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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $852 per month in Chiang Mai vs $753 in Suzano, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,360 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,239 in Suzano, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,867 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,724 in Suzano, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 13% more than Suzano, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Suzano are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Suzano 43% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.04 ฿68.2

$4.84 R$24.53

-57.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.71 ฿624

$32.68 R$166

-42.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.86 ฿262

$5.70 R$28.93

37.89%

Cappuccino

$2.03 ฿67.7

$1.75 R$8.87

16.00%

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

$0.80 ฿26.64

$1.22 R$6.17

-34.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.68

$0.78 R$3.98

-55.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.5

$1.75 R$8.90

22.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 ฿122

$2.82 R$14.32

30.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 ฿57.6

$0.91 R$4.63

90.11%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.4

$1.78 R$9.03

-11.80%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 ฿39.99

$0.86 R$4.37

39.53%

Eggs

$1.97 ฿65.8

$1.81 R$9.20

8.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.23 ฿541

$10.15 R$51.5

59.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.06 ฿102

$2.93 R$14.89

4.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.80 ฿360

$7.18 R$36.42

50.42%

Apples (1kg)

$2.77 ฿92.3

$1.42 R$7.19

95.07%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.94

$1.69 R$8.56

-30.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 ฿57.0

$1.17 R$5.96

46.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿53.2

$1.41 R$7.18

12.77%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 ฿46.51

$1.25 R$6.34

11.20%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 ฿38.56

$0.81 R$4.09

43.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿22.05

$0.60 R$3.03

10.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.31

$0.41 R$2.09

26.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.65 ฿155

$1.60 R$8.10

190.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.78 ฿593

$5.92 R$30.04

200.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 ฿59.6

$1.31 R$6.67

36.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 ฿111

$2.05 R$10.39

62.93%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ฿30.27

$0.91 R$4.64

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.64 ฿622

$38.79 R$197

-51.95%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿47.04

$1.11 R$5.66

27.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.70

$0.61 R$3.10

119.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.11 ฿270

$7.81 R$39.65

3.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿41.16

$0.97 R$4.93

26.80%

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

$21.4K ฿715.1K

$22.6K R$114.7K

-5.14%

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

$21.8K ฿728.0K

$26.6K R$134.9K

-17.91%

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

$71.3 ฿2,379

$38.67 R$196

84.46%

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

$14.01 ฿467

$16.26 R$82.5

-13.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.93 ฿598

$21.88 R$111

-18.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.82 ฿1,362

$22.90 R$116

78.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿230

$21.63 R$110

-68.19%

Cinema Ticket

$5.72 ฿191

$6.57 R$33.32

-12.94%

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

$308 ฿10.3K

$163 R$825

89.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿489.7K

$8,926 R$45.3K

64.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,860

$53.8 R$273

3.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.04 ฿869

$57.6 R$292

-54.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 ฿2,829

$74.2 R$376

14.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.0 ฿2,368

$77.6 R$394

-8.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$423 ฿14.1K

$313 R$1,590

35.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$242 ฿8,088

$219 R$1,113

10.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$797 ฿26.6K

$591 R$2,999

34.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$507 ฿16.9K

$425 R$2,159

19.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,918 ฿64.0K

$939 R$4,765

104.26%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,464 ฿48.8K

$858 R$4,354

70.61%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿19.9K

$448 R$2,275

32.70%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.17

-55.24%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 27, 2026

Last update for Suzano: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $423 in Chiang Mai versus $313 in Suzano. 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 33% higher in Chiang Mai, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $33.00 in Suzano. Groceries tell a different story – $244 in Chiang Mai vs $168 in Suzano – so Suzano 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 Suzano: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 13% more than Suzano, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. 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 $1,130 in Suzano. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Suzano, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $308 per month in Chiang Mai and $163 in Suzano. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 45% 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.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $852 in Chiang Mai and $753 in Suzano, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Suzano costs $753 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 Suzano. 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.