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 $932 per month in Chiang Mai vs $653 in Suran, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,399 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,033 in Suran, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,413 in Suran, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 43% more than Suran, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Chiang Mai and Suran are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 32% lower, Suran 52% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿69.3

$10.07 SYP 1,224

-79.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.61 ฿653

$44.17 SYP 5,367

-55.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.67 ฿189

$6.99 SYP 849

-18.88%

Cappuccino

$1.81 ฿60.1

$3.77 SYP 459

-51.99%

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

$0.77 ฿25.58

$2.22 SYP 269

-65.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.49

$0.81 SYP 97.9

-56.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿73.7

$1.88 SYP 228

17.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 ฿126

$2.96 SYP 360

28.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 ฿68.2

$1.06 SYP 129

93.40%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 ฿50.4

$0.42 SYP 50.9

259.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 ฿46.57

$1.58 SYP 192

-11.39%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿75.2

$1.62 SYP 197

39.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿539

$3.84 SYP 467

321.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.90 ฿96.4

$5.54 SYP 673

-47.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.42 ฿314

$13.93 SYP 1,693

-32.38%

Apples (1kg)

$2.68 ฿89.2

$1.07 SYP 130

150.47%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 ฿36.28

$1.38 SYP 168

-21.01%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.8

$1.14 SYP 139

42.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.61

$1.02 SYP 124

43.14%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿42.54

$0.78 SYP 95.3

64.10%

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 ฿35.21

$0.80 SYP 97.2

32.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.88

$0.43 SYP 52.7

67.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.51

$0.61 SYP 74.4

-13.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.23 ฿141

$2.75 SYP 334

53.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.29 ฿609

$6.00 SYP 729

204.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 ฿54.3

$1.05 SYP 128

55.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿96.6

$2.96 SYP 359

-2.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.24

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.8 ฿1,790

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.17 ฿39.04

$1.03 SYP 125

13.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ฿19.25

$1.50 SYP 183

-61.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.39 ฿79.4

$7.73 SYP 940

-69.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.28

$3.76 SYP 457

-61.44%

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

$21.0K ฿699.5K

$14.7K SYP 1.8M

42.84%

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

$26.4K ฿879.7K

$19.2K SYP 2.3M

37.57%

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

$63.7 ฿2,119

$138 SYP 16.8K

-53.84%

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

$12.89 ฿429

$9.54 SYP 1,159

35.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.52 ฿683

$45.96 SYP 5,585

-55.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.02 ฿1,299

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.92 ฿130

Cinema Ticket

$6.58 ฿219

$5.51 SYP 670

19.42%

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

$784 ฿26.1K

$66.7 SYP 8,103

1075.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿488.4K

$1,748 SYP 212.3K

739.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.1 ฿1,835

$28.05 SYP 3,408

96.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.74 ฿824

$39.74 SYP 4,829

-37.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.1 ฿3,133

$60.4 SYP 7,341

55.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.0 ฿2,462

$57.2 SYP 6,946

29.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.3K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$288 ฿9,594

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$891 ฿29.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$521 ฿17.3K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,974 ฿65.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,444 ฿48.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿20.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

14.25

-60.91%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 13, 2026

Last update for Suran: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $44.00 in Suran. Groceries tell a different story – $241 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 43% more than Suran, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,398 per month in Chiang Mai and $980 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 $20.00 in Chiang Mai and $44.00 in Suran. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 43% 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 $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Suran, where all-in costs run around $653, than in Chiang Mai at $932. In Suran 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. Suran costs $653 versus $932 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.