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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $852 per month in Chiang Mai vs $706 in Suwaylih, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,360 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,225 in Suwaylih, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,867 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,744 in Suwaylih, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 21% more than Suwaylih, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Chiang Mai and Suwaylih are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Suwaylih 47% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.04 ฿68.4

$6.97 JOD 4.94

-70.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.71 ฿626

$49.73 JOD 35.20

-62.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.86 ฿263

$6.24 JOD 4.42

25.96%

Cappuccino

$2.03 ฿67.9

$0.69 JOD 0.49

194.20%

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

$0.80 ฿26.71

$0.41 JOD 0.29

95.12%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.71

$0.22 JOD 0.16

59.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.7

$5.49 JOD 3.89

-61.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 ฿123

$7.00 JOD 4.96

-47.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 ฿57.8

$1.42 JOD 1.01

21.83%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.5

$0.34 JOD 0.24

361.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 ฿40.10

$1.69 JOD 1.20

-28.99%

Eggs

$1.97 ฿66.0

$2.54 JOD 1.80

-22.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.23 ฿543

$5.49 JOD 3.89

195.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.06 ฿102

$3.04 JOD 2.15

0.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.80 ฿361

$9.84 JOD 6.96

9.76%

Apples (1kg)

$2.77 ฿92.6

$1.98 JOD 1.40

39.90%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿39.05

$1.39 JOD 0.98

-15.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 ฿57.1

$1.45 JOD 1.03

17.93%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿53.3

$0.73 JOD 0.51

117.81%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 ฿46.63

$0.93 JOD 0.66

49.46%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 ฿38.67

$0.74 JOD 0.52

56.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿22.11

$0.64 JOD 0.45

3.13%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.35

$0.41 JOD 0.29

26.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.65 ฿155

$3.47 JOD 2.46

34.01%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.78 ฿595

$21.29 JOD 15.07

-16.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 ฿59.8

$4.74 JOD 3.35

-62.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 ฿112

$5.26 JOD 3.72

-36.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ฿30.35

$0.74 JOD 0.52

22.97%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.64 ฿624

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿47.17

$0.36 JOD 0.26

291.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.82

$1.45 JOD 1.03

-7.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.11 ฿271

$6.87 JOD 4.86

18.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿41.27

$1.40 JOD 0.99

-12.14%

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

$21.4K ฿717.0K

$27.4K JOD 19.4K

-21.82%

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

$21.8K ฿730.0K

$31.7K JOD 22.4K

-31.14%

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

$71.3 ฿2,386

$34.96 JOD 24.75

104.03%

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

$14.01 ฿469

$17.10 JOD 12.11

-18.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.93 ฿600

$28.19 JOD 19.96

-36.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.82 ฿1,365

$41.92 JOD 29.67

-2.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿230

$21.39 JOD 15.14

-67.84%

Cinema Ticket

$5.72 ฿191

$11.11 JOD 7.86

-48.51%

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

$308 ฿10.3K

$276 JOD 195

11.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿491.0K

$5,330 JOD 3,773

175.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,865

$35.14 JOD 24.88

58.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.04 ฿871

$26.67 JOD 18.88

-2.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 ฿2,837

$71.5 JOD 50.6

18.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.0 ฿2,375

$69.6 JOD 49.27

2.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$423 ฿14.2K

$143 JOD 102

195.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$242 ฿8,110

$111 JOD 78.9

117.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$797 ฿26.7K

$425 JOD 301

87.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$507 ฿17.0K

$352 JOD 249

44.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,918 ฿64.2K

$988 JOD 699

94.18%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,464 ฿49.0K

$912 JOD 645

60.60%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿19.9K

$776 JOD 550

-23.34%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.27

-31.22%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 27, 2026

Last update for Suwaylih: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $423 in Chiang Mai versus $143 in Suwaylih. 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 30% higher in Suwaylih, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $50.0 in Suwaylih. Groceries tell a different story – $244 in Chiang Mai vs $212 in Suwaylih – so Suwaylih 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 Suwaylih: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 21% more than Suwaylih, 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 $1,279 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,059 in Suwaylih. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Suwaylih, 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 $50.0 in Suwaylih. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 15% 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.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $852 in Chiang Mai and $706 in Suwaylih, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Suwaylih costs $706 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 Suwaylih. 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.