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 $845 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,060 in Surinam, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,323 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,730 in Surinam, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,802 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,401 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

$1.95 ฿62.8

$6.72 MUR 313

-70.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.43 ฿594

$43.40 MUR 2,018

-57.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.50 ฿241

$7.25 MUR 337

3.45%

Cappuccino

$1.93 ฿62.3

$2.57 MUR 120

-24.90%

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

$0.78 ฿25.08

$0.98 MUR 45.56

-20.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 ฿10.42

$0.60 MUR 27.88

-46.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.15 ฿69.2

$2.22 MUR 103

-3.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.71 ฿120

$3.24 MUR 151

14.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿55.2

$1.63 MUR 75.8

4.91%

White Bread (500g)

$1.56 ฿50.3

$0.71 MUR 33.17

119.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.06

$1.29 MUR 59.8

-8.53%

Eggs

$1.98 ฿63.9

$2.23 MUR 104

-11.21%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.04 ฿517

$11.96 MUR 556

34.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.17 ฿102

$6.31 MUR 293

-49.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.94 ฿353

$12.68 MUR 590

-13.72%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 ฿84.7

$2.05 MUR 95.3

28.29%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿37.61

$1.96 MUR 91.2

-40.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.65 ฿53.0

$1.49 MUR 69.4

10.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.54 ฿49.51

$2.76 MUR 128

-44.20%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿44.34

$1.04 MUR 48.37

32.69%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿37.54

$1.01 MUR 46.90

15.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.25

$0.84 MUR 39.07

-21.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.55

$0.75 MUR 34.95

-32.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.52 ฿146

$6.66 MUR 310

-32.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.32 ฿590

$8.74 MUR 407

109.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿57.9

$1.75 MUR 81.4

2.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 ฿102

$2.16 MUR 101

47.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿28.97

$1.05 MUR 48.61

-14.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.00 ฿612

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.50

$4.36 MUR 203

-67.66%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.31 ฿42.15

$2.62 MUR 122

-50.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.09 ฿261

$19.73 MUR 918

-59.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 ฿41.08

$1.39 MUR 64.5

-7.91%

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

$21.3K ฿686.1K

$36.3K MUR 1.7M

-41.37%

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

$21.7K ฿699.3K

$28.9K MUR 1.3M

-24.85%

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

$69.2 ฿2,230

$48.90 MUR 2,274

41.51%

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

$13.97 ฿450

$18.06 MUR 840

-22.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.95 ฿578

$33.15 MUR 1,542

-45.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.31 ฿1,363

$38.34 MUR 1,783

10.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.66 ฿214

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿191

$6.04 MUR 281

-1.99%

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

$299 ฿9,640

$153 MUR 7,104

95.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿478.4K

$3,952 MUR 183.8K

275.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.2 ฿1,810

$84.4 MUR 3,926

-33.44%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.94 ฿868

$79.8 MUR 3,712

-66.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.9 ฿2,735

$131 MUR 6,075

-35.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.8 ฿2,314

$95.1 MUR 4,423

-24.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$435 ฿14.0K

$522 MUR 24.3K

-16.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$240 ฿7,727

$347 MUR 16.1K

-30.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$798 ฿25.7K

$964 MUR 44.9K

-17.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$498 ฿16.1K

$710 MUR 33.0K

-29.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,995 ฿64.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,532 ฿49.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$628 ฿20.2K

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 20, 2026

Last update for Surinam: April 22, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $435 in Chiang Mai versus $522 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 $18 in Chiang Mai versus $43 in Surinam. Groceries tell a different story – $244 in Chiang Mai vs $233 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 26% 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 $1,267 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,590 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 $18.00 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 5% 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 $845, than in Surinam at $1,060. 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 $845 versus $1,060 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.