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 $1,081 per month in Surinam vs $866 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,754 per month in Surinam vs $1,351 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,427 per month in Surinam vs $1,835 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Surinam costs about 25% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Surinam and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Surinam 19% lower, Chiang Mai 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.55 MUR 311

$1.94 ฿63.8

237.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.63 MUR 2,116

$18.64 ฿611

139.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.18 MUR 341

$7.82 ฿256

-8.18%

Cappuccino

$2.59 MUR 123

$1.95 ฿64.1

32.82%

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

$0.98 MUR 46.27

$0.85 ฿27.90

15.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.57 MUR 26.96

$0.35 ฿11.64

62.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.23 MUR 106

$2.13 ฿69.9

4.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.39 MUR 161

$3.73 ฿122

-9.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.67 MUR 79.3

$1.71 ฿56.2

-2.34%

White Bread (500g)

$0.66 MUR 31.50

$1.63 ฿53.4

-59.51%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.26 MUR 59.9

$1.14 ฿37.32

10.53%

Eggs

$2.34 MUR 111

$1.93 ฿63.4

21.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.94 MUR 566

$16.21 ฿532

-26.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.23 MUR 295

$3.12 ฿102

99.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.70 MUR 602

$10.90 ฿357

16.51%

Apples (1kg)

$2.08 MUR 98.6

$2.75 ฿90.4

-24.36%

Banana (1kg)

$1.97 MUR 93.4

$1.21 ฿39.70

62.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.44 MUR 68.5

$1.62 ฿53.2

-11.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.74 MUR 130

$1.59 ฿52.1

72.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.02 MUR 48.46

$1.40 ฿45.91

-27.14%

Onion (1kg)

$0.95 MUR 45.10

$1.17 ฿38.34

-18.80%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.78 MUR 37.21

$0.66 ฿21.70

18.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.75 MUR 35.35

$0.53 ฿17.30

41.51%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.53 MUR 309

$4.69 ฿154

39.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.20 MUR 389

$18.66 ฿612

-56.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 MUR 84.3

$1.80 ฿59.0

-1.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.23 MUR 106

$3.23 ฿106

-30.96%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.00 MUR 47.64

$0.90 ฿29.39

11.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿630

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.45 MUR 211

$1.41 ฿46.13

215.60%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.70 MUR 128

$1.29 ฿42.31

109.30%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.83 MUR 940

$7.84 ฿257

152.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.39 MUR 66.0

$1.27 ฿41.77

9.45%

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

$35.1K MUR 1.7M

$21.3K ฿698.1K

64.90%

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

$28.6K MUR 1.4M

$22.2K ฿728.8K

28.57%

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

$50.4 MUR 2,388

$69.1 ฿2,266

-27.07%

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

$18.62 MUR 883

$14.08 ฿462

32.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.52 MUR 1,589

$18.00 ฿591

86.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.53 MUR 1,779

$41.06 ฿1,347

-8.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿228

Cinema Ticket

$5.98 MUR 283

$5.92 ฿194

1.01%

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

$157 MUR 7,443

$299 ฿9,811

-47.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,952 MUR 187.4K

$15.0K ฿490.6K

-73.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$86.4 MUR 4,098

$54.7 ฿1,795

58.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$81.0 MUR 3,841

$26.77 ฿878

202.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$133 MUR 6,303

$85.0 ฿2,788

56.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$95.2 MUR 4,511

$70.6 ฿2,316

34.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$520 MUR 24.6K

$428 ฿14.0K

21.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$351 MUR 16.6K

$237 ฿7,787

47.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$966 MUR 45.8K

$801 ฿26.3K

20.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$713 MUR 33.8K

$515 ฿16.9K

38.29%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.3K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.67

33.40%

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

Last update for Surinam: June 2, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $520 in Surinam 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $45.00 in Surinam versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $231 in Surinam vs $246 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 25% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,622 per month in Surinam 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 $45.00 in Surinam 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 7% 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 $866, than in Surinam at $1,081. 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 $866 versus $1,081 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.