Cost of Living Comparison Between Bergen County, NJ and Chiang Mai Cost of Living Comparison Between Bergen County, NJ and Chiang Mai

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $4,087 in Bergen County, NJ versus $852 in Chiang Mai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,235 in Bergen County, NJ versus $1,360 in Chiang Mai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,383 in Bergen County, NJ versus $1,867 in Chiang Mai.

Living in Bergen County, NJ is roughly 379% more expensive than in Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Bergen County, NJ is 207% above, Chiang Mai is 36% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.64 $19.64

$2.04 ฿68.4

862.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$85.3 $85.3

$18.71 ฿626

356.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.89 $13.89

$7.86 ฿263

76.72%

Cappuccino

$4.90 $4.90

$2.03 ฿67.9

141.38%

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

$2.53 $2.53

$0.80 ฿26.71

216.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.23 $2.23

$0.35 ฿11.71

537.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.08 $7.08

$2.14 ฿71.7

230.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.17 $9.17

$3.67 ฿123

149.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 $1.25

$1.73 ฿57.8

-27.75%

White Bread (500g)

$4.46 $4.46

$1.57 ฿52.5

184.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$8.68 $8.68

$1.20 ฿40.10

623.33%

Eggs

$4.92 $4.92

$1.97 ฿66.0

149.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.75 $16.75

$16.23 ฿543

3.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.74 $11.74

$3.06 ฿102

283.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.36 $17.36

$10.80 ฿361

60.74%

Apples (1kg)

$5.06 $5.06

$2.77 ฿92.6

82.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.78 $1.78

$1.17 ฿39.05

52.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.92 $3.92

$1.71 ฿57.1

129.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.08 $4.08

$1.59 ฿53.3

156.60%

Potato (1kg)

$2.81 $2.81

$1.39 ฿46.63

102.16%

Onion (1kg)

$3.94 $3.94

$1.16 ฿38.67

239.66%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.37 $2.37

$0.66 ฿22.11

259.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.14 $2.14

$0.52 ฿17.35

311.54%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.31 $13.31

$4.65 ฿155

186.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.42 $18.42

$17.78 ฿595

3.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.75 $1.75

$1.79 ฿59.8

-2.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 $3.67

$3.34 ฿112

9.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.30 $4.30

$0.91 ฿30.35

372.53%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$170 $170

$18.64 ฿624

814.27%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 $3.03

$1.41 ฿47.17

114.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.36 $1.36

$1.34 ฿44.82

1.49%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.58 $23.58

$8.11 ฿271

190.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.92 $0.92

$1.23 ฿41.27

-25.20%

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

$29.2K $29.2K

$21.4K ฿717.0K

36.20%

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

$25.4K $25.4K

$21.8K ฿730.0K

16.42%

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

$129 $129

$71.3 ฿2,386

80.64%

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

$44.89 $44.89

$14.01 ฿469

220.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$65.9 $65.9

$17.93 ฿600

267.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.46 $43.46

$40.82 ฿1,365

6.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿230

Cinema Ticket

$16.84 $16.84

$5.72 ฿191

194.41%

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

$2,267 $2,267

$308 ฿10.3K

635.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.5K $23.5K

$14.7K ฿491.0K

60.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$74.2 $74.2

$55.8 ฿1,865

32.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.09 $24.09

$26.04 ฿871

-7.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.4 $87.4

$84.8 ฿2,837

3.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 $114

$71.0 ฿2,375

60.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,766 $2,766

$423 ฿14.2K

553.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,635 $2,635

$242 ฿8,110

987.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,661 $4,661

$797 ฿26.7K

484.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,996 $2,996

$507 ฿17.0K

491.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,887 $3,887

$1,918 ฿64.2K

102.64%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,703 $3,703

$1,464 ฿49.0K

152.91%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,410 $5,410

$595 ฿19.9K

809.15%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.57

31.40%

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

Last update for Bergen County, NJ: July 25, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,766 in Bergen County, NJ and $423 in Chiang Mai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bergen County, NJ pays 809% 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: $85.0 in Bergen County, NJ vs $19.00 in Chiang Mai for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $449 vs $244 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

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

Bergen County, NJ and Chiang Mai differ by about 379% in total monthly costs ($4,087 vs $852 including rent). Chiang Mai is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 809% higher in Bergen County, NJ, 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: $2,766 in Bergen County, NJ versus $423 in Chiang Mai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Chiang Mai – a meal for two runs $19.00 versus $85.0 in Bergen County, NJ. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $4,087 per month in Bergen County, NJ versus $852 in Chiang Mai – a 379% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $852 in Chiang Mai versus $4,087 in Bergen County, NJ, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Chiang Mai but tight or insufficient in Bergen County, 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, Bergen County, 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 379% less than in Bergen County, NJ. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.