Cost of Living Comparison Between Atlantic City, NJ and Chiang Mai Cost of Living Comparison Between Atlantic City, NJ and Chiang Mai

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,796 in Atlantic City, NJ versus $947 in Chiang Mai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,228 in Atlantic City, NJ versus $1,411 in Chiang Mai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,661 in Atlantic City, NJ versus $1,874 in Chiang Mai.

Living in Atlantic City, NJ is roughly 195% more expensive than in Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Atlantic City, NJ is 103% above, Chiang Mai is 31% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.33 $20.33

$2.08 ฿68.5

877.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.3 $89.3

$19.64 ฿646

354.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.33 $11.33

$5.65 ฿186

100.53%

Cappuccino

$5.57 $5.57

$1.81 ฿59.3

207.73%

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

$2.38 $2.38

$0.71 ฿23.44

235.21%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.99 $1.99

$0.32 ฿10.38

521.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.42 $6.42

$2.24 ฿73.5

186.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.89 $8.89

$3.63 ฿119

144.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.18 $1.18

$1.96 ฿64.4

-39.80%

White Bread (500g)

$3.29 $3.29

$1.50 ฿49.38

119.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.99 $6.99

$1.34 ฿43.92

421.64%

Eggs

$4.14 $4.14

$2.26 ฿74.4

83.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.95 $10.95

$16.26 ฿534

-32.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.56 $16.56

$2.95 ฿97.1

461.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.75 $19.75

$9.94 ฿327

98.69%

Apples (1kg)

$7.58 $7.58

$2.57 ฿84.5

194.94%

Banana (1kg)

$3.85 $3.85

$1.06 ฿34.72

263.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.39 $5.39

$1.61 ฿53.0

234.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.13 $6.13

$1.52 ฿49.96

303.29%

Potato (1kg)

$4.15 $4.15

$1.27 ฿41.76

226.77%

Onion (1kg)

$4.74 $4.74

$1.07 ฿35.05

342.99%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.52 $2.52

$0.72 ฿23.67

250.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.47 $2.47

$0.51 ฿16.72

384.31%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.74 $14.74

$4.19 ฿138

251.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.69 $13.69

$17.87 ฿587

-23.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.70 $2.70

$1.69 ฿55.7

59.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.25 $3.25

$2.84 ฿93.2

14.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.08 $3.08

$0.93 ฿30.42

231.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$89.7 $89.7

$53.9 ฿1,770

66.52%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.94 $2.94

$1.23 ฿40.58

139.02%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.21 $2.21

$0.58 ฿18.96

281.03%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$41.68 $41.68

$2.42 ฿79.7

1622.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.86 $0.86

$1.41 ฿46.42

-39.01%

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

$20.0K $20.0K

$21.4K ฿704.9K

-6.68%

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

$25.3K $25.3K

$27.3K ฿898.5K

-7.48%

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

$241 $241

$63.7 ฿2,093

279.00%

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

$55.9 $55.9

$12.85 ฿423

334.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.4 $61.4

$20.22 ฿665

203.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.46 $29.46

$38.74 ฿1,274

-23.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$50.1 $50.1

$3.97 ฿130

1161.71%

Cinema Ticket

$16.93 $16.93

$6.74 ฿221

151.19%

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

$506 $506

$778 ฿25.6K

-34.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,002 $7,002

$14.6K ฿480.2K

-52.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$71.9 $71.9

$54.3 ฿1,785

32.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.30 $31.30

$25.45 ฿836

22.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$122 $122

$94.3 ฿3,101

29.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 $119

$73.4 ฿2,414

62.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,708 $1,708

$490 ฿16.1K

248.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,283 $1,283

$289 ฿9,510

343.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,413 $2,413

$894 ฿29.4K

170.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,152 $2,152

$517 ฿17.0K

316.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,562 $3,562

$1,955 ฿64.3K

82.17%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,653 $3,653

$1,477 ฿48.5K

147.33%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,053 $4,053

$602 ฿19.8K

573.07%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

-46.14%

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

Last update for Atlantic City, NJ: August 29, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,708 in Atlantic City, NJ and $490 in Chiang Mai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Atlantic City, NJ pays 573% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $89.0 in Atlantic City, NJ vs $20.00 in Chiang Mai for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $486 vs $240 per month, with Chiang Mai cheaper across the board.

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

Atlantic City, NJ vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Atlantic City, NJ and Chiang Mai differ by about 195% in total monthly costs ($2,796 vs $947 including rent). Chiang Mai is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 573% higher in Atlantic City, NJ, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,708 in Atlantic City, NJ versus $490 in Chiang Mai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 102% higher in Atlantic City, NJ. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Chiang Mai – a meal for two runs $20.00 versus $89.0 in Atlantic City, NJ. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $947 in Chiang Mai versus $2,796 in Atlantic City, NJ, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Chiang Mai but tight or insufficient in Atlantic City, NJ. The gap between the two cities makes Chiang Mai the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Atlantic City, NJ and Chiang Mai are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Chiang Mai gentler on the wallet – expenses run 195% less than in Atlantic City, NJ. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.