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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $828 per month in Suchitoto vs $950 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,310 per month in Suchitoto vs $1,430 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,792 per month in Suchitoto vs $1,909 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Suchitoto is about 13% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Suchitoto and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Suchitoto 40% lower, Chiang Mai 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.88 $6.88

$2.10 ฿69.3

227.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.26 $44.26

$19.84 ฿656

123.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 $7.09

$5.79 ฿191

22.45%

Cappuccino

$3.54 $3.54

$1.83 ฿60.4

93.44%

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

$1.10 $1.10

$0.78 ฿25.61

41.03%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.86 $0.86

$0.31 ฿10.37

177.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.98 $1.98

$2.34 ฿77.2

-15.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.49 $3.49

$3.70 ฿122

-5.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.84 $1.84

$2.03 ฿67.1

-9.36%

White Bread (500g)

$2.81 $2.81

$1.60 ฿52.7

75.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.42 $1.42

$1.42 ฿46.75

Eggs

$3.10 $3.10

$2.18 ฿71.9

42.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.92 $7.92

$15.91 ฿526

-50.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.96 $6.96

$3.07 ฿102

126.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.28 $10.28

$9.87 ฿326

4.15%

Apples (1kg)

$4.96 $4.96

$2.63 ฿86.8

88.59%

Banana (1kg)

$1.48 $1.48

$1.10 ฿36.19

34.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.97 $2.97

$1.63 ฿53.8

82.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.55 $3.55

$1.53 ฿50.6

132.03%

Potato (1kg)

$2.86 $2.86

$1.24 ฿41.13

130.65%

Onion (1kg)

$3.35 $3.35

$1.13 ฿37.37

196.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.95 $0.95

$0.74 ฿24.38

28.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.93 $0.93

$0.50 ฿16.48

86.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.09 $4.09

$4.28 ฿141

-4.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.97 $11.97

$17.97 ฿594

-33.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.24 $2.24

$1.70 ฿56.1

31.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.98 $2.98

$2.90 ฿95.7

2.76%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.94 ฿31.13

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$55.3 ฿1,827

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.84 $5.84

$1.23 ฿40.76

374.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.06 $3.06

$0.53 ฿17.66

477.36%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.67 $19.67

$2.40 ฿79.3

719.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 $1.22

$1.44 ฿47.55

-15.28%

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

$24.6K $24.6K

$21.2K ฿700.2K

15.86%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

$27.3K ฿902.1K

-2.10%

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

$131 $131

$64.9 ฿2,145

102.33%

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

$20.96 $20.96

$13.35 ฿441

57.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$43.32 $43.32

$20.83 ฿688

107.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.42 ฿1,336

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.95 ฿131

Cinema Ticket

$4.90 $4.90

$6.71 ฿222

-26.97%

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

$162 $162

$787 ฿26.0K

-79.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,761 $4,761

$15.1K ฿499.6K

-68.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.9 $66.9

$56.2 ฿1,858

18.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.88 $47.88

$24.95 ฿824

91.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$119 $119

$92.7 ฿3,063

28.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 $119

$75.1 ฿2,482

58.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$484 ฿16.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$287 ฿9,491

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$910 ฿30.1K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$531 ฿17.5K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,980 ฿65.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,451 ฿47.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$605 ฿20.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.5

5.57

52.60%

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

Last update for Suchitoto: September 6, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $44.00 in Suchitoto versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $289 vs $242 – making Chiang Mai the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

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

Chiang Mai costs about 15% more than Suchitoto, 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 $1,242 per month in Suchitoto and $1,426 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 $44.00 in Suchitoto 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 19% cheaper in Chiang Mai – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Suchitoto, where all-in costs run around $828, than in Chiang Mai at $950. In Suchitoto it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chiang Mai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Suchitoto costs $828 versus $950 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 Suchitoto. 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.