Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Surat Thani Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Surat Thani

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $861 per month in Chiang Mai vs $800 in Surat Thani, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,350 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,316 in Surat Thani, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,838 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,833 in Surat Thani, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 8% more than Surat Thani, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Chiang Mai and Surat Thani are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Surat Thani 40% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿65.8

$1.97 ฿66.1

-0.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.35 ฿617

$18.49 ฿622

-0.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.48 ฿252

$4.73 ฿159

58.14%

Cappuccino

$2.02 ฿67.8

$1.52 ฿51.0

32.89%

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

$0.85 ฿28.50

$0.47 ฿15.95

80.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.96

$0.32 ฿10.86

12.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.8

$2.44 ฿82.0

-12.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 ฿121

$3.67 ฿123

-2.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿55.5

$2.04 ฿68.5

-19.12%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.7

$1.24 ฿41.68

26.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿40.02

$1.11 ฿37.29

7.21%

Eggs

$1.94 ฿65.1

$1.95 ฿65.7

-0.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿544

$19.67 ฿661

-17.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.99 ฿101

$3.64 ฿123

-17.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.94 ฿368

$7.54 ฿253

45.09%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 ฿91.2

$3.26 ฿110

-16.87%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿39.25

$1.70 ฿57.2

-31.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.69 ฿56.7

$2.14 ฿71.9

-21.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 ฿54.0

$1.71 ฿57.5

-6.43%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿46.54

$1.21 ฿40.54

14.05%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 ฿40.45

$1.48 ฿49.79

-18.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿22.50

$1.03 ฿34.55

-34.95%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.73

$0.41 ฿13.91

36.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.64 ฿156

$3.15 ฿106

47.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.62 ฿593

$18.59 ฿625

-5.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.5

$1.57 ฿52.9

18.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 ฿111

$2.65 ฿89.2

24.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.68

$1.10 ฿36.90

-20.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.34 ฿650

$21.66 ฿728

-10.71%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿45.90

$1.11 ฿37.19

22.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.98

$0.66 ฿22.29

103.03%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.21 ฿276

$3.66 ฿123

124.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ฿41.18

$1.26 ฿42.27

-3.17%

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

$21.4K ฿718.1K

$27.8K ฿934.5K

-23.15%

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

$22.5K ฿757.7K

$32.9K ฿1.1M

-31.58%

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

$70.7 ฿2,376

$76.9 ฿2,585

-8.08%

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

$14.04 ฿472

$13.74 ฿462

2.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.49 ฿588

$18.81 ฿633

-7.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.15 ฿1,417

$49.95 ฿1,680

-15.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿231

$12.18 ฿410

-43.51%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿199

$4.71 ฿158

25.69%

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

$309 ฿10.4K

$682 ฿22.9K

-54.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K ฿500.4K

$15.6K ฿525.7K

-4.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,875

$58.6 ฿1,972

-4.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.11 ฿878

$34.37 ฿1,156

-24.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.0 ฿2,792

$115 ฿3,863

-27.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.5 ฿2,369

$84.6 ฿2,846

-16.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$432 ฿14.5K

$243 ฿8,169

77.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿8,035

$153 ฿5,155

55.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$822 ฿27.7K

$691 ฿23.2K

18.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$512 ฿17.2K

$410 ฿13.8K

24.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,915 ฿64.4K

$2,174 ฿73.1K

-11.95%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,467 ฿49.3K

$1,619 ฿54.5K

-9.41%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$579 ฿19.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

-6.19%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Last update for Surat Thani: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $432 in Chiang Mai versus $243 in Surat Thani. 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 $18.00 in Chiang Mai versus $18.00 in Surat Thani. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $243 vs $254 – making Chiang Mai 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 Surat Thani: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 8% more than Surat Thani, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. 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 $1,200 in Surat Thani. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $309 per month in Chiang Mai and $682 in Surat Thani. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 5% cheaper in Chiang Mai – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $861 in Chiang Mai and $800 in Surat Thani, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Surat Thani costs $800 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 Surat Thani. 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.