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: $2,337 in Atlantic City, NJ versus $847 in Chiang Mai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,628 in Atlantic City, NJ versus $1,332 in Chiang Mai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,920 in Atlantic City, NJ versus $1,816 in Chiang Mai.

Living in Atlantic City, NJ is roughly 176% more expensive than in Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Atlantic City, NJ is 75% above, Chiang Mai is 37% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.12 $25.12

$2.03 ฿68.5

1137.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$59.0 $59.0

$18.71 ฿631

215.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.41 $12.41

$7.84 ฿265

58.29%

Cappuccino

$5.36 $5.36

$1.93 ฿65.0

177.72%

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

$2.79 $2.79

$0.83 ฿28.05

236.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.51 $2.51

$0.35 ฿11.82

617.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.98 $6.98

$2.22 ฿74.9

214.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.16 $9.16

$3.79 ฿128

141.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.16 $1.16

$1.65 ฿55.5

-29.70%

White Bread (500g)

$4.00 $4.00

$1.55 ฿52.4

158.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$8.19 $8.19

$1.18 ฿39.86

594.07%

Eggs

$6.27 $6.27

$2.01 ฿68.0

211.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.39 $17.39

$16.16 ฿545

7.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.20 $16.20

$3.03 ฿102

434.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.15 $20.15

$10.84 ฿366

85.89%

Apples (1kg)

$4.49 $4.49

$2.68 ฿90.4

67.54%

Banana (1kg)

$2.42 $2.42

$1.22 ฿41.21

98.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.88 $5.88

$1.63 ฿54.9

260.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.46 $6.46

$1.53 ฿51.6

322.22%

Potato (1kg)

$3.69 $3.69

$1.34 ฿45.18

175.37%

Onion (1kg)

$4.11 $4.11

$1.21 ฿40.93

239.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.03 $2.03

$0.70 ฿23.67

190.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.95 $1.95

$0.53 ฿17.73

267.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$19.32 $19.32

$4.69 ฿158

311.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.77 $14.77

$17.71 ฿598

-16.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.04 $3.04

$1.85 ฿62.3

64.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.81 $3.81

$3.21 ฿108

18.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.05 $2.05

$0.89 ฿30.07

130.34%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.76 ฿633

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.84 $4.84

$1.41 ฿47.48

243.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.23 $2.23

$1.29 ฿43.59

72.87%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$41.52 $41.52

$7.79 ฿263

432.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.83 $0.83

$1.29 ฿43.67

-35.66%

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

$35.5K $35.5K

$21.8K ฿734.7K

63.03%

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

$27.6K $27.6K

$21.7K ฿732.1K

27.08%

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

$184 $184

$70.0 ฿2,362

162.62%

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

$59.7 $59.7

$14.19 ฿479

320.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$54.0 $54.0

$17.42 ฿588

209.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.63 $42.63

$41.64 ฿1,405

2.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.89 ฿233

Cinema Ticket

$14.18 $14.18

$5.78 ฿195

145.33%

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

$3,192 $3,192

$300 ฿10.1K

964.79%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.4K $23.4K

$14.5K ฿490.1K

61.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$42.82 $42.82

$55.4 ฿1,869

-22.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.89 $39.89

$26.31 ฿888

51.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$60.3 $60.3

$84.8 ฿2,863

-28.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.0 $74.0

$70.5 ฿2,379

4.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,416 $1,416

$425 ฿14.4K

232.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,017 $1,017

$235 ฿7,933

332.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,025 $2,025

$802 ฿27.1K

152.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,865 $1,865

$516 ฿17.4K

261.75%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,664 $3,664

$1,926 ฿65.0K

90.25%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,603 $3,603

$1,451 ฿49.0K

148.35%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,129 $4,129

$586 ฿19.8K

604.30%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.44

28.80%

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

Last update for Atlantic City, NJ: July 19, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,416 in Atlantic City, NJ and $425 in Chiang Mai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Atlantic City, NJ pays 604% 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: $59.0 in Atlantic City, NJ vs $19.00 in Chiang Mai for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $499 vs $242 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 176% in total monthly costs ($2,337 vs $847 including rent). Chiang Mai is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 604% 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: $1,416 in Atlantic City, NJ versus $425 in Chiang Mai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $3,192 in Atlantic City, NJ versus $300 in Chiang Mai. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Chiang Mai – a meal for two runs $19.00 versus $59.0 in Atlantic City, NJ. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $847 in Chiang Mai versus $2,337 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 176% less than in Atlantic City, NJ. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.