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: $2,649 in Barnegat, NJ versus $932 in Chiang Mai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,885 in Barnegat, NJ versus $1,399 in Chiang Mai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,121 in Barnegat, NJ versus $1,866 in Chiang Mai.

Living in Barnegat, NJ is roughly 184% more expensive than in Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Barnegat, NJ is 94% above, Chiang Mai is 32% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.77 $17.77

$2.08 ฿69.3

754.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$97.0 $97.0

$19.61 ฿653

394.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.60 $10.60

$5.67 ฿189

86.95%

Cappuccino

$5.18 $5.18

$1.81 ฿60.1

186.19%

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

$3.37 $3.37

$0.77 ฿25.58

337.66%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.59 $2.59

$0.35 ฿11.49

640.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.80 $6.80

$2.21 ฿73.7

207.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.22 $8.22

$3.79 ฿126

116.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.15 $1.15

$2.05 ฿68.2

-43.90%

White Bread (500g)

$4.09 $4.09

$1.51 ฿50.4

170.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.06 $4.06

$1.40 ฿46.57

190.00%

Eggs

$4.93 $4.93

$2.26 ฿75.2

118.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.74 $12.74

$16.19 ฿539

-21.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.81 $12.81

$2.90 ฿96.4

341.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.81 $18.81

$9.42 ฿314

99.68%

Apples (1kg)

$6.03 $6.03

$2.68 ฿89.2

125.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 $1.62

$1.09 ฿36.28

48.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.62 $5.62

$1.62 ฿53.8

246.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.08 $4.08

$1.46 ฿48.61

179.45%

Potato (1kg)

$2.79 $2.79

$1.28 ฿42.54

117.97%

Onion (1kg)

$2.91 $2.91

$1.06 ฿35.21

174.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.47 $2.47

$0.72 ฿23.88

243.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.35 $2.35

$0.53 ฿17.51

343.40%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.11 $14.11

$4.23 ฿141

233.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.71 $15.71

$18.29 ฿609

-14.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.54 $2.54

$1.63 ฿54.3

55.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.83 $3.83

$2.90 ฿96.6

32.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.07 $2.07

$0.88 ฿29.24

135.23%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.8 ฿1,790

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.77 $1.77

$1.17 ฿39.04

51.28%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.41 $1.41

$0.58 ฿19.25

143.10%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.83 $23.83

$2.39 ฿79.4

897.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.96 $0.96

$1.45 ฿48.28

-33.79%

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

$36.6K $36.6K

$21.0K ฿699.5K

74.11%

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

$25.8K $25.8K

$26.4K ฿879.7K

-2.39%

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

$214 $214

$63.7 ฿2,119

236.15%

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

$67.4 $67.4

$12.89 ฿429

422.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$85.3 $85.3

$20.52 ฿683

315.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.48 $42.48

$39.02 ฿1,299

8.87%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.92 ฿130

Cinema Ticket

$15.23 $15.23

$6.58 ฿219

131.46%

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

$1,983 $1,983

$784 ฿26.1K

153.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$34.6K $34.6K

$14.7K ฿488.4K

136.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.2 $53.2

$55.1 ฿1,835

-3.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$64.2 $64.2

$24.74 ฿824

159.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.2 $92.2

$94.1 ฿3,133

-2.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$111 $111

$74.0 ฿2,462

50.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,653 $1,653

$490 ฿16.3K

237.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,310 $1,310

$288 ฿9,594

354.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,764 $2,764

$891 ฿29.7K

210.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,058 $2,058

$521 ฿17.3K

294.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,046 $3,046

$1,974 ฿65.7K

54.35%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,712 $2,712

$1,444 ฿48.1K

87.77%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿20.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.26

5.57

12.39%

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

Last update for Barnegat, NJ: September 13, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,653 in Barnegat, NJ and $490 in Chiang Mai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $97.0 in Barnegat, NJ vs $20.00 in Chiang Mai for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $434 vs $241 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 184% in total monthly costs ($2,649 vs $932 including rent). Chiang Mai is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $3,973 in Barnegat, NJ and $1,398 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: $1,653 in Barnegat, NJ versus $490 in Chiang Mai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,983 in Barnegat, NJ versus $784 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 $20.00 versus $97.0 in Barnegat, NJ. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $932 in Chiang Mai versus $2,649 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 184% less than in Barnegat, NJ. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.