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

Name: Chiang Mai
Address: Chiang Mai, TH

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $612 per month in Shurugwi vs $869 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $982 per month in Shurugwi vs $1,362 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,352 per month in Shurugwi vs $1,855 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Shurugwi is about 30% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Shurugwi and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Shurugwi 54% lower, Chiang Mai 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.81 ZWL 263

$1.98 ฿64.3

395.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.23 ZWL 1,104

$18.80 ฿612

119.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.19 ZWL 193

$7.75 ฿252

-7.23%

Cappuccino

$1.64 ZWL 43.95

$1.92 ฿62.5

-14.58%

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

$0.71 ZWL 18.99

$0.79 ฿25.79

-10.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.43 ZWL 11.44

$0.36 ฿11.62

19.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.52 ZWL 40.80

$2.21 ฿72.1

-31.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 ZWL 53.0

$3.66 ฿119

-45.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.61 ZWL 43.18

$1.65 ฿53.8

-2.42%

White Bread (500g)

$0.99 ZWL 26.39

$1.63 ฿53.2

-39.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.87 ZWL 50.1

$1.19 ฿38.86

57.14%

Eggs

$2.13 ZWL 57.1

$2.00 ฿65.1

6.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.81 ZWL 289

$15.98 ฿520

-32.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.50 ZWL 174

$3.03 ฿98.5

114.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.57 ZWL 176

$10.86 ฿354

-39.50%

Apples (1kg)

$3.00 ZWL 80.3

$2.76 ฿90.0

8.70%

Banana (1kg)

$1.65 ZWL 44.13

$1.18 ฿38.42

39.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 ZWL 60.3

$1.64 ฿53.5

37.20%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.63 ZWL 43.70

$1.52 ฿49.51

7.24%

Potato (1kg)

$1.49 ZWL 39.81

$1.38 ฿45.10

7.97%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 ZWL 53.4

$1.19 ฿38.84

67.23%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.96 ZWL 25.67

$0.70 ฿22.86

37.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.01 ZWL 27.03

$0.56 ฿18.13

80.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.13 ZWL 30.30

$4.58 ฿149

-75.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.94 ZWL 239

$16.56 ฿539

-46.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.18 ZWL 31.66

$1.83 ฿59.5

-35.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.79 ZWL 47.94

$3.20 ฿104

-44.06%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿28.56

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.72 ฿610

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.14 ZWL 138

$1.36 ฿44.16

277.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.06 ZWL 55.0

$1.34 ฿43.65

53.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.02 ZWL 134

$7.84 ฿256

-35.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.59 ZWL 42.67

$1.23 ฿39.92

29.27%

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

$19.9K ZWL 531.9K

$21.6K ฿704.3K

-8.11%

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

$23.1K ZWL 617.3K

$22.5K ฿734.3K

2.28%

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

$57.3 ZWL 1,534

$70.5 ฿2,298

-18.76%

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

$17.35 ZWL 465

$13.68 ฿445

26.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$91.7 ZWL 2,454

$17.45 ฿568

425.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.33 ฿1,346

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

Cinema Ticket

$10.08 ZWL 270

$5.77 ฿188

74.70%

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

$278 ZWL 7,430

$307 ฿10.0K

-9.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,369 ZWL 197.3K

$14.6K ฿475.9K

-49.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$19.29 ZWL 516

$55.8 ฿1,817

-65.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$21.62 ZWL 579

$26.21 ฿854

-17.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$35.06 ZWL 939

$85.8 ฿2,793

-59.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$40.54 ZWL 1,085

$72.2 ฿2,353

-43.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$430 ฿14.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿7,774

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$817 ฿26.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$511 ฿16.6K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,983 ฿64.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,484 ฿48.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$619 ฿20.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.31

166.20%

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

Last update for Shurugwi: June 7, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $41.00 in Shurugwi versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $220 in Shurugwi vs $241 in Chiang Mai – so Shurugwi 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

Shurugwi vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 42% more than Shurugwi, with the gap driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $918 per month in Shurugwi and $1,303 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $41.00 in Shurugwi and $19.00 in Chiang Mai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 9% 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.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $612 in Shurugwi and $869 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Shurugwi costs $612 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 Shurugwi. 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.