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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,067 per month in Surinam vs $947 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,726 per month in Surinam vs $1,411 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,386 per month in Surinam vs $1,874 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Surinam costs about 13% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Surinam and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Surinam 22% lower, Chiang Mai 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.77 MUR 269

$2.08 ฿68.5

177.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.85 MUR 1,809

$19.64 ฿646

97.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.65 MUR 356

$5.65 ฿186

35.40%

Cappuccino

$2.60 MUR 121

$1.81 ฿59.3

43.65%

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

$1.13 MUR 52.7

$0.71 ฿23.44

59.15%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.66 MUR 30.68

$0.32 ฿10.38

106.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.67 MUR 124

$2.24 ฿73.5

19.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.70 MUR 219

$3.63 ฿119

29.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.61 MUR 74.9

$1.96 ฿64.4

-17.86%

White Bread (500g)

$0.73 MUR 33.90

$1.50 ฿49.38

-51.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.16 MUR 54.1

$1.34 ฿43.92

-13.43%

Eggs

$2.55 MUR 119

$2.26 ฿74.4

12.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.34 MUR 249

$16.26 ฿534

-67.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.42 MUR 299

$2.95 ฿97.1

117.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.38 MUR 530

$9.94 ฿327

14.49%

Apples (1kg)

$2.76 MUR 128

$2.57 ฿84.5

7.39%

Banana (1kg)

$2.71 MUR 126

$1.06 ฿34.72

155.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.40 MUR 65.4

$1.61 ฿53.0

-13.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.03 MUR 141

$1.52 ฿49.96

99.34%

Potato (1kg)

$0.97 MUR 45.16

$1.27 ฿41.76

-23.62%

Onion (1kg)

$0.96 MUR 44.79

$1.07 ฿35.05

-10.28%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.74 MUR 34.39

$0.72 ฿23.67

2.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.92 MUR 42.89

$0.51 ฿16.72

80.39%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.50 MUR 303

$4.19 ฿138

55.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.57 MUR 399

$17.87 ฿587

-52.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.65 MUR 76.8

$1.69 ฿55.7

-2.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 MUR 106

$2.84 ฿93.2

-19.72%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.93 ฿30.42

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.9 ฿1,770

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.32 MUR 201

$1.23 ฿40.58

251.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.17 MUR 148

$0.58 ฿18.96

446.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$21.11 MUR 983

$2.42 ฿79.7

772.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.33 MUR 62.0

$1.41 ฿46.42

-5.67%

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

$36.8K MUR 1.7M

$21.4K ฿704.9K

71.57%

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

$31.6K MUR 1.5M

$27.3K ฿898.5K

15.53%

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

$45.49 MUR 2,118

$63.7 ฿2,093

-28.55%

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

$10.80 MUR 503

$12.85 ฿423

-15.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.00 MUR 1,350

$20.22 ฿665

43.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.88 MUR 1,438

$38.74 ฿1,274

-20.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.97 ฿130

Cinema Ticket

$6.45 MUR 300

$6.74 ฿221

-4.30%

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

$126 MUR 5,853

$778 ฿25.6K

-83.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,707 MUR 358.9K

$14.6K ฿480.2K

-47.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$78.7 MUR 3,665

$54.3 ฿1,785

44.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$75.8 MUR 3,530

$25.45 ฿836

197.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$122 MUR 5,679

$94.3 ฿3,101

29.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.7 MUR 3,569

$73.4 ฿2,414

4.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$606 MUR 28.2K

$490 ฿16.1K

23.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$445 MUR 20.7K

$289 ฿9,510

53.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,242 MUR 57.8K

$894 ฿29.4K

39.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$740 MUR 34.5K

$517 ฿17.0K

43.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,955 ฿64.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,477 ฿48.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿19.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.67

5.57

19.75%

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

Last update for Surinam: August 29, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $606 in Surinam versus $490 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 $39.00 in Surinam versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $220 in Surinam vs $240 in Chiang Mai – so Surinam 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

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

Surinam costs about 13% 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 $1,600 per month in Surinam and $1,421 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 $39.00 in Surinam 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 9% cheaper in Surinam – 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 $947, than in Surinam at $1,067. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Surinam it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $947 versus $1,067 in Surinam. 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, Surinam makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.