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 $2,760 per month in Surrey vs $847 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,115 per month in Surrey vs $1,332 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,470 per month in Surrey vs $1,816 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Surrey costs about 226% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Surrey sits 107% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 37% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.10 CA$25.49

$2.03 ฿68.5

791.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$81.2 CA$114

$18.71 ฿631

333.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.94 CA$15.41

$7.84 ฿265

39.54%

Cappuccino

$4.29 CA$6.05

$1.93 ฿65.0

122.28%

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

$2.04 CA$2.87

$0.83 ฿28.05

145.78%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.80 CA$2.54

$0.35 ฿11.82

414.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.79 CA$8.15

$2.22 ฿74.9

160.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.89 CA$9.70

$3.79 ฿128

81.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.62 CA$3.69

$1.65 ฿55.5

58.79%

White Bread (500g)

$2.74 CA$3.86

$1.55 ฿52.4

76.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.43 CA$7.65

$1.18 ฿39.86

360.17%

Eggs

$3.64 CA$5.13

$2.01 ฿68.0

81.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.19 CA$14.36

$16.16 ฿545

-36.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.00 CA$16.90

$3.03 ฿102

296.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$24.83 CA$34.97

$10.84 ฿366

129.06%

Apples (1kg)

$3.50 CA$4.93

$2.68 ฿90.4

30.60%

Banana (1kg)

$1.29 CA$1.81

$1.22 ฿41.21

5.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.99 CA$4.21

$1.63 ฿54.9

83.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.52 CA$4.96

$1.53 ฿51.6

130.07%

Potato (1kg)

$2.35 CA$3.31

$1.34 ฿45.18

75.37%

Onion (1kg)

$2.00 CA$2.82

$1.21 ฿40.93

65.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.45 CA$3.45

$0.70 ฿23.67

250.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.01 CA$2.84

$0.53 ฿17.73

279.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.88 CA$20.95

$4.69 ฿158

217.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.07 CA$19.81

$17.71 ฿598

-20.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.83 CA$5.40

$1.85 ฿62.3

107.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.84 CA$5.41

$3.21 ฿108

19.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.12 CA$4.39

$0.89 ฿30.07

250.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$125 CA$177

$18.76 ฿633

568.23%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.84 CA$4.00

$1.41 ฿47.48

101.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.55 CA$2.19

$1.29 ฿43.59

20.16%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.59 CA$40.27

$7.79 ฿263

267.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 CA$1.94

$1.29 ฿43.67

6.20%

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

$25.3K CA$35.6K

$21.8K ฿734.7K

16.06%

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

$21.0K CA$29.6K

$21.7K ฿732.1K

-3.09%

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

$187 CA$263

$70.0 ฿2,362

166.98%

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

$41.34 CA$58.2

$14.19 ฿479

191.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$66.6 CA$93.8

$17.42 ฿588

282.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.82 CA$63.1

$41.64 ฿1,405

7.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.50 CA$26.05

$6.89 ฿233

168.51%

Cinema Ticket

$12.36 CA$17.41

$5.78 ฿195

113.84%

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

$888 CA$1,251

$300 ฿10.1K

196.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.5K CA$17.6K

$14.5K ฿490.1K

-13.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.9 CA$77.3

$55.4 ฿1,869

-0.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.9 CA$75.9

$26.31 ฿888

104.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 CA$148

$84.8 ฿2,863

23.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$95.3 CA$134

$70.5 ฿2,379

35.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,623 CA$2,286

$425 ฿14.4K

281.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,396 CA$1,966

$235 ฿7,933

493.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,011 CA$4,241

$802 ฿27.1K

275.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,445 CA$3,444

$516 ฿17.4K

374.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,586 CA$13.5K

$1,926 ฿65.0K

397.71%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$8,475 CA$11.9K

$1,451 ฿49.0K

484.14%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,122 CA$4,398

$586 ฿19.8K

432.51%

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: July 21, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,623 in Surrey 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.

Salaries run about 433% 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 $81.0 in Surrey versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $410 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

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

Surrey costs about 226% 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 $4,141 per month in Surrey 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.

Kindergarten costs $888 per month in Surrey and $300 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 69% 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 $847, than in Surrey at $2,760. 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 $847 versus $2,760 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.