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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $947 per month in Chiang Mai vs $949 in Suva, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,411 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,752 in Suva, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,874 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,554 in Suva, rent included.

Chiang Mai and Suva have comparable living costs – the differences are in the details.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿69.4

$5.85 FJD 12.67

-64.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.64 ฿654

$45.43 FJD 98.4

-56.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.65 ฿188

$7.76 FJD 16.79

-27.19%

Cappuccino

$1.81 ฿60.1

$2.95 FJD 6.40

-38.64%

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

$0.71 ฿23.75

$1.54 FJD 3.33

-53.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 ฿10.52

$0.75 FJD 1.62

-57.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.24 ฿74.5

$3.65 FJD 7.91

-38.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 ฿121

$4.46 FJD 9.66

-18.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.96 ฿65.2

$1.30 FJD 2.81

50.77%

White Bread (500g)

$1.50 ฿50.0

$0.57 FJD 1.24

163.16%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.34 ฿44.49

$1.10 FJD 2.38

21.82%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿75.4

$3.38 FJD 7.33

-33.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.26 ฿541

$10.29 FJD 22.29

58.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.95 ฿98.4

$6.27 FJD 13.58

-52.95%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.94 ฿331

$7.90 FJD 17.11

25.82%

Apples (1kg)

$2.57 ฿85.7

$2.59 FJD 5.61

-0.77%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 ฿35.18

$2.52 FJD 5.46

-57.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.61 ฿53.7

$3.50 FJD 7.57

-54.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿50.6

$3.24 FJD 7.01

-53.09%

Potato (1kg)

$1.27 ฿42.30

$1.29 FJD 2.79

-1.55%

Onion (1kg)

$1.07 ฿35.51

$1.10 FJD 2.37

-2.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.98

$1.23 FJD 2.67

-41.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.94

$0.75 FJD 1.61

-32.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 ฿140

$10.05 FJD 21.75

-58.31%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.87 ฿595

$7.69 FJD 16.64

132.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 ฿56.4

$2.20 FJD 4.77

-23.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 ฿94.5

$3.46 FJD 7.48

-17.92%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.93 ฿30.82

$0.94 FJD 2.04

-1.06%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.9 ฿1,794

$23.12 FJD 50.1

132.96%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.23 ฿41.11

$0.88 FJD 1.91

39.77%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ฿19.20

$0.47 FJD 1.02

23.40%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.42 ฿80.7

$9.28 FJD 20.09

-73.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 ฿47.03

$1.40 FJD 3.03

0.71%

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

$21.4K ฿714.1K

$24.6K FJD 53.2K

-12.74%

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

$27.3K ฿910.2K

$26.0K FJD 56.3K

5.17%

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

$63.7 ฿2,120

$45.84 FJD 99.2

38.90%

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

$12.85 ฿428

$13.27 FJD 28.73

-3.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.22 ฿673

$24.18 FJD 52.3

-16.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.74 ฿1,290

$37.66 FJD 81.5

2.87%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.97 ฿132

$11.52 FJD 24.93

-65.54%

Cinema Ticket

$6.74 ฿224

$3.51 FJD 7.59

92.02%

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

$778 ฿25.9K

$230 FJD 499

237.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿486.5K

$13.8K FJD 29.8K

6.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.3 ฿1,808

$33.83 FJD 73.3

60.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.45 ฿847

$40.37 FJD 87.4

-36.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.3 ฿3,141

$70.3 FJD 152

34.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.4 ฿2,446

$62.0 FJD 134

18.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.3K

$894 FJD 1,935

-45.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$289 ฿9,634

$331 FJD 716

-12.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$894 ฿29.8K

$2,740 FJD 5,931

-67.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$517 ฿17.2K

$1,013 FJD 2,192

-48.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,955 ฿65.1K

$1,381 FJD 2,989

41.62%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,477 ฿49.2K

$832 FJD 1,800

77.60%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿20.0K

$985 FJD 2,132

-38.86%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

7.7

-27.66%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: August 31, 2026

Last update for Suva: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $490 in Chiang Mai versus $894 in Suva. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 64% higher in Suva. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $45.00 in Suva. Groceries tell a different story – $240 in Chiang Mai vs $234 in Suva – so Suva 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 Suva: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,421 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,424 in Suva. 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 $45.00 in Suva. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Public transport costs about 133% less in Chiang Mai. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $947, than in Suva at $949. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Suva it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $947 versus $949 in Suva. 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, Suva makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.