Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Long Branch, NJ

For one person, living is cheaper in Chiang Mai: $936 a month against $2,692 in Long Branch, NJ, rent and utilities included – about $21,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
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Chiang Mai Living Index
123

Cost of Living Index in Long Branch, NJ
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Long Branch, NJ Living Index

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Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$936

/mo nomad

Long Branch, NJ

🇺🇸 United States

$2,692

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $936 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,692 in Long Branch, NJ, rent included.

Chiang Mai $936
Long Branch, NJ $2,692

A couple spends around $1,457 per month in Chiang Mai vs $3,706 in Long Branch, NJ, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,457
Long Branch, NJ $3,706

A family of three spends $1,979 per month in Chiang Mai vs $4,720 in Long Branch, NJ, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,979
Long Branch, NJ $4,720

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

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.24 ฿75.7

$19.97 $19.97

-88.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.00 ฿642

$75.4 $75.4

-74.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.55 ฿188

$12.98 $12.98

-57.24%

Cappuccino

$1.67 ฿56.6

$5.02 $5.02

-66.73%

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

$0.64 ฿21.56

$2.78 $2.78

-76.98%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ฿10.32

$2.04 $2.04

-84.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.36 ฿79.6

$3.97 $3.97

-40.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿124

$6.96 $6.96

-47.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.95 ฿65.8

$1.06 $1.06

83.96%

White Bread (500g)

$1.44 ฿48.51

$4.62 $4.62

-68.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.33 ฿45.07

$4.39 $4.39

-69.70%

Eggs

$2.28 ฿77.1

$6.48 $6.48

-64.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.45 ฿556

$10.54 $10.54

56.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.78 ฿94.0

$10.85 $10.85

-74.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.31 ฿314

$19.14 $19.14

-51.36%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 ฿79.5

$5.47 $5.47

-57.04%

Banana (1kg)

$0.97 ฿32.82

$1.60 $1.60

-39.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.60 ฿53.9

$3.40 $3.40

-52.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.7

$3.12 $3.12

-51.92%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿43.15

$2.25 $2.25

-43.11%

Onion (1kg)

$1.10 ฿37.22

$2.49 $2.49

-55.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 ฿23.84

$2.72 $2.72

-73.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.38

$2.83 $2.83

-82.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.14 ฿140

$13.69 $13.69

-69.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.52 ฿592

$16.82 $16.82

4.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.61 ฿54.5

$1.92 $1.92

-16.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿94.0

$2.76 $2.76

0.72%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.87 ฿29.33

$2.19 $2.19

-60.27%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.1 ฿1,827

$62.0 $62.0

-12.73%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.16 ฿39.08

$5.94 $5.94

-80.47%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 ฿17.82

$1.54 $1.54

-65.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.42 ฿81.8

$31.68 $31.68

-92.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.93

$1.04 $1.04

39.42%

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

$21.1K ฿711.2K

$28.1K $28.1K

-25.18%

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

$26.9K ฿909.8K

$26.4K $26.4K

2.18%

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

$62.2 ฿2,100

$179 $179

-65.35%

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

$12.17 ฿411

$37.21 $37.21

-67.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.12 ฿680

$59.8 $59.8

-66.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.31 ฿1,260

$36.08 $36.08

3.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.77 ฿127

Cinema Ticket

$6.49 ฿219

$12.42 $12.42

-47.75%

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

$736 ฿24.9K

$2,152 $2,152

-65.79%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿498.6K

$21.4K $21.4K

-31.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.4 ฿1,802

$38.46 $38.46

38.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.64 ฿832

$16.42 $16.42

50.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.5 ฿3,089

$100.0 $100.0

-8.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.9 ฿2,429

$126 $126

-42.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.3K

$1,440 $1,440

-66.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$309 ฿10.4K

$1,417 $1,417

-78.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,006 ฿34.0K

$2,815 $2,815

-64.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$633 ฿21.4K

$1,870 $1,870

-66.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,363 ฿79.8K

$2,782 $2,782

-15.05%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,589 ฿53.7K

$2,109 $2,109

-24.65%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$590 ฿19.9K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

6.51

-14.44%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 26, 2026

Last update for Long Branch, NJ: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chiang Mai

$309 33%

Long Branch, NJ

$1.4K 52.7% 359% $1.1K

Groceries & Markets

Chiang Mai

$234 25.1%

Long Branch, NJ

$415 15.4% 77.1% $181

Clothing & Footwear

Chiang Mai

$109 11.6%

Long Branch, NJ

$126 4.7% 16.4% $18

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chiang Mai

$94 10.1%

Long Branch, NJ

$276 10.3% 193% $182

Eating Out

Chiang Mai

$78 8.3%

Long Branch, NJ

$312 11.6% 302% $234

Getting Around

Chiang Mai

$61 6.6%

Long Branch, NJ

$84 3.1% 37.5% $23

Sport & Entertainment

Chiang Mai

$50 5.4%

Long Branch, NJ

$61 2.3% 21.2% $11

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Chiang Mai versus $1,440 in Long Branch, NJ. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19 in Chiang Mai versus $75 in Long Branch, NJ. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $234 vs $415 – making Chiang Mai the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🇺🇸 Long Branch, NJ

🕒 Local time

04:38 4:38 AM

17:38 5:38 PM

11 h behind Chiang Mai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

127,240

32,314

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.96 USD

100 THB = 2.66 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 28, 2026: 1 USD = 33.77 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.59 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.11 USD (1 USD = 0.898 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Chiang Mai Long Branch, NJ 13,400 km ≈ 17 h nonstop flight

From you

Chiang Mai
Long Branch, 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 Long Branch, NJ: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Long Branch, NJ costs about 188% 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 $4,039 in Long Branch, 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 $482 there versus $1,440 in Long Branch, NJ.

Kindergarten costs $736 per month in Chiang Mai and $2,152 in Long Branch, NJ. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 77% more in Long Branch, NJ, though the gap depends on what you buy.

$800 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $936 in Chiang Mai and $2,692 in Long Branch, 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.

For expats, Chiang Mai is the easier option financially – housing and daily costs are lower, and overall it costs about 65% less, which matters a lot on a fixed budget or early-career salary.