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 $847 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,061 in Surinam, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,332 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,713 in Surinam, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,816 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,364 in Surinam, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 20% cheaper than Surinam, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Chiang Mai and Surinam are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 37% lower, Surinam 21% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.03 ฿68.5

$6.70 MUR 316

-69.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.71 ฿631

$43.40 MUR 2,045

-56.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.84 ฿265

$7.12 MUR 336

10.11%

Cappuccino

$1.93 ฿65.0

$2.58 MUR 122

-25.19%

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

$0.83 ฿28.05

$1.03 MUR 48.40

-19.42%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.82

$0.59 MUR 27.95

-40.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.22 ฿74.9

$2.17 MUR 102

2.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 ฿128

$3.35 MUR 158

13.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿55.5

$1.65 MUR 77.6

White Bread (500g)

$1.55 ฿52.4

$0.66 MUR 31.08

134.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ฿39.86

$1.32 MUR 62.2

-10.61%

Eggs

$2.01 ฿68.0

$2.25 MUR 106

-10.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.16 ฿545

$11.97 MUR 564

35.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.03 ฿102

$6.26 MUR 295

-51.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.84 ฿366

$12.46 MUR 587

-13.00%

Apples (1kg)

$2.68 ฿90.4

$2.05 MUR 96.6

30.73%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ฿41.21

$1.93 MUR 90.8

-36.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.63 ฿54.9

$1.49 MUR 70.4

9.40%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿51.6

$2.63 MUR 124

-41.83%

Potato (1kg)

$1.34 ฿45.18

$0.99 MUR 46.77

35.35%

Onion (1kg)

$1.21 ฿40.93

$1.00 MUR 47.33

21.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ฿23.67

$0.80 MUR 37.65

-12.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.73

$0.75 MUR 35.23

-29.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿158

$6.65 MUR 314

-29.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.71 ฿598

$8.26 MUR 389

114.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.85 ฿62.3

$1.71 MUR 80.6

8.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.21 ฿108

$2.22 MUR 105

44.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ฿30.07

$1.05 MUR 49.41

-15.24%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.76 ฿633

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿47.48

$4.44 MUR 209

-68.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿43.59

$2.75 MUR 130

-53.09%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.79 ฿263

$20.19 MUR 952

-61.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 ฿43.67

$1.47 MUR 69.2

-12.24%

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

$21.8K ฿734.7K

$36.1K MUR 1.7M

-39.64%

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

$21.7K ฿732.1K

$28.5K MUR 1.3M

-24.00%

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

$70.0 ฿2,362

$50.4 MUR 2,376

38.82%

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

$14.19 ฿479

$18.45 MUR 870

-23.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.42 ฿588

$33.41 MUR 1,574

-47.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.64 ฿1,405

$37.91 MUR 1,787

9.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.89 ฿233

Cinema Ticket

$5.78 ฿195

$6.20 MUR 292

-6.77%

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

$300 ฿10.1K

$156 MUR 7,344

92.39%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.5K ฿490.1K

$4,017 MUR 189.3K

261.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.4 ฿1,869

$83.7 MUR 3,946

-33.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.31 ฿888

$81.1 MUR 3,820

-67.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 ฿2,863

$134 MUR 6,304

-36.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.5 ฿2,379

$94.4 MUR 4,447

-25.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$425 ฿14.4K

$516 MUR 24.3K

-17.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$235 ฿7,933

$347 MUR 16.3K

-32.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$802 ฿27.1K

$939 MUR 44.2K

-14.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$516 ฿17.4K

$716 MUR 33.8K

-27.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,926 ฿65.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,451 ฿49.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$586 ฿19.8K

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: July 20, 2026

Last update for Surinam: July 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $425 in Chiang Mai versus $516 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 $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $43.00 in Surinam. Groceries tell a different story – $242 in Chiang Mai vs $230 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 25% more than Chiang Mai, 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 $1,271 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,591 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 $19.00 in Chiang Mai and $43.00 in Surinam. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 6% 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 $847, than in Surinam at $1,061. 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 $847 versus $1,061 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.