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 $1,103 per month in Sur vs $861 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,577 per month in Sur vs $1,350 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,050 per month in Sur vs $1,838 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Sur costs about 28% 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 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.95 OMR 1.52

$1.96 ฿66.0

101.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.63 OMR 9.87

$18.35 ฿618

39.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.76 OMR 2.99

$7.48 ฿252

3.74%

Cappuccino

$4.82 OMR 1.85

$2.02 ฿68.0

138.61%

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

$0.72 OMR 0.28

$0.85 ฿28.57

-15.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 OMR 0.10

$0.36 ฿11.99

-25.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$12.51 OMR 4.82

$2.14 ฿72.0

484.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$11.86 OMR 4.56

$3.59 ฿121

230.36%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.59 OMR 0.61

$1.65 ฿55.6

-3.64%

White Bread (500g)

$1.23 OMR 0.47

$1.57 ฿52.8

-21.66%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.67 OMR 0.64

$1.19 ฿40.12

40.34%

Eggs

$2.00 OMR 0.77

$1.94 ฿65.2

3.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.84 OMR 1.48

$16.19 ฿546

-76.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.91 OMR 1.89

$2.99 ฿101

64.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.60 OMR 3.31

$10.94 ฿369

-21.39%

Apples (1kg)

$2.36 OMR 0.91

$2.71 ฿91.4

-12.92%

Banana (1kg)

$1.27 OMR 0.49

$1.17 ฿39.34

8.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.06 OMR 0.41

$1.69 ฿56.9

-37.28%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.81 OMR 0.31

$1.60 ฿54.1

-49.38%

Potato (1kg)

$0.82 OMR 0.31

$1.38 ฿46.65

-40.58%

Onion (1kg)

$0.50 OMR 0.19

$1.20 ฿40.54

-58.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 OMR 0.42

$0.67 ฿22.55

61.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 OMR 0.19

$0.56 ฿18.77

-8.93%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.23 OMR 2.40

$4.64 ฿156

34.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.90 OMR 6.12

$17.62 ฿594

-9.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.36 OMR 1.68

$1.86 ฿62.7

134.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.01 OMR 3.08

$3.30 ฿111

142.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.75

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.34 ฿652

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.16 OMR 1.21

$1.36 ฿46.01

132.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.76 OMR 0.29

$1.34 ฿45.08

-43.28%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.25 OMR 3.95

$8.21 ฿277

24.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.53 OMR 0.20

$1.22 ฿41.28

-56.56%

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

$22.5K OMR 8,655

$21.4K ฿719.8K

5.31%

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

$21.8K OMR 8,409

$22.5K ฿759.5K

-3.02%

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

$79.0 OMR 30.40

$70.7 ฿2,382

11.76%

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

$23.13 OMR 8.90

$14.04 ฿473

64.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.0 OMR 26.95

$17.49 ฿590

300.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$85.9 OMR 33.07

$42.15 ฿1,421

103.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿232

Cinema Ticket

$10.25 OMR 3.95

$5.92 ฿200

73.14%

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

$192 OMR 73.8

$309 ฿10.4K

-37.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,388 OMR 2,459

$14.9K ฿501.5K

-57.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.2 OMR 19.71

$55.8 ฿1,880

-8.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.04 OMR 15.03

$26.11 ฿880

49.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.4 OMR 30.18

$83.0 ฿2,798

-5.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.7 OMR 33.74

$70.5 ฿2,375

24.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$258 OMR 99.5

$432 ฿14.6K

-40.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$265 OMR 102

$239 ฿8,054

10.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$470 OMR 181

$822 ฿27.7K

-42.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$384 OMR 148

$512 ฿17.3K

-24.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$565 OMR 218

$1,915 ฿64.5K

-70.47%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$525 OMR 202

$1,467 ฿49.5K

-64.22%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,657 OMR 1,023

$579 ฿19.5K

358.58%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.15

3.00%

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

Last update for Sur: July 12, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $258 in Sur versus $432 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 359% 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 $18.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $216 in Sur vs $243 in Chiang Mai – so Sur 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

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

Sur costs about 28% 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 $1,655 per month in Sur and $1,292 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 $18.00 in Chiang Mai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 13% cheaper in Sur – 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 $861, than in Sur at $1,103. 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 $861 versus $1,103 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.