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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,759 per month in Surrey vs $845 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,117 per month in Surrey vs $1,323 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,476 per month in Surrey vs $1,802 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Surrey costs about 227% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Surrey sits 106% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 37% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.54 CA$25.40

$1.95 ฿62.8

850.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$82.1 CA$112

$18.43 ฿594

345.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.98 CA$15.05

$7.50 ฿241

46.40%

Cappuccino

$4.24 CA$5.80

$1.93 ฿62.3

119.69%

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

$2.05 CA$2.81

$0.78 ฿25.08

162.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.82 CA$2.49

$0.32 ฿10.42

468.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.96 CA$8.16

$2.15 ฿69.2

177.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.90 CA$9.45

$3.71 ฿120

85.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.65 CA$3.63

$1.71 ฿55.2

54.97%

White Bread (500g)

$2.70 CA$3.69

$1.56 ฿50.3

73.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.58 CA$7.64

$1.18 ฿38.06

372.88%

Eggs

$3.60 CA$4.93

$1.98 ฿63.9

81.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.36 CA$14.19

$16.04 ฿517

-35.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.66 CA$15.97

$3.17 ฿102

267.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$24.34 CA$33.35

$10.94 ฿353

122.49%

Apples (1kg)

$3.37 CA$4.61

$2.63 ฿84.7

28.14%

Banana (1kg)

$1.33 CA$1.83

$1.17 ฿37.61

13.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.98 CA$4.08

$1.65 ฿53.0

80.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.36 CA$4.61

$1.54 ฿49.51

118.18%

Potato (1kg)

$2.34 CA$3.20

$1.38 ฿44.34

69.57%

Onion (1kg)

$2.01 CA$2.75

$1.17 ฿37.54

71.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.51 CA$3.44

$0.66 ฿21.25

280.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.92 CA$2.64

$0.51 ฿16.55

276.47%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.77 CA$20.23

$4.52 ฿146

226.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.67 CA$20.10

$18.32 ฿590

-19.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.80 CA$5.21

$1.80 ฿57.9

111.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.00 CA$5.47

$3.18 ฿102

25.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.16 CA$4.33

$0.90 ฿28.97

251.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$127 CA$174

$19.00 ฿612

567.68%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.83 CA$3.87

$1.41 ฿45.50

100.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.54 CA$2.11

$1.31 ฿42.15

17.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.06 CA$39.81

$8.09 ฿261

259.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 CA$1.86

$1.28 ฿41.08

6.25%

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

$25.3K CA$34.7K

$21.3K ฿686.1K

18.79%

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

$21.0K CA$28.8K

$21.7K ฿699.3K

-3.16%

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

$189 CA$259

$69.2 ฿2,230

173.31%

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

$42.09 CA$57.7

$13.97 ฿450

201.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$66.3 CA$90.9

$17.95 ฿578

269.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.84 CA$60.1

$42.31 ฿1,363

3.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.37 CA$25.17

$6.66 ฿214

175.83%

Cinema Ticket

$12.55 CA$17.20

$5.92 ฿191

111.99%

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

$910 CA$1,247

$299 ฿9,640

204.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.4K CA$17.0K

$14.8K ฿478.4K

-16.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.9 CA$75.2

$56.2 ฿1,810

-2.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.3 CA$74.4

$26.94 ฿868

101.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 CA$142

$84.9 ฿2,735

21.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$96.8 CA$133

$71.8 ฿2,314

34.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,658 CA$2,271

$435 ฿14.0K

281.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,404 CA$1,923

$240 ฿7,727

485.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,055 CA$4,185

$798 ฿25.7K

283.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,407 CA$3,297

$498 ฿16.1K

382.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$10.3K CA$14.2K

$1,995 ฿64.3K

417.95%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$8,277 CA$11.3K

$1,532 ฿49.4K

440.36%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,141 CA$4,303

$628 ฿20.2K

399.95%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.54

30.80%

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

Last update for Surrey: April 20, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,658 in Surrey versus $435 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 400% higher in Surrey, 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 $82 in Surrey versus $18 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $407 vs $244 – 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

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

Surrey costs about 227% 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 $4,139 per month in Surrey and $1,267 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.

Kindergarten costs $910 per month in Surrey and $299 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 67% more in Surrey, 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 $845, than in Surrey at $2,759. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Surrey it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $845 versus $2,759 in Surrey. 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, Surrey makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.