

$42.94 SYP 4,745

596.39%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿488.3K

$1,839 SYP 203.2K

713.10%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,787

$29.23 SYP 3,230

87.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.77 ฿874

$25.46 SYP 2,814

5.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.0 ฿2,776

$44.98 SYP 4,971

88.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.6 ฿2,306

$56.4 SYP 6,229

25.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,752

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ฿26.2K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.2K

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Suran: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $28.00 in Suran. Groceries tell a different story – $246 in Chiang Mai vs $168 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 68% 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 $1,300 per month in Chiang Mai and $774 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 $19.00 in Chiang Mai and $28.00 in Suran. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 47% 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 $866 in Chiang Mai and $516 in Suran, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Suran costs $516 versus $866 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.