Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Chiang Mai: $936 a month against $4,319 in Bergen County, NJ, rent and utilities included – about $40,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

45

Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
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Chiang Mai Living Index
207

Cost of Living Index in Bergen County, NJ
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Bergen County, NJ Living Index

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Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$936

/mo nomad

Bergen County, NJ

🇺🇸 United States

$4,319

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chiang Mai and in Bergen County, NJ

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Chiang Mai and in Bergen County, NJ actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $936 in Chiang Mai versus $4,319 in Bergen County, NJ.

Chiang Mai $936
Bergen County, NJ $4,319

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,457 in Chiang Mai versus $5,498 in Bergen County, NJ.

Chiang Mai $1,457
Bergen County, NJ $5,498

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,979 in Chiang Mai versus $6,677 in Bergen County, NJ.

Chiang Mai $1,979
Bergen County, NJ $6,677

Living in Chiang Mai costs roughly 78% less than in Bergen County, NJ, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Chiang Mai is 31% below, Bergen County, NJ is 217% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.24 ฿75.5

$23.56 $23.56

-90.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.00 ฿640

$84.7 $84.7

-77.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.55 ฿187

$13.06 $13.06

-57.50%

Cappuccino

$1.67 ฿56.4

$5.11 $5.11

-67.32%

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

$0.64 ฿21.51

$2.90 $2.90

-77.93%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ฿10.29

$2.27 $2.27

-86.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.36 ฿79.5

$8.16 $8.16

-71.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿123

$7.97 $7.97

-54.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.95 ฿65.7

$1.42 $1.42

37.32%

White Bread (500g)

$1.44 ฿48.41

$4.48 $4.48

-67.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.33 ฿44.97

$7.54 $7.54

-82.36%

Eggs

$2.28 ฿77.0

$5.16 $5.16

-55.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.45 ฿554

$12.70 $12.70

29.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.78 ฿93.8

$11.60 $11.60

-76.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.31 ฿314

$17.31 $17.31

-46.22%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 ฿79.3

$5.32 $5.32

-55.83%

Banana (1kg)

$0.97 ฿32.75

$1.61 $1.61

-39.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.60 ฿53.8

$5.68 $5.68

-71.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.6

$5.69 $5.69

-73.64%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿43.06

$3.03 $3.03

-57.76%

Onion (1kg)

$1.10 ฿37.14

$3.18 $3.18

-65.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 ฿23.79

$2.47 $2.47

-71.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.34

$2.47 $2.47

-80.16%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.14 ฿140

$11.74 $11.74

-64.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.52 ฿590

$24.59 $24.59

-28.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.61 ฿54.4

$1.69 $1.69

-4.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿93.8

$4.53 $4.53

-38.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.87 ฿29.27

$4.13 $4.13

-78.93%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.1 ฿1,823

$171 $171

-68.30%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.16 ฿39.00

$2.83 $2.83

-59.01%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 ฿17.78

$1.59 $1.59

-66.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.42 ฿81.6

$23.84 $23.84

-89.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.82

$1.12 $1.12

29.46%

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

$21.1K ฿709.7K

$27.9K $27.9K

-24.47%

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

$26.9K ฿907.9K

$25.6K $25.6K

5.32%

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

$62.2 ฿2,095

$212 $212

-70.62%

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

$12.17 ฿410

$73.8 $73.8

-83.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.12 ฿678

$65.6 $65.6

-69.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.31 ฿1,257

$101 $101

-63.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.77 ฿127

$50.5 $50.5

-92.53%

Cinema Ticket

$6.49 ฿219

$14.84 $14.84

-56.27%

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

$736 ฿24.8K

$2,461 $2,461

-70.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿497.6K

$23.3K $23.3K

-36.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.4 ฿1,799

$50.5 $50.5

5.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.64 ฿830

$44.54 $44.54

-44.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.5 ฿3,083

$79.0 $79.0

15.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.9 ฿2,424

$151 $151

-52.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.3K

$2,727 $2,727

-82.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$309 ฿10.4K

$2,660 $2,660

-88.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,006 ฿33.9K

$4,560 $4,560

-77.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$633 ฿21.3K

$2,995 $2,995

-78.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,363 ฿79.6K

$3,935 $3,935

-39.94%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,589 ฿53.6K

$3,765 $3,765

-57.79%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$590 ฿19.9K

$5,455 $5,455

-89.19%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

6.66

-16.37%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 26, 2026

Last update for Bergen County, NJ: October 27, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Chiang Mai

$309 33%

Bergen County, NJ

$2.7K 61.6% 761% $2.4K

Groceries & Markets

Chiang Mai

$234 25.1%

Bergen County, NJ

$467 10.8% 99.2% $233

Clothing & Footwear

Chiang Mai

$109 11.6%

Bergen County, NJ

$146 3.4% 34.6% $38

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chiang Mai

$94 10.1%

Bergen County, NJ

$351 8.1% 272% $257

Eating Out

Chiang Mai

$78 8.3%

Bergen County, NJ

$366 8.5% 372% $289

Getting Around

Chiang Mai

$61 6.6%

Bergen County, NJ

$198 4.6% 223% $137

Sport & Entertainment

Chiang Mai

$50 5.4%

Bergen County, NJ

$131 3% 160% $80

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $482 in Chiang Mai and $2,727 in Bergen County, NJ. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bergen County, NJ pays about 9.2 times more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $19 in Chiang Mai vs $85 in Bergen County, NJ for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $234 vs $467 per month, with Chiang Mai cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🇺🇸 Bergen County, NJ

🕒 Local time

08:57 8:57 AM

21:57 9:57 PM

11 h behind Chiang Mai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

127,240

11,668

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.97 USD

100 THB = 2.67 EUR

1 USD = 0.898 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇭 Thai Baht (฿)

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 29, 2026: 1 USD = 33.7 THB (100 THB = 2.97 USD). 1 EUR = 37.52 THB (100 THB = 2.67 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 29, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.11 USD (1 USD = 0.898 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Chiang Mai Bergen County, NJ 13,340 km ≈ 17 h nonstop flight

From you

Chiang Mai
Bergen County, NJ

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

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

Total monthly costs including rent come to $936 in Chiang Mai and $4,319 in Bergen County, NJ, so Chiang Mai is about 78% cheaper – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 89% lower in Chiang Mai. That’s worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $482 in Chiang Mai versus $2,727 in Bergen County, NJ. 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 versus $85 in Bergen County, NJ. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you’ll spend $936 per month in Chiang Mai versus $4,319 in Bergen County, NJ – Chiang Mai is about 78% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.

Both cities are expensive relative to $800. Chiang Mai is the more realistic option, but even there you’ll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

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

Expats usually find Chiang Mai gentler on the wallet – expenses run 78% less than in Bergen County, NJ. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.