Cost of Living Comparison Between Beach Haven, NJ and Chiang Mai Cost of Living Comparison Between Beach Haven, NJ and Chiang Mai

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,668 in Beach Haven, NJ versus $866 in Chiang Mai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,071 in Beach Haven, NJ versus $1,351 in Chiang Mai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,473 in Beach Haven, NJ versus $1,835 in Chiang Mai.

Living in Beach Haven, NJ is roughly 208% more expensive than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Beach Haven, NJ is 99% above, Chiang Mai is 35% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.13 $20.13

$1.94 ฿63.8

937.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$122 $122

$18.64 ฿611

554.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.53 $12.53

$7.82 ฿256

60.23%

Cappuccino

$5.88 $5.88

$1.95 ฿64.1

201.54%

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

$2.69 $2.69

$0.85 ฿27.90

216.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.01 $2.01

$0.35 ฿11.64

474.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.95 $7.95

$2.13 ฿69.9

273.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.08 $8.08

$3.73 ฿122

116.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.46 $1.46

$1.71 ฿56.2

-14.62%

White Bread (500g)

$4.58 $4.58

$1.63 ฿53.4

180.98%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.49 $6.49

$1.14 ฿37.32

469.30%

Eggs

$5.59 $5.59

$1.93 ฿63.4

189.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.59 $13.59

$16.21 ฿532

-16.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.29 $12.29

$3.12 ฿102

293.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.36 $15.36

$10.90 ฿357

40.92%

Apples (1kg)

$6.19 $6.19

$2.75 ฿90.4

125.09%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 $1.58

$1.21 ฿39.70

30.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.56 $5.56

$1.62 ฿53.2

243.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.33 $6.33

$1.59 ฿52.1

298.11%

Potato (1kg)

$2.79 $2.79

$1.40 ฿45.91

99.29%

Onion (1kg)

$4.96 $4.96

$1.17 ฿38.34

323.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.74 $2.74

$0.66 ฿21.70

315.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.37 $2.37

$0.53 ฿17.30

347.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.12 $15.12

$4.69 ฿154

222.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.67 $19.67

$18.66 ฿612

5.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.60 $2.60

$1.80 ฿59.0

44.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.52 $3.52

$3.23 ฿106

8.98%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.97 $1.97

$0.90 ฿29.39

118.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿630

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.97 $2.97

$1.41 ฿46.13

110.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.11 $2.11

$1.29 ฿42.31

63.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$42.45 $42.45

$7.84 ฿257

441.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.97 $0.97

$1.27 ฿41.77

-23.62%

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

$25.1K $25.1K

$21.3K ฿698.1K

17.95%

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

$24.3K $24.3K

$22.2K ฿728.8K

9.54%

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

$161 $161

$69.1 ฿2,266

132.62%

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

$59.3 $59.3

$14.08 ฿462

321.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$68.6 $68.6

$18.00 ฿591

280.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.26 $43.26

$41.06 ฿1,347

5.36%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿228

Cinema Ticket

$20.37 $20.37

$5.92 ฿194

244.09%

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

$1,942 $1,942

$299 ฿9,811

549.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.1K $14.1K

$15.0K ฿490.6K

-5.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.4 $60.4

$54.7 ฿1,795

10.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 $59.0

$26.77 ฿878

120.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$110 $110

$85.0 ฿2,788

29.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$130 $130

$70.6 ฿2,316

84.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,630 $1,630

$428 ฿14.0K

280.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,338 $1,338

$237 ฿7,787

463.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,639 $2,639

$801 ฿26.3K

229.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,264 $2,264

$515 ฿16.9K

339.24%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,752 $2,752

$1,975 ฿64.8K

39.40%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,493 $2,493

$1,475 ฿48.4K

69.04%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.3K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.51

30.20%

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

Last update for Beach Haven, NJ: June 2, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,630 in Beach Haven, NJ and $428 in Chiang Mai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $122 in Beach Haven, NJ vs $19.00 in Chiang Mai for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $468 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

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

Chiang Mai is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 208% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $4,003 in Beach Haven, 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: $1,630 in Beach Haven, NJ versus $428 in Chiang Mai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 90% higher in Beach Haven, NJ. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,668 per month in Beach Haven, NJ versus $866 in Chiang Mai – a 208% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $866 in Chiang Mai versus $2,668 in Beach Haven, NJ, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Chiang Mai but tight or insufficient in Beach Haven, NJ. The gap between the two cities makes Chiang Mai the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Chiang Mai is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Beach Haven, NJ, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Beach Haven, 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 208% less than in Beach Haven, NJ. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.