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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,142 per month in Sur vs $950 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,655 per month in Sur vs $1,430 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,168 per month in Sur vs $1,909 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Sur costs about 20% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Sur and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Sur 17% lower, Chiang Mai 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.81 OMR 1.47

$2.10 ฿69.0

81.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.90 OMR 9.97

$19.84 ฿653

30.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.83 OMR 3.01

$5.79 ฿191

35.23%

Cappuccino

$4.97 OMR 1.91

$1.83 ฿60.2

171.58%

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

$0.75 OMR 0.29

$0.78 ฿25.51

-3.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 OMR 0.10

$0.31 ฿10.33

-12.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$12.88 OMR 4.96

$2.34 ฿76.9

450.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$13.09 OMR 5.04

$3.70 ฿122

253.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.60 OMR 0.61

$2.03 ฿66.8

-21.18%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 OMR 0.50

$1.60 ฿52.5

-19.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 OMR 0.66

$1.42 ฿46.57

19.72%

Eggs

$2.00 OMR 0.77

$2.18 ฿71.6

-8.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.68 OMR 2.96

$15.91 ฿523

-51.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.63 OMR 2.55

$3.07 ฿101

115.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.19 OMR 3.54

$9.87 ฿325

-6.89%

Apples (1kg)

$2.31 OMR 0.89

$2.63 ฿86.4

-12.17%

Banana (1kg)

$1.27 OMR 0.49

$1.10 ฿36.05

15.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.06 OMR 0.41

$1.63 ฿53.6

-34.97%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.74 OMR 0.29

$1.53 ฿50.4

-51.63%

Potato (1kg)

$0.80 OMR 0.31

$1.24 ฿40.97

-35.48%

Onion (1kg)

$0.51 OMR 0.19

$1.13 ฿37.22

-54.87%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.52 OMR 0.58

$0.74 ฿24.29

105.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 OMR 0.19

$0.50 ฿16.42

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.30 OMR 2.43

$4.28 ฿141

47.20%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.73 OMR 6.06

$17.97 ฿591

-12.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$5.66 OMR 2.18

$1.70 ฿55.9

232.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.73 OMR 3.36

$2.90 ฿95.3

201.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.94 ฿31.00

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$55.3 ฿1,820

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.19 OMR 1.23

$1.23 ฿40.60

159.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.66 OMR 1.02

$0.53 ฿17.59

401.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.01 OMR 3.08

$2.40 ฿79.0

233.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.58 OMR 0.22

$1.44 ฿47.37

-59.72%

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

$25.3K OMR 9,753

$21.2K ฿697.5K

19.53%

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

$22.6K OMR 8,693

$27.3K ฿898.6K

-17.31%

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

$78.9 OMR 30.39

$64.9 ฿2,137

21.58%

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

$23.85 OMR 9.18

$13.35 ฿439

78.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.3 OMR 27.06

$20.83 ฿686

237.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$86.5 OMR 33.30

$40.42 ฿1,330

114.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.95 ฿130

Cinema Ticket

$10.25 OMR 3.94

$6.71 ฿221

52.76%

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

$292 OMR 112

$787 ฿25.9K

-62.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,501 OMR 2,503

$15.1K ฿497.7K

-57.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.5 OMR 21.38

$56.2 ฿1,850

-1.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.74 OMR 16.46

$24.95 ฿821

71.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.0 OMR 35.05

$92.7 ฿3,051

-1.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$94.9 OMR 36.54

$75.1 ฿2,472

26.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$262 OMR 101

$484 ฿15.9K

-45.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$268 OMR 103

$287 ฿9,454

-6.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 OMR 183

$910 ฿29.9K

-47.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$387 OMR 149

$531 ฿17.5K

-27.00%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$568 OMR 219

$1,980 ฿65.2K

-71.31%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$520 OMR 200

$1,451 ฿47.8K

-64.15%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,671 OMR 1,028

$605 ฿19.9K

341.33%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.25

5.57

-5.75%

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

Last update for Sur: September 8, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $262 in Sur versus $484 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.

Salaries run about 341% higher in Sur, 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 $26.00 in Sur versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $247 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

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

Sur costs about 20% 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 $1,713 per month in Sur and $1,426 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 $26.00 in Sur and $20.00 in Chiang Mai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 2% more in Sur, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $950, than in Sur at $1,142. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Sur it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $950 versus $1,142 in Sur. 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, Sur makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.