Cost of Living Comparison Between Barnegat, NJ and Chiang Mai Cost of Living Comparison Between Barnegat, NJ and Chiang Mai

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,846 in Barnegat, NJ versus $847 in Chiang Mai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,367 in Barnegat, NJ versus $1,332 in Chiang Mai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,888 in Barnegat, NJ versus $1,816 in Chiang Mai.

Living in Barnegat, NJ is roughly 236% more expensive than in Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Barnegat, NJ is 113% above, Chiang Mai is 37% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.39 $20.39

$2.03 ฿68.5

904.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$146 $146

$18.71 ฿631

681.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.60 $12.60

$7.84 ฿265

60.71%

Cappuccino

$5.82 $5.82

$1.93 ฿65.0

201.55%

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

$3.29 $3.29

$0.83 ฿28.05

296.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.66 $2.66

$0.35 ฿11.82

660.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.11 $8.11

$2.22 ฿74.9

265.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$12.22 $12.22

$3.79 ฿128

222.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 $1.08

$1.65 ฿55.5

-34.55%

White Bread (500g)

$5.10 $5.10

$1.55 ฿52.4

229.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$8.29 $8.29

$1.18 ฿39.86

602.54%

Eggs

$7.17 $7.17

$2.01 ฿68.0

256.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.34 $17.34

$16.16 ฿545

7.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.70 $16.70

$3.03 ฿102

451.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.20 $20.20

$10.84 ฿366

86.35%

Apples (1kg)

$7.70 $7.70

$2.68 ฿90.4

187.31%

Banana (1kg)

$2.56 $2.56

$1.22 ฿41.21

109.84%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.68 $5.68

$1.63 ฿54.9

248.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.11 $4.11

$1.53 ฿51.6

168.63%

Potato (1kg)

$3.73 $3.73

$1.34 ฿45.18

178.36%

Onion (1kg)

$3.91 $3.91

$1.21 ฿40.93

223.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.19 $3.19

$0.70 ฿23.67

355.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.58 $2.58

$0.53 ฿17.73

386.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$18.76 $18.76

$4.69 ฿158

300.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.17 $15.17

$17.71 ฿598

-14.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.90 $2.90

$1.85 ฿62.3

56.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.82 $3.82

$3.21 ฿108

19.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.97 $1.97

$0.89 ฿30.07

121.35%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.76 ฿633

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 $3.03

$1.41 ฿47.48

114.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.33 $1.33

$1.29 ฿43.59

3.10%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.25 $24.25

$7.79 ฿263

211.30%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.72 $0.72

$1.29 ฿43.67

-44.19%

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

$35.2K $35.2K

$21.8K ฿734.7K

61.70%

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

$27.8K $27.8K

$21.7K ฿732.1K

27.99%

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

$180 $180

$70.0 ฿2,362

157.49%

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

$60.3 $60.3

$14.19 ฿479

324.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$62.6 $62.6

$17.42 ฿588

259.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.40 $43.40

$41.64 ฿1,405

4.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.89 ฿233

Cinema Ticket

$19.75 $19.75

$5.78 ฿195

241.70%

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

$3,128 $3,128

$300 ฿10.1K

943.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.0K $23.0K

$14.5K ฿490.1K

58.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.8 $66.8

$55.4 ฿1,869

20.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.42 $47.42

$26.31 ฿888

80.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 $115

$84.8 ฿2,863

35.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$171 $171

$70.5 ฿2,379

143.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,595 $1,595

$425 ฿14.4K

275.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,347 $1,347

$235 ฿7,933

473.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,664 $2,664

$802 ฿27.1K

232.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,253 $2,253

$516 ฿17.4K

336.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,857 $2,857

$1,926 ฿65.0K

48.33%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,454 $2,454

$1,451 ฿49.0K

69.16%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$586 ฿19.8K

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 Barnegat, NJ: July 22, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,595 in Barnegat, NJ and $425 in Chiang Mai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $146 in Barnegat, NJ vs $19.00 in Chiang Mai for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $532 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

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

Barnegat, NJ and Chiang Mai differ by about 236% in total monthly costs ($2,846 vs $847 including rent). Chiang Mai is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $4,269 in Barnegat, NJ and $1,271 in Chiang Mai to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,595 in Barnegat, NJ versus $425 in Chiang Mai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $3,128 in Barnegat, 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 $146 in Barnegat, NJ. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $847 in Chiang Mai versus $2,846 in Barnegat, NJ, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Chiang Mai but tight or insufficient in Barnegat, 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, Barnegat, 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 236% less than in Barnegat, NJ. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.