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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,139 per month in Sutomore vs $950 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,747 per month in Sutomore vs $1,430 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,354 per month in Sutomore vs $1,909 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Sutomore costs about 20% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Sutomore and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Sutomore 17% lower, Chiang Mai 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.39 €9.79

$2.10 ฿69.0

442.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.11 €31.91

$19.84 ฿653

87.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.25 €7.95

$5.79 ฿190

59.76%

Cappuccino

$2.69 €2.31

$1.83 ฿60.1

46.99%

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

$2.25 €1.94

$0.78 ฿25.49

188.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 €1.36

$0.31 ฿10.32

409.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.84 €2.45

$2.34 ฿76.8

21.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.46 €2.97

$3.70 ฿122

-6.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.19 €1.02

$2.03 ฿66.8

-41.38%

White Bread (500g)

$1.01 €0.87

$1.60 ฿52.5

-36.88%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.37 €2.04

$1.42 ฿46.53

66.90%

Eggs

$3.18 €2.74

$2.18 ฿71.6

45.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.18 €7.89

$15.91 ฿523

-42.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.77 €6.68

$3.07 ฿101

153.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.76 €10.97

$9.87 ฿324

29.28%

Apples (1kg)

$1.31 €1.13

$2.63 ฿86.4

-50.19%

Banana (1kg)

$1.60 €1.38

$1.10 ฿36.02

45.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.60 €1.38

$1.63 ฿53.6

-1.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.01 €2.58

$1.53 ฿50.3

96.73%

Potato (1kg)

$0.89 €0.77

$1.24 ฿40.93

-28.23%

Onion (1kg)

$1.15 €0.99

$1.13 ฿37.19

1.77%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.53 €1.32

$0.74 ฿24.26

106.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 €0.78

$0.50 ฿16.40

82.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.98 €3.42

$4.28 ฿141

-7.01%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.58 €3.94

$17.97 ฿591

-74.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 €1.10

$1.70 ฿55.8

-24.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 €1.49

$2.90 ฿95.2

-40.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.69 €1.45

$0.94 ฿30.97

79.79%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.87 €35.14

$55.3 ฿1,818

-26.08%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.14 €0.98

$1.23 ฿40.56

-7.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.17 €1.01

$0.53 ฿17.57

120.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.25 €14.84

$2.40 ฿78.9

618.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.73 €1.49

$1.44 ฿47.32

20.14%

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

$30.7K €26.4K

$21.2K ฿696.8K

45.01%

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

$21.8K €18.8K

$27.3K ฿897.8K

-20.10%

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

$138 €118

$64.9 ฿2,135

111.84%

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

$13.76 €11.83

$13.35 ฿439

3.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.84 €29.96

$20.83 ฿685

67.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.26 €39.78

$40.42 ฿1,329

14.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.27 €13.13

$3.95 ฿130

286.58%

Cinema Ticket

$6.42 €5.52

$6.71 ฿221

-4.32%

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

$418 €359

$787 ฿25.9K

-46.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,360 €6,328

$15.1K ฿497.2K

-51.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$88.3 €75.9

$56.2 ฿1,849

56.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.96 €30.06

$24.95 ฿820

40.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.6 €65.9

$92.7 ฿3,048

-17.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$99.5 €85.6

$75.1 ฿2,470

32.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$385 €331

$484 ฿15.9K

-20.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$292 €251

$287 ฿9,446

1.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$583 €501

$910 ฿29.9K

-35.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$532 €458

$531 ฿17.4K

0.31%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,515 €3,023

$1,980 ฿65.1K

77.56%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,427 €2,087

$1,451 ฿47.7K

67.26%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$702 €604

$605 ฿19.9K

15.97%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

-10.23%

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

Last update for Sutomore: September 7, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $385 in Sutomore versus $484 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 16% higher in Sutomore, 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 $37.00 in Sutomore versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $227 in Sutomore vs $242 in Chiang Mai – so Sutomore 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

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

Sutomore costs about 20% 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 $1,708 per month in Sutomore and $1,426 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 $418 per month in Sutomore and $787 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 7% cheaper in Sutomore – 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 $950, than in Sutomore at $1,139. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Sutomore it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $950 versus $1,139 in Sutomore. 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, Sutomore makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.