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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $852 per month in Chiang Mai vs $792 in Surigao, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,354 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,221 in Surigao, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,857 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,650 in Surigao, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 8% more than Surigao, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Surigao are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Surigao 41% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿63.6

$3.57 ₱219

-45.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.81 ฿611

$17.55 ₱1,074

7.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.92 ฿258

$3.22 ₱197

145.96%

Cappuccino

$1.91 ฿62.2

$2.40 ₱147

-20.42%

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

$0.84 ฿27.25

$0.79 ₱48.17

6.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.44

$0.37 ₱22.40

-5.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿71.7

$1.30 ₱79.3

70.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.80 ฿124

$2.17 ₱133

75.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 ฿53.2

$1.83 ₱112

-10.38%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 ฿52.8

$1.26 ₱77.2

28.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.40

$1.02 ₱62.2

15.69%

Eggs

$2.01 ฿65.4

$2.06 ₱126

-2.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.89 ฿517

$8.25 ₱505

92.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.01 ฿98.0

$4.17 ₱255

-27.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.77 ฿350

$7.90 ₱484

36.33%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 ฿85.0

$2.95 ₱181

-11.53%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ฿39.65

$1.54 ₱93.9

-20.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.4

$2.66 ₱163

-36.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 ฿51.2

$1.55 ₱94.5

1.94%

Potato (1kg)

$1.32 ฿42.89

$2.25 ₱138

-41.33%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.01

$2.63 ₱161

-55.51%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿21.85

$1.12 ₱68.4

-40.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.21

$0.77 ₱47.01

-27.27%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.53 ฿147

$2.81 ₱172

61.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.20 ฿592

$8.11 ₱496

124.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿59.6

$1.20 ₱73.4

52.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿105

$2.04 ₱125

58.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ฿28.83

$0.28 ₱17.21

217.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.38 ฿630

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.35 ฿43.95

$0.81 ₱49.84

66.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 ฿43.79

$0.22 ₱13.40

513.64%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.25 ฿268

$2.14 ₱131

285.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.40

$1.09 ₱66.8

16.51%

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

$21.2K ฿687.8K

$26.7K ₱1.6M

-20.84%

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

$22.5K ฿731.0K

$20.0K ₱1.2M

12.21%

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

$70.2 ฿2,281

$114 ₱6,988

-38.58%

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

$13.77 ฿448

$24.41 ₱1,493

-43.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.60 ฿572

$39.69 ₱2,428

-55.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.57 ฿1,352

$34.14 ₱2,088

21.76%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.60 ฿215

$4.41 ₱270

49.66%

Cinema Ticket

$5.78 ฿188

$5.89 ₱361

-1.87%

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

$306 ฿9,953

$149 ₱9,104

105.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿482.0K

$4,233 ₱259.0K

250.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.4 ฿1,768

$46.53 ₱2,847

16.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.14 ฿850

$26.78 ₱1,638

-2.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.5 ฿2,748

$76.3 ₱4,668

10.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.4 ฿2,257

$53.0 ₱3,242

31.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$424 ฿13.8K

$262 ₱16.0K

61.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$238 ฿7,743

$179 ₱11.0K

32.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$825 ฿26.8K

$577 ₱35.3K

42.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.7K

$392 ₱24.0K

31.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,049 ฿66.6K

$2,292 ₱140.2K

-10.57%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,523 ฿49.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$635 ฿20.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.67

-25.04%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 27, 2026

Last update for Surigao: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $424 in Chiang Mai versus $262 in Surigao. 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 $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $18.00 in Surigao. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $243 vs $207 – making Surigao 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 Surigao: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 8% more than Surigao, 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 $1,278 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,187 in Surigao. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai and $18.00 in Surigao. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 18% 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 $852 in Chiang Mai and $792 in Surigao, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Surigao costs $792 versus $852 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 Surigao. 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.