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 $869 per month in Chiang Mai vs $697 in Suwaylih, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,362 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,246 in Suwaylih, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,855 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,795 in Suwaylih, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 25% more than Suwaylih, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Chiang Mai and Suwaylih are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Suwaylih 48% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.98 ฿65.1

$6.94 JOD 4.91

-71.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.80 ฿620

$49.48 JOD 35.02

-62.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.75 ฿255

$6.32 JOD 4.47

22.63%

Cappuccino

$1.92 ฿63.2

$0.68 JOD 0.48

182.35%

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

$0.79 ฿26.09

$0.41 JOD 0.29

92.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.75

$0.22 JOD 0.16

63.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.9

$5.66 JOD 4.01

-60.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿121

$6.86 JOD 4.86

-46.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿54.5

$1.44 JOD 1.02

14.58%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.8

$0.33 JOD 0.24

393.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿39.31

$1.71 JOD 1.21

-30.41%

Eggs

$2.00 ฿65.8

$2.57 JOD 1.82

-22.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.98 ฿526

$5.79 JOD 4.10

175.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.03 ฿99.7

$3.07 JOD 2.18

-1.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 ฿358

$9.59 JOD 6.79

13.24%

Apples (1kg)

$2.76 ฿91.0

$1.97 JOD 1.40

40.10%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.87

$1.44 JOD 1.02

-18.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.64 ฿54.1

$1.37 JOD 0.97

19.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿50.1

$0.72 JOD 0.51

111.11%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿45.63

$0.87 JOD 0.62

58.62%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 ฿39.29

$0.68 JOD 0.48

75.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ฿23.13

$0.65 JOD 0.46

7.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.34

$0.41 JOD 0.29

36.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.58 ฿151

$3.48 JOD 2.46

31.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.56 ฿546

$20.76 JOD 14.69

-20.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿60.2

$4.80 JOD 3.40

-61.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 ฿105

$5.41 JOD 3.83

-40.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿28.90

$0.68 JOD 0.48

29.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.72 ฿617

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿44.68

$0.33 JOD 0.24

312.12%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.16

$1.40 JOD 0.99

-4.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿258

$7.13 JOD 5.04

9.96%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿40.39

$1.42 JOD 1.01

-13.38%

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

$21.6K ฿712.5K

$26.9K JOD 19.0K

-19.59%

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

$22.5K ฿742.9K

$32.1K JOD 22.7K

-29.84%

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

$70.5 ฿2,324

$35.31 JOD 24.99

99.77%

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

$13.68 ฿451

$16.97 JOD 12.01

-19.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.45 ฿575

$28.56 JOD 20.21

-38.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.33 ฿1,362

$42.99 JOD 30.42

-3.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿229

$21.46 JOD 15.19

-67.57%

Cinema Ticket

$5.77 ฿190

$11.32 JOD 8.01

-49.03%

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

$307 ฿10.1K

$278 JOD 197

10.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿481.4K

$5,375 JOD 3,804

171.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,838

$35.95 JOD 25.44

55.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.21 ฿864

$26.94 JOD 19.06

-2.71%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.8 ฿2,825

$70.6 JOD 49.96

21.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.2 ฿2,380

$71.4 JOD 50.5

1.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$430 ฿14.2K

$140 JOD 99.2

206.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿7,865

$111 JOD 78.7

114.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$817 ฿26.9K

$415 JOD 294

97.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$511 ฿16.8K

$356 JOD 252

43.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,983 ฿65.3K

$981 JOD 694

102.25%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,484 ฿48.9K

$899 JOD 636

65.04%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$619 ฿20.4K

$776 JOD 549

-20.25%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Suwaylih: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $430 in Chiang Mai versus $140 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 25% 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 $49.00 in Suwaylih. Groceries tell a different story – $241 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 25% 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 $1,303 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,045 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 $49.00 in Suwaylih. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 14% 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 $869 in Chiang Mai and $697 in Suwaylih, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Suwaylih costs $697 versus $869 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.