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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $919 per month in Surin vs $847 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,472 per month in Surin vs $1,332 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,025 per month in Surin vs $1,816 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Surin costs about 8% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Surin and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Surin 31% lower, Chiang Mai 37% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.01 ฿102

$2.03 ฿68.4

48.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.19 ฿916

$18.71 ฿631

45.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.28 ฿212

$7.84 ฿264

-19.90%

Cappuccino

$2.01 ฿67.8

$1.93 ฿65.0

4.15%

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

$0.72 ฿24.40

$0.83 ฿28.01

-13.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.90

$0.35 ฿11.81

60.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.52 ฿85.1

$2.22 ฿74.8

13.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 ฿124

$3.79 ฿128

-3.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.75 ฿58.9

$1.65 ฿55.5

6.06%

White Bread (500g)

$1.39 ฿46.74

$1.55 ฿52.3

-10.32%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.27 ฿42.70

$1.18 ฿39.82

7.63%

Eggs

$2.20 ฿74.3

$2.01 ฿67.9

9.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.71 ฿631

$16.16 ฿545

15.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.09 ฿104

$3.03 ฿102

1.98%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.75 ฿362

$10.84 ฿365

-0.83%

Apples (1kg)

$3.11 ฿105

$2.68 ฿90.3

16.04%

Banana (1kg)

$1.24 ฿41.91

$1.22 ฿41.16

1.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.95 ฿65.7

$1.63 ฿54.8

19.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.61 ฿54.1

$1.53 ฿51.5

5.23%

Potato (1kg)

$1.47 ฿49.66

$1.34 ฿45.13

9.70%

Onion (1kg)

$1.26 ฿42.42

$1.21 ฿40.88

4.13%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 ฿34.41

$0.70 ฿23.65

45.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.40

$0.53 ฿17.71

-1.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.25 ฿143

$4.69 ฿158

-9.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.98 ฿572

$17.71 ฿597

-4.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.81 ฿61.1

$1.85 ฿62.2

-2.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿93.9

$3.21 ฿108

-13.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.77

$0.89 ฿30.03

-1.12%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.76 ฿632

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.06 ฿35.82

$1.41 ฿47.43

-24.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.20 ฿40.48

$1.29 ฿43.54

-6.98%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.06 ฿204

$7.79 ฿263

-22.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 ฿43.44

$1.29 ฿43.61

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

$27.2K ฿916.6K

$21.8K ฿733.8K

24.92%

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

$27.2K ฿916.5K

$21.7K ฿731.2K

25.34%

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

$74.9 ฿2,526

$70.0 ฿2,359

7.06%

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

$13.86 ฿467

$14.19 ฿478

-2.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.57 ฿626

$17.42 ฿587

6.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.67 ฿1,641

$41.64 ฿1,404

16.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.42 ฿419

$6.89 ฿232

80.26%

Cinema Ticket

$7.10 ฿239

$5.78 ฿195

22.84%

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

$295 ฿9,942

$300 ฿10.1K

-1.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,760 ฿329.0K

$14.5K ฿489.5K

-32.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$33.37 ฿1,125

$55.4 ฿1,866

-39.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.35 ฿1,158

$26.31 ฿887

30.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 ฿3,407

$84.8 ฿2,860

19.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.3 ฿2,405

$70.5 ฿2,376

1.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$429 ฿14.5K

$425 ฿14.3K

0.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$286 ฿9,641

$235 ฿7,924

21.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$798 ฿26.9K

$802 ฿27.0K

-0.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$660 ฿22.3K

$516 ฿17.4K

28.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,919 ฿64.7K

$1,926 ฿64.9K

-0.37%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,553 ฿52.3K

$1,451 ฿48.9K

7.02%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$586 ฿19.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.45

9.00%

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

Last update for Surin: July 21, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $429 in Surin versus $425 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $27.00 in Surin versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $254 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

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

Surin costs about 8% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by Getting Around. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,378 per month in Surin and $1,271 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 $27.00 in Surin 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 5% more in Surin, 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 $847, than in Surin at $919. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Surin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $847 versus $919 in Surin. 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, Surin makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.