Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Howell Township, NJ

For one person, living is cheaper in Chiang Mai: $935 a month against $2,681 in Howell Township, NJ, rent and utilities included – about $21,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

45

Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
Learn more

Chiang Mai Living Index
128

Cost of Living Index in Howell Township, NJ
Learn more

Howell Township, NJ Living Index

Jump to prices

Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$935

/mo nomad

Howell Township, NJ

🇺🇸 United States

$2,681

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chiang Mai and in Howell Township, 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 Howell Township, NJ actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $935 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,681 in Howell Township, NJ, rent included.

Chiang Mai $935
Howell Township, NJ $2,681

A couple spends around $1,467 per month in Chiang Mai vs $3,888 in Howell Township, NJ, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,467
Howell Township, NJ $3,888

A family of three spends $1,999 per month in Chiang Mai vs $5,094 in Howell Township, NJ, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,999
Howell Township, NJ $5,094

Chiang Mai is about 65% cheaper than Howell Township, NJ, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Chiang Mai sits 31% below the global median, while Howell Township, NJ is 98% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.13 ฿72.0

$20.17 $20.17

-89.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.62 ฿628

$75.0 $75.0

-75.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.60 ฿189

$11.47 $11.47

-51.18%

Cappuccino

$1.66 ฿56.1

$5.19 $5.19

-68.02%

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

$0.65 ฿21.83

$2.71 $2.71

-76.01%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 ฿10.29

$1.95 $1.95

-84.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.32 ฿78.4

$6.15 $6.15

-62.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 ฿124

$7.33 $7.33

-49.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.02 ฿68.0

$1.46 $1.46

38.36%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 ฿47.51

$3.94 $3.94

-64.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 ฿46.96

$4.03 $4.03

-65.51%

Eggs

$2.37 ฿79.9

$4.27 $4.27

-44.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.52 ฿557

$12.26 $12.26

34.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.67 ฿90.1

$12.00 $12.00

-77.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.02 ฿304

$16.94 $16.94

-46.75%

Apples (1kg)

$2.40 ฿80.9

$5.33 $5.33

-54.97%

Banana (1kg)

$1.04 ฿35.13

$1.28 $1.28

-18.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.66 ฿56.0

$4.54 $4.54

-63.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.56 ฿52.6

$4.52 $4.52

-65.49%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 ฿41.76

$3.13 $3.13

-60.38%

Onion (1kg)

$1.09 ฿36.66

$2.66 $2.66

-59.02%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.76 ฿25.70

$1.88 $1.88

-59.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿17.35

$2.30 $2.30

-77.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.12 ฿139

$9.94 $9.94

-58.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.93 ฿605

$14.95 $14.95

19.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 ฿54.8

$1.67 $1.67

-2.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.82 ฿95.2

$3.21 $3.21

-12.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.93 ฿31.53

$1.76 $1.76

-47.16%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$52.9 ฿1,785

$59.4 $59.4

-10.88%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.18 ฿39.70

$3.94 $3.94

-70.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.17 ฿5.79

$1.62 $1.62

-89.51%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.81 ฿61.1

$26.46 $26.46

-93.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 ฿49.69

$1.12 $1.12

31.25%

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

$21.0K ฿708.9K

$27.1K $27.1K

-22.41%

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

$26.5K ฿894.6K

$28.8K $28.8K

-7.83%

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

$62.6 ฿2,111

$198 $198

-68.42%

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

$11.60 ฿392

$58.6 $58.6

-80.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.30 ฿685

$127 $127

-83.99%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.88 ฿1,278

$40.27 $40.27

-5.93%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.70 ฿125

Cinema Ticket

$6.51 ฿220

$14.12 $14.12

-53.90%

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

$727 ฿24.5K

$1,206 $1,206

-39.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.6K ฿559.2K

$19.1K $19.1K

-13.39%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.5 ฿1,807

$47.29 $47.29

13.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.80 ฿837

$38.60 $38.60

-35.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.4 ฿3,050

$90.0 $90.0

0.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.0 ฿2,428

$115 $115

-37.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$481 ฿16.2K

$1,556 $1,556

-69.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$310 ฿10.5K

$1,293 $1,293

-76.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,058 ฿35.7K

$2,600 $2,600

-59.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$659 ฿22.2K

$2,108 $2,108

-68.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,418 ฿81.6K

$2,808 $2,808

-13.89%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,609 ฿54.3K

$2,679 $2,679

-39.94%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿20.1K

$3,001 $3,001

-80.18%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

6.59

-15.48%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: November 1, 2026

Last update for Howell Township, NJ: November 1, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chiang Mai

$310 33.1%

Howell Township, NJ

$1.3K 48.2% 317% $983

Groceries & Markets

Chiang Mai

$237 25.3%

Howell Township, NJ

$404 15.1% 70.9% $168

Clothing & Footwear

Chiang Mai

$108 11.6%

Howell Township, NJ

$131 4.9% 20.7% $22

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chiang Mai

$94 10.1%

Howell Township, NJ

$383 14.3% 306% $289

Eating Out

Chiang Mai

$77 8.2%

Howell Township, NJ

$322 12% 321% $246

Getting Around

Chiang Mai

$59 6.3%

Howell Township, NJ

$78 2.9% 33.7% $20

Sport & Entertainment

Chiang Mai

$51 5.4%

Howell Township, NJ

$69 2.6% 34.6% $18

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $481 in Chiang Mai versus $1,556 in Howell Township, NJ. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries in Howell Township, NJ are about 5 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19 in Chiang Mai versus $75 in Howell Township, NJ. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $237 vs $404 – making Chiang Mai the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🇺🇸 Howell Township, NJ

🕒 Local time

00:09 12:09 AM

12:09 12:09 PM

12 h behind Chiang Mai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

127,240

53,000

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.96 USD

100 THB = 2.65 EUR

1 USD = 0.893 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇭 Thai Baht (฿)

Thai Baht exchange rates as of November 3, 2026: 1 USD = 33.74 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.77 THB (100 THB = 2.65 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of November 3, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.893 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Chiang Mai Howell Township, NJ 13,180 km ≈ 17 h nonstop flight

From you

Chiang Mai
Howell Township, 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 Howell Township, NJ: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Howell Township, NJ costs about 187% more than Chiang Mai, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from eating out. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,403 per month in Chiang Mai and $4,022 in Howell Township, NJ. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Chiang Mai, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $481 there versus $1,556 in Howell Township, NJ.

Kindergarten costs $727 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,206 in Howell Township, NJ. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 71% more in Howell Township, NJ, though the gap depends on what you buy.

$800 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $935 in Chiang Mai and $2,681 in Howell Township, NJ. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Chiang Mai – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.

If budget matters most, go with Chiang Mai. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Howell Township, NJ makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.