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 $1,105 per month in Sur vs $866 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,581 per month in Sur vs $1,351 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,056 per month in Sur vs $1,835 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 18% lower, Chiang Mai 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.86 OMR 1.49

$1.94 ฿63.5

98.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.74 OMR 9.91

$18.64 ฿609

38.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.74 OMR 2.98

$7.82 ฿255

-1.02%

Cappuccino

$4.85 OMR 1.87

$1.95 ฿63.8

148.72%

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

$0.72 OMR 0.28

$0.85 ฿27.77

-15.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 OMR 0.10

$0.35 ฿11.58

-22.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$12.16 OMR 4.68

$2.13 ฿69.6

470.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$11.80 OMR 4.54

$3.73 ฿122

216.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.58 OMR 0.61

$1.71 ฿56.0

-7.60%

White Bread (500g)

$1.22 OMR 0.47

$1.63 ฿53.2

-25.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.74 OMR 0.67

$1.14 ฿37.15

52.63%

Eggs

$2.03 OMR 0.78

$1.93 ฿63.1

5.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.82 OMR 1.47

$16.21 ฿530

-76.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.04 OMR 1.94

$3.12 ฿102

61.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.29 OMR 3.19

$10.90 ฿356

-23.94%

Apples (1kg)

$2.37 OMR 0.91

$2.75 ฿90.0

-13.82%

Banana (1kg)

$1.32 OMR 0.51

$1.21 ฿39.52

9.09%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.06 OMR 0.41

$1.62 ฿53.0

-34.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.75 OMR 0.29

$1.59 ฿51.8

-52.83%

Potato (1kg)

$0.77 OMR 0.29

$1.40 ฿45.70

-45.00%

Onion (1kg)

$0.54 OMR 0.21

$1.17 ฿38.17

-53.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 OMR 0.40

$0.66 ฿21.60

56.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 OMR 0.21

$0.53 ฿17.22

1.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.36 OMR 2.45

$4.69 ฿153

35.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.81 OMR 6.09

$18.66 ฿609

-15.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.32 OMR 1.66

$1.80 ฿58.8

140.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.90 OMR 3.04

$3.23 ฿106

144.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.26

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.16 OMR 1.22

$1.41 ฿45.91

124.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.80 OMR 0.31

$1.29 ฿42.12

-37.98%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.55 OMR 4.06

$7.84 ฿256

34.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.58 OMR 0.22

$1.27 ฿41.58

-54.33%

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

$23.3K OMR 8,953

$21.3K ฿694.9K

9.29%

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

$21.4K OMR 8,231

$22.2K ฿725.4K

-3.75%

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

$79.8 OMR 30.73

$69.1 ฿2,256

15.56%

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

$23.22 OMR 8.94

$14.08 ฿460

64.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.3 OMR 27.05

$18.00 ฿588

290.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$86.1 OMR 33.13

$41.06 ฿1,341

109.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

Cinema Ticket

$10.47 OMR 4.03

$5.92 ฿193

76.86%

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

$195 OMR 75.0

$299 ฿9,766

-34.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,463 OMR 2,488

$15.0K ฿488.3K

-56.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.0 OMR 19.63

$54.7 ฿1,787

-6.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.75 OMR 15.30

$26.77 ฿874

48.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.1 OMR 30.05

$85.0 ฿2,776

-8.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.6 OMR 33.73

$70.6 ฿2,306

24.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$258 OMR 99.2

$428 ฿14.0K

-39.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$265 OMR 102

$237 ฿7,752

11.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$468 OMR 180

$801 ฿26.2K

-41.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$391 OMR 150

$515 ฿16.8K

-24.22%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$571 OMR 220

$1,975 ฿64.5K

-71.11%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$522 OMR 201

$1,475 ฿48.2K

-64.61%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,659 OMR 1,024

$617 ฿20.2K

330.70%

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: June 2, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $258 in Sur versus $428 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 331% 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 $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $215 in Sur vs $246 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 $1,658 per month in Sur and $1,300 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 $19.00 in Chiang Mai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 14% cheaper in Sur – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $1,105 in Sur and $866 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $866 versus $1,105 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.