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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $947 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,067 in Surinam, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,411 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,726 in Surinam, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,874 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,386 in Surinam, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 11% cheaper than Surinam, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Chiang Mai and Surinam are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 31% lower, Surinam 22% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿68.5

$5.77 MUR 269

-63.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.64 ฿646

$38.85 MUR 1,809

-49.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.65 ฿186

$7.65 MUR 356

-26.14%

Cappuccino

$1.81 ฿59.3

$2.60 MUR 121

-30.38%

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

$0.71 ฿23.44

$1.13 MUR 52.7

-37.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 ฿10.38

$0.66 MUR 30.68

-51.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.24 ฿73.5

$2.67 MUR 124

-16.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 ฿119

$4.70 MUR 219

-22.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.96 ฿64.4

$1.61 MUR 74.9

21.74%

White Bread (500g)

$1.50 ฿49.38

$0.73 MUR 33.90

105.48%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.34 ฿43.92

$1.16 MUR 54.1

15.52%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿74.4

$2.55 MUR 119

-11.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.26 ฿534

$5.34 MUR 249

204.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.95 ฿97.1

$6.42 MUR 299

-54.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.94 ฿327

$11.38 MUR 530

-12.65%

Apples (1kg)

$2.57 ฿84.5

$2.76 MUR 128

-6.88%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 ฿34.72

$2.71 MUR 126

-60.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.61 ฿53.0

$1.40 MUR 65.4

15.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿49.96

$3.03 MUR 141

-49.83%

Potato (1kg)

$1.27 ฿41.76

$0.97 MUR 45.16

30.93%

Onion (1kg)

$1.07 ฿35.05

$0.96 MUR 44.79

11.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.67

$0.74 MUR 34.39

-2.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.72

$0.92 MUR 42.89

-44.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 ฿138

$6.50 MUR 303

-35.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.87 ฿587

$8.57 MUR 399

108.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 ฿55.7

$1.65 MUR 76.8

2.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 ฿93.2

$2.28 MUR 106

24.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.93 ฿30.42

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.9 ฿1,770

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.23 ฿40.58

$4.32 MUR 201

-71.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ฿18.96

$3.17 MUR 148

-81.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.42 ฿79.7

$21.11 MUR 983

-88.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 ฿46.42

$1.33 MUR 62.0

6.02%

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

$21.4K ฿704.9K

$36.8K MUR 1.7M

-41.71%

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

$27.3K ฿898.5K

$31.6K MUR 1.5M

-13.45%

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

$63.7 ฿2,093

$45.49 MUR 2,118

39.96%

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

$12.85 ฿423

$10.80 MUR 503

18.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.22 ฿665

$29.00 MUR 1,350

-30.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.74 ฿1,274

$30.88 MUR 1,438

25.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.97 ฿130

Cinema Ticket

$6.74 ฿221

$6.45 MUR 300

4.50%

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

$778 ฿25.6K

$126 MUR 5,853

518.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿480.2K

$7,707 MUR 358.9K

89.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.3 ฿1,785

$78.7 MUR 3,665

-31.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.45 ฿836

$75.8 MUR 3,530

-66.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.3 ฿3,101

$122 MUR 5,679

-22.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.4 ฿2,414

$76.7 MUR 3,569

-4.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.1K

$606 MUR 28.2K

-19.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$289 ฿9,510

$445 MUR 20.7K

-34.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$894 ฿29.4K

$1,242 MUR 57.8K

-28.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$517 ฿17.0K

$740 MUR 34.5K

-30.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,955 ฿64.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,477 ฿48.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿19.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

6.67

-16.49%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: August 31, 2026

Last update for Surinam: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $490 in Chiang Mai versus $606 in Surinam. 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 $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $39.00 in Surinam. Groceries tell a different story – $240 in Chiang Mai vs $220 in Surinam – so Surinam 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 Surinam: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Surinam costs about 13% more than Chiang Mai, 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 $1,421 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,600 in Surinam. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Chiang Mai, 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 $20.00 in Chiang Mai and $39.00 in Surinam. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 9% cheaper in Surinam – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $947, than in Surinam at $1,067. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Surinam it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $947 versus $1,067 in Surinam. 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 Chiang Mai. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Surinam makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.