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 $615 per month in Shurugwi vs $852 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $990 per month in Shurugwi vs $1,354 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,364 per month in Shurugwi vs $1,857 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Shurugwi is about 28% 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 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.81 ZWL 248

$1.96 ฿63.6

400.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.49 ZWL 1,024

$18.81 ฿611

115.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.14 ZWL 180

$7.92 ฿258

-9.85%

Cappuccino

$1.73 ZWL 43.73

$1.91 ฿62.2

-9.42%

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

$0.72 ZWL 18.17

$0.84 ฿27.25

-14.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.44 ZWL 11.12

$0.35 ฿11.44

25.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.47 ZWL 37.06

$2.21 ฿71.7

-33.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 ZWL 51.9

$3.80 ฿124

-46.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.56 ZWL 39.44

$1.64 ฿53.2

-4.88%

White Bread (500g)

$0.97 ZWL 24.54

$1.62 ฿52.8

-40.12%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.89 ZWL 47.82

$1.18 ฿38.40

60.17%

Eggs

$2.11 ZWL 53.3

$2.01 ฿65.4

4.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.79 ZWL 273

$15.89 ฿517

-32.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.54 ZWL 165

$3.01 ฿98.0

117.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.32 ZWL 160

$10.77 ฿350

-41.32%

Apples (1kg)

$2.90 ZWL 73.5

$2.61 ฿85.0

11.11%

Banana (1kg)

$1.67 ZWL 42.26

$1.22 ฿39.65

36.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.21 ZWL 55.8

$1.70 ฿55.4

30.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.70 ZWL 42.97

$1.58 ฿51.2

7.59%

Potato (1kg)

$1.55 ZWL 39.19

$1.32 ฿42.89

17.42%

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 ZWL 50.1

$1.17 ฿38.01

69.23%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 ZWL 25.75

$0.67 ฿21.85

52.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.93 ZWL 23.64

$0.56 ฿18.21

66.07%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.07 ZWL 27.16

$4.53 ฿147

-76.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.57 ZWL 217

$18.20 ฿592

-52.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 ZWL 28.34

$1.83 ฿59.6

-38.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.72 ZWL 43.46

$3.23 ฿105

-46.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ฿28.83

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.38 ฿630

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.03 ZWL 127

$1.35 ฿43.95

272.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.05 ZWL 51.8

$1.35 ฿43.79

51.85%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.85 ZWL 123

$8.25 ฿268

-41.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.62 ZWL 40.95

$1.27 ฿41.40

27.56%

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

$20.0K ZWL 505.3K

$21.2K ฿687.8K

-5.56%

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

$23.2K ZWL 586.2K

$22.5K ฿731.0K

3.08%

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

$58.9 ZWL 1,490

$70.2 ฿2,281

-16.01%

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

$17.53 ZWL 443

$13.77 ฿448

27.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$91.3 ZWL 2,310

$17.60 ฿572

418.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.57 ฿1,352

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.60 ฿215

Cinema Ticket

$10.05 ZWL 254

$5.78 ฿188

73.88%

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

$273 ZWL 6,902

$306 ฿9,953

-10.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,340 ZWL 185.6K

$14.8K ฿482.0K

-50.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$19.75 ZWL 499

$54.4 ฿1,768

-63.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$21.09 ZWL 533

$26.14 ฿850

-19.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$35.20 ZWL 890

$84.5 ฿2,748

-58.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$39.81 ZWL 1,007

$69.4 ฿2,257

-42.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$424 ฿13.8K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$238 ฿7,743

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$825 ฿26.8K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.7K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,049 ฿66.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,523 ฿49.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$635 ฿20.6K

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: April 26, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $40.00 in Shurugwi versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $217 in Shurugwi vs $243 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 39% 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 $923 per month in Shurugwi and $1,278 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 $40.00 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 12% 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 $615 in Shurugwi and $852 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Shurugwi costs $615 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 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.