Cost of Living Comparison Between Janub-as-surrah and Chiang Mai Cost of Living Comparison Between Janub-as-surrah and Chiang Mai

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,263 per month in Janub-as-surrah vs $932 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,157 per month in Janub-as-surrah vs $1,399 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,051 per month in Janub-as-surrah vs $1,866 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Janub-as-surrah costs about 35% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Janub-as-surrah and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Janub-as-surrah 8% lower, Chiang Mai 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.08 KWD 2.80

$2.08 ฿69.3

336.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.0 KWD 19.41

$19.61 ฿653

221.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.74 KWD 2.69

$5.67 ฿189

54.14%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.35 KWD 1.03

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.62 KWD 1.11

Cappuccino

$5.56 KWD 1.71

$1.81 ฿60.1

207.18%

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

$0.58 KWD 0.18

$0.77 ฿25.56

-24.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 KWD 0.10

$0.35 ฿11.49

-8.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿73.7

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 ฿126

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 KWD 0.36

$2.05 ฿68.1

-42.93%

White Bread (500g)

$0.83 KWD 0.26

$1.51 ฿50.4

-45.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.11 KWD 0.65

$1.40 ฿46.54

50.71%

Eggs

$2.18 KWD 0.67

$2.26 ฿75.1

-3.54%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.14 KWD 1.28

$16.19 ฿539

-74.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.24 KWD 1.92

$2.90 ฿96.4

115.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.49 KWD 3.23

$9.42 ฿313

11.36%

Apples (1kg)

$2.41 KWD 0.74

$2.68 ฿89.1

-10.07%

Banana (1kg)

$1.73 KWD 0.53

$1.09 ฿36.25

58.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.28 KWD 0.39

$1.62 ฿53.8

-20.99%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 KWD 0.42

$1.46 ฿48.58

-6.85%

Potato (1kg)

$1.23 KWD 0.38

$1.28 ฿42.51

-3.91%

Onion (1kg)

$0.97 KWD 0.30

$1.06 ฿35.19

-8.49%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.62 KWD 0.50

$0.72 ฿23.86

125.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 KWD 0.16

$0.53 ฿17.50

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.88 KWD 0.89

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 KWD 0.32

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.48 KWD 0.46

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.74 KWD 0.84

$4.23 ฿141

-35.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.29 ฿609

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 ฿54.2

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿96.5

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.78 KWD 0.24

$0.88 ฿29.22

-11.36%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.8 ฿1,789

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 KWD 0.98

$1.17 ฿39.02

170.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.15 KWD 0.97

$0.58 ฿19.24

443.10%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.10 KWD 4.96

$2.39 ฿79.4

573.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.34 KWD 0.11

$1.45 ฿48.25

-76.55%

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

$22.4K KWD 6,899

$21.0K ฿699.1K

6.57%

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

$20.3K KWD 6,264

$26.4K ฿879.1K

-23.06%

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

$59.4 KWD 18.29

$63.7 ฿2,118

-6.74%

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

$20.98 KWD 6.46

$12.89 ฿429

62.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.86 KWD 8.58

$20.52 ฿683

35.77%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$85.3 KWD 26.28

$39.02 ฿1,298

118.58%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.92 ฿130

Cinema Ticket

$9.95 KWD 3.06

$6.58 ฿219

51.22%

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

$295 KWD 90.8

$784 ฿26.1K

-62.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,583 KWD 2,645

$14.7K ฿488.2K

-41.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.17 KWD 10.84

$55.1 ฿1,834

-36.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.85 KWD 10.74

$24.74 ฿823

40.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.4 KWD 26.92

$94.1 ฿3,132

-7.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.9 KWD 26.47

$74.0 ฿2,461

16.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$709 KWD 218

$490 ฿16.3K

44.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$525 KWD 162

$288 ฿9,588

82.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,579 KWD 486

$891 ฿29.7K

77.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,403 KWD 432

$521 ฿17.3K

169.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,974 ฿65.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,444 ฿48.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿20.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.53

5.57

17.24%

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

Last update for Janub-as-surrah: September 12, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $709 in Janub-as-surrah versus $490 in Chiang Mai. 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 $63.0 in Janub-as-surrah versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $165 in Janub-as-surrah vs $241 in Chiang Mai – so Janub-as-surrah 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

Janub-as-surrah vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Janub-as-surrah costs about 35% more than Chiang Mai, 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 $1,894 per month in Janub-as-surrah and $1,398 in Chiang Mai. 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 $63.0 in Janub-as-surrah and $20.00 in Chiang Mai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 46% cheaper in Janub-as-surrah – 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 $932, than in Janub-as-surrah at $1,263. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Janub-as-surrah it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $932 versus $1,263 in Janub-as-surrah. 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, Janub-as-surrah makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.