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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,893 in Camden, NJ versus $845 in Chiang Mai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,193 in Camden, NJ versus $1,323 in Chiang Mai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,493 in Camden, NJ versus $1,802 in Chiang Mai.

Living in Camden, NJ is roughly 242% more expensive than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Camden, NJ is 116% above, Chiang Mai is 37% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.22 $20.22

$1.95 ฿62.8

936.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$91.0 $91.0

$18.43 ฿594

393.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.98 $11.98

$7.50 ฿241

59.73%

Cappuccino

$5.02 $5.02

$1.93 ฿62.3

160.10%

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

$2.74 $2.74

$0.78 ฿25.08

251.28%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.95 $1.95

$0.32 ฿10.42

509.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.01 $6.01

$2.15 ฿69.2

179.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.94 $6.94

$3.71 ฿120

87.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.36 $1.36

$1.71 ฿55.2

-20.47%

White Bread (500g)

$4.12 $4.12

$1.56 ฿50.3

164.10%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$8.42 $8.42

$1.18 ฿38.06

613.56%

Eggs

$4.52 $4.52

$1.98 ฿63.9

128.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.96 $14.96

$16.04 ฿517

-6.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.67 $16.67

$3.17 ฿102

425.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.13 $20.13

$10.94 ฿353

84.00%

Apples (1kg)

$6.00 $6.00

$2.63 ฿84.7

128.14%

Banana (1kg)

$2.16 $2.16

$1.17 ฿37.61

84.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.72 $5.72

$1.65 ฿53.0

246.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.46 $5.46

$1.54 ฿49.51

254.55%

Potato (1kg)

$3.79 $3.79

$1.38 ฿44.34

174.64%

Onion (1kg)

$2.78 $2.78

$1.17 ฿37.54

137.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.99 $2.99

$0.66 ฿21.25

353.03%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.55 $2.55

$0.51 ฿16.55

400.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.90 $12.90

$4.52 ฿146

185.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.25 $17.25

$18.32 ฿590

-5.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.03 $2.03

$1.80 ฿57.9

12.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.28 $4.28

$3.18 ฿102

34.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.35 $2.35

$0.90 ฿28.97

161.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$58.5 $58.5

$19.00 ฿612

207.68%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.93 $2.93

$1.41 ฿45.50

107.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.51 $1.51

$1.31 ฿42.15

15.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$22.10 $22.10

$8.09 ฿261

173.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.97 $0.97

$1.28 ฿41.08

-24.22%

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

$30.5K $30.5K

$21.3K ฿686.1K

43.42%

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

$26.1K $26.1K

$21.7K ฿699.3K

20.18%

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

$267 $267

$69.2 ฿2,230

286.26%

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

$60.3 $60.3

$13.97 ฿450

331.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$74.9 $74.9

$17.95 ฿578

317.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.51 $43.51

$42.31 ฿1,363

2.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.66 ฿214

Cinema Ticket

$14.74 $14.74

$5.92 ฿191

148.99%

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

$2,053 $2,053

$299 ฿9,640

586.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.3K $23.3K

$14.8K ฿478.4K

56.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.9 $56.9

$56.2 ฿1,810

1.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.23 $41.23

$26.94 ฿868

53.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.2 $94.2

$84.9 ฿2,735

11.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$143 $143

$71.8 ฿2,314

99.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,576 $1,576

$435 ฿14.0K

262.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,335 $1,335

$240 ฿7,727

456.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,674 $2,674

$798 ฿25.7K

235.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,200 $2,200

$498 ฿16.1K

341.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,662 $2,662

$1,995 ฿64.3K

33.43%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,401 $2,401

$1,532 ฿49.4K

56.75%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,790 $4,790

$628 ฿20.2K

662.48%

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 Camden, NJ: April 21, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,576 in Camden, NJ and $435 in Chiang Mai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Camden, NJ pays 662% 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: $91 in Camden, NJ vs $18 in Chiang Mai for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $501 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

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

Camden, NJ and Chiang Mai differ by about 242% in total monthly costs ($2,893 vs $845 including rent). Chiang Mai is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Camden, NJ pays 662% more on average, 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: $1,576 in Camden, NJ versus $435 in Chiang Mai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Chiang Mai runs roughly 208% less than in Camden, NJ. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $2,053 in Camden, NJ versus $299 in Chiang Mai. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $845 in Chiang Mai versus $2,893 in Camden, NJ, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Chiang Mai but tight or insufficient in Camden, 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, Camden, 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 242% less than in Camden, NJ. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.