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 $1,061 per month in Surinam vs $847 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,713 per month in Surinam vs $1,332 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,364 per month in Surinam vs $1,816 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 21% lower, Chiang Mai 37% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.70 MUR 316

$2.03 ฿68.5

230.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.40 MUR 2,045

$18.71 ฿631

131.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.12 MUR 336

$7.84 ฿265

-9.18%

Cappuccino

$2.58 MUR 122

$1.93 ฿65.0

33.68%

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

$1.03 MUR 48.40

$0.83 ฿28.05

24.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.59 MUR 27.95

$0.35 ฿11.82

68.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.17 MUR 102

$2.22 ฿74.9

-2.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.35 MUR 158

$3.79 ฿128

-11.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 MUR 77.6

$1.65 ฿55.5

White Bread (500g)

$0.66 MUR 31.08

$1.55 ฿52.4

-57.42%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 MUR 62.2

$1.18 ฿39.86

11.86%

Eggs

$2.25 MUR 106

$2.01 ฿68.0

11.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.97 MUR 564

$16.16 ฿545

-25.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.26 MUR 295

$3.03 ฿102

106.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.46 MUR 587

$10.84 ฿366

14.94%

Apples (1kg)

$2.05 MUR 96.6

$2.68 ฿90.4

-23.51%

Banana (1kg)

$1.93 MUR 90.8

$1.22 ฿41.21

58.20%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.49 MUR 70.4

$1.63 ฿54.9

-8.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.63 MUR 124

$1.53 ฿51.6

71.90%

Potato (1kg)

$0.99 MUR 46.77

$1.34 ฿45.18

-26.12%

Onion (1kg)

$1.00 MUR 47.33

$1.21 ฿40.93

-17.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.80 MUR 37.65

$0.70 ฿23.67

14.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.75 MUR 35.23

$0.53 ฿17.73

41.51%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.65 MUR 314

$4.69 ฿158

41.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.26 MUR 389

$17.71 ฿598

-53.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MUR 80.6

$1.85 ฿62.3

-7.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 MUR 105

$3.21 ฿108

-30.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.05 MUR 49.41

$0.89 ฿30.07

17.98%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.76 ฿633

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.44 MUR 209

$1.41 ฿47.48

214.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.75 MUR 130

$1.29 ฿43.59

113.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$20.19 MUR 952

$7.79 ฿263

159.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 MUR 69.2

$1.29 ฿43.67

13.95%

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

$36.1K MUR 1.7M

$21.8K ฿734.7K

65.67%

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

$28.5K MUR 1.3M

$21.7K ฿732.1K

31.57%

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

$50.4 MUR 2,376

$70.0 ฿2,362

-27.97%

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

$18.45 MUR 870

$14.19 ฿479

30.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.41 MUR 1,574

$17.42 ฿588

91.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.91 MUR 1,787

$41.64 ฿1,405

-8.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.89 ฿233

Cinema Ticket

$6.20 MUR 292

$5.78 ฿195

7.27%

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

$156 MUR 7,344

$300 ฿10.1K

-48.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,017 MUR 189.3K

$14.5K ฿490.1K

-72.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$83.7 MUR 3,946

$55.4 ฿1,869

51.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$81.1 MUR 3,820

$26.31 ฿888

208.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$134 MUR 6,304

$84.8 ฿2,863

57.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$94.4 MUR 4,447

$70.5 ฿2,379

33.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$516 MUR 24.3K

$425 ฿14.4K

21.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$347 MUR 16.3K

$235 ฿7,933

47.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$939 MUR 44.2K

$802 ฿27.1K

17.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 MUR 33.8K

$516 ฿17.4K

38.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,926 ฿65.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,451 ฿49.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$586 ฿19.8K

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: July 20, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $516 in Surinam 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 $43.00 in Surinam versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $230 in Surinam vs $242 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 $1,591 per month in Surinam 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 $43.00 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 6% 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 $847, than in Surinam at $1,061. 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 $847 versus $1,061 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.