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: $2,358 in Atlantic City, NJ versus $866 in Chiang Mai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,572 in Atlantic City, NJ versus $1,351 in Chiang Mai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,786 in Atlantic City, NJ versus $1,835 in Chiang Mai.

Living in Atlantic City, NJ is roughly 172% more expensive than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Atlantic City, NJ is 76% above, Chiang Mai is 35% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.57 $24.57

$1.94 ฿63.8

1166.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$58.9 $58.9

$18.64 ฿611

215.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.03 $12.03

$7.82 ฿256

53.84%

Cappuccino

$5.58 $5.58

$1.95 ฿64.1

186.15%

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

$2.77 $2.77

$0.85 ฿27.90

225.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 $2.53

$0.35 ฿11.64

622.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.96 $6.96

$2.13 ฿69.9

226.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.24 $9.24

$3.73 ฿122

147.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.22 $1.22

$1.71 ฿56.2

-28.65%

White Bread (500g)

$4.09 $4.09

$1.63 ฿53.4

150.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$7.98 $7.98

$1.14 ฿37.32

600.00%

Eggs

$6.29 $6.29

$1.93 ฿63.4

225.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.08 $17.08

$16.21 ฿532

5.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.70 $16.70

$3.12 ฿102

435.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.95 $19.95

$10.90 ฿357

83.03%

Apples (1kg)

$4.31 $4.31

$2.75 ฿90.4

56.73%

Banana (1kg)

$2.53 $2.53

$1.21 ฿39.70

109.09%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.69 $5.69

$1.62 ฿53.2

251.23%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.48 $6.48

$1.59 ฿52.1

307.55%

Potato (1kg)

$3.73 $3.73

$1.40 ฿45.91

166.43%

Onion (1kg)

$4.13 $4.13

$1.17 ฿38.34

252.99%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.96 $1.96

$0.66 ฿21.70

196.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.96 $1.96

$0.53 ฿17.30

269.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$19.33 $19.33

$4.69 ฿154

312.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.22 $15.22

$18.66 ฿612

-18.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.91 $2.91

$1.80 ฿59.0

61.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.87 $3.87

$3.23 ฿106

19.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.02 $2.02

$0.90 ฿29.39

124.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿630

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.02 $5.02

$1.41 ฿46.13

256.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.20 $2.20

$1.29 ฿42.31

70.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$41.85 $41.85

$7.84 ฿257

433.80%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.88 $0.88

$1.27 ฿41.77

-30.71%

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

$35.2K $35.2K

$21.3K ฿698.1K

65.60%

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

$27.8K $27.8K

$22.2K ฿728.8K

25.23%

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

$184 $184

$69.1 ฿2,266

166.06%

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

$60.4 $60.4

$14.08 ฿462

328.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$54.2 $54.2

$18.00 ฿591

201.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.85 $43.85

$41.06 ฿1,347

6.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿228

Cinema Ticket

$14.50 $14.50

$5.92 ฿194

144.93%

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

$3,123 $3,123

$299 ฿9,811

944.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.5K $23.5K

$15.0K ฿490.6K

57.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$43.25 $43.25

$54.7 ฿1,795

-20.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.39 $39.39

$26.77 ฿878

47.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$60.6 $60.6

$85.0 ฿2,788

-28.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.7 $75.7

$70.6 ฿2,316

7.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,374 $1,374

$428 ฿14.0K

220.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,010 $1,010

$237 ฿7,787

325.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,012 $2,012

$801 ฿26.3K

151.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,840 $1,840

$515 ฿16.9K

257.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,575 $3,575

$1,975 ฿64.8K

81.06%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,571 $3,571

$1,475 ฿48.4K

142.08%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,835 $4,835

$617 ฿20.3K

683.07%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,374 in Atlantic City, NJ and $428 in Chiang Mai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Atlantic City, NJ pays 683% 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 $500 vs $246 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 172% in total monthly costs ($2,358 vs $866 including rent). Chiang Mai is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Atlantic City, NJ pays 683% more on average, 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: $1,374 in Atlantic City, NJ versus $428 in Chiang Mai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $3,123 in Atlantic City, NJ versus $299 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 $866 in Chiang Mai versus $2,358 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 172% less than in Atlantic City, NJ. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.