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: $2,857 in Barnegat, NJ versus $866 in Chiang Mai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,326 in Barnegat, NJ versus $1,351 in Chiang Mai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,795 in Barnegat, NJ versus $1,835 in Chiang Mai.

Living in Barnegat, NJ is roughly 230% more expensive than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Barnegat, NJ is 113% above, Chiang Mai is 35% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.70 $19.70

$1.94 ฿63.8

915.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$143 $143

$18.64 ฿611

664.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.38 $12.38

$7.82 ฿256

58.31%

Cappuccino

$5.77 $5.77

$1.95 ฿64.1

195.90%

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

$3.25 $3.25

$0.85 ฿27.90

282.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.67 $2.67

$0.35 ฿11.64

662.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.16 $8.16

$2.13 ฿69.9

283.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$11.98 $11.98

$3.73 ฿122

221.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.04 $1.04

$1.71 ฿56.2

-39.18%

White Bread (500g)

$4.98 $4.98

$1.63 ฿53.4

205.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$8.40 $8.40

$1.14 ฿37.32

636.84%

Eggs

$7.05 $7.05

$1.93 ฿63.4

265.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.54 $17.54

$16.21 ฿532

8.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.60 $16.60

$3.12 ฿102

432.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.52 $20.52

$10.90 ฿357

88.26%

Apples (1kg)

$7.49 $7.49

$2.75 ฿90.4

172.36%

Banana (1kg)

$2.52 $2.52

$1.21 ฿39.70

108.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.93 $5.93

$1.62 ฿53.2

266.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.93 $3.93

$1.59 ฿52.1

147.17%

Potato (1kg)

$3.88 $3.88

$1.40 ฿45.91

177.14%

Onion (1kg)

$4.10 $4.10

$1.17 ฿38.34

250.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.07 $3.07

$0.66 ฿21.70

365.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.45 $2.45

$0.53 ฿17.30

362.26%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$18.68 $18.68

$4.69 ฿154

298.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.28 $15.28

$18.66 ฿612

-18.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.91 $2.91

$1.80 ฿59.0

61.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.89 $3.89

$3.23 ฿106

20.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.05 $2.05

$0.90 ฿29.39

127.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿630

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 $3.02

$1.41 ฿46.13

114.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.40 $1.40

$1.29 ฿42.31

8.53%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.57 $23.57

$7.84 ฿257

200.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.72 $0.72

$1.27 ฿41.77

-43.31%

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

$35.7K $35.7K

$21.3K ฿698.1K

67.61%

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

$28.2K $28.2K

$22.2K ฿728.8K

26.97%

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

$182 $182

$69.1 ฿2,266

163.56%

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

$59.7 $59.7

$14.08 ฿462

324.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.7 $61.7

$18.00 ฿591

242.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.59 $42.59

$41.06 ฿1,347

3.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿228

Cinema Ticket

$19.81 $19.81

$5.92 ฿194

234.63%

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

$3,209 $3,209

$299 ฿9,811

973.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.9K $23.9K

$15.0K ฿490.6K

60.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.0 $67.0

$54.7 ฿1,795

22.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.46 $47.46

$26.77 ฿878

77.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$114 $114

$85.0 ฿2,788

33.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$169 $169

$70.6 ฿2,316

139.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,632 $1,632

$428 ฿14.0K

281.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,380 $1,380

$237 ฿7,787

481.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,628 $2,628

$801 ฿26.3K

227.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,245 $2,245

$515 ฿16.9K

335.44%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,700 $2,700

$1,975 ฿64.8K

36.76%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,180 $2,180

$1,475 ฿48.4K

47.81%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.3K

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,632 in Barnegat, NJ and $428 in Chiang Mai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $143 in Barnegat, NJ vs $19.00 in Chiang Mai for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $529 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

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

Barnegat, NJ and Chiang Mai differ by about 230% in total monthly costs ($2,857 vs $866 including rent). Chiang Mai is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $4,286 in Barnegat, NJ and $1,300 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: $1,632 in Barnegat, NJ versus $428 in Chiang Mai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $3,209 in Barnegat, 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 $143 in Barnegat, NJ. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $866 in Chiang Mai versus $2,857 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 230% less than in Barnegat, NJ. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.