Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Hackensack, NJ and Chiang Mai

For one person, living is cheaper in Chiang Mai: $936 a month against $3,387 in Hackensack, NJ, rent and utilities included – about $29,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

162

Cost of Living Index in Hackensack, NJ
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Hackensack, NJ Living Index
45

Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
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Chiang Mai Living Index

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Hackensack, NJ

🇺🇸 United States

$3,387

/mo nomad

Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$936

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

A single person spends $3,387 per month in Hackensack, NJ vs $936 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Hackensack, NJ $3,387
Chiang Mai $936

A couple spends around $5,155 per month in Hackensack, NJ vs $1,457 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Hackensack, NJ $5,155
Chiang Mai $1,457

A family of three spends $6,923 per month in Hackensack, NJ vs $1,979 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Hackensack, NJ $6,923
Chiang Mai $1,979

Hackensack, NJ costs about 262% more than Chiang Mai, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Hackensack, NJ sits 149% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 31% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.17 $25.17

$2.24 ฿75.6

1023.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$98.4 $98.4

$19.00 ฿641

418.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.09 $13.09

$5.55 ฿187

135.86%

Cappuccino

$5.44 $5.44

$1.67 ฿56.5

225.75%

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

$2.39 $2.39

$0.64 ฿21.55

273.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 $1.55

$0.31 ฿10.31

400.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.83 $7.83

$2.36 ฿79.6

231.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.96 $7.96

$3.66 ฿124

117.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.28 $1.28

$1.95 ฿65.8

-34.36%

White Bread (500g)

$4.38 $4.38

$1.44 ฿48.48

204.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.08 $6.08

$1.33 ฿45.04

357.14%

Eggs

$5.93 $5.93

$2.28 ฿77.1

160.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.53 $12.53

$16.45 ฿555

-23.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.97 $7.97

$2.78 ฿93.9

186.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.19 $17.19

$9.31 ฿314

84.64%

Apples (1kg)

$5.48 $5.48

$2.35 ฿79.4

133.19%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 $1.71

$0.97 ฿32.80

76.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.30 $4.30

$1.60 ฿53.9

168.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.39 $5.39

$1.50 ฿50.6

259.33%

Potato (1kg)

$3.12 $3.12

$1.28 ฿43.12

143.75%

Onion (1kg)

$2.97 $2.97

$1.10 ฿37.19

170.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.81 $2.81

$0.71 ฿23.82

295.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.93 $2.93

$0.49 ฿16.37

497.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.70 $11.70

$4.14 ฿140

182.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.82 $14.82

$17.52 ฿591

-15.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.75 $1.75

$1.61 ฿54.5

8.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.60 $3.60

$2.78 ฿94.0

29.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.60 $3.60

$0.87 ฿29.31

313.79%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$59.2 $59.2

$54.1 ฿1,826

9.45%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 $3.08

$1.16 ฿39.06

165.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.10 $2.10

$0.53 ฿17.80

296.23%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.30 $24.30

$2.42 ฿81.8

904.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.08 $1.08

$1.45 ฿48.90

-25.52%

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

$27.8K $27.8K

$21.1K ฿710.7K

31.92%

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

$25.5K $25.5K

$26.9K ฿909.3K

-5.41%

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

$213 $213

$62.2 ฿2,098

241.87%

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

$54.2 $54.2

$12.17 ฿411

345.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$49.74 $49.74

$20.12 ฿679

147.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.08 $45.08

$37.31 ฿1,259

20.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.77 ฿127

Cinema Ticket

$20.12 $20.12

$6.49 ฿219

210.02%

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

$1,965 $1,965

$736 ฿24.8K

166.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.0K $16.0K

$14.8K ฿498.3K

8.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.27 $44.27

$53.4 ฿1,801

-17.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.8 $56.8

$24.64 ฿831

130.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.9 $87.9

$91.5 ฿3,087

-3.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 $102

$71.9 ฿2,428

42.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,356 $2,356

$482 ฿16.3K

388.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,968 $1,968

$309 ฿10.4K

537.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,211 $4,211

$1,006 ฿33.9K

318.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,684 $3,684

$633 ฿21.4K

481.57%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,608 $3,608

$2,363 ฿79.8K

52.66%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,238 $3,238

$1,589 ฿53.6K

103.76%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,137 $6,137

$590 ฿19.9K

940.67%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.8

5.57

22.08%

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

Last update for Hackensack, NJ: October 24, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Hackensack, NJ

$2K 58.1%

Chiang Mai

$309 33% 84.3% $1.7K

Groceries & Markets

Hackensack, NJ

$423 12.5%

Chiang Mai

$234 25.1% 44.6% $188

Eating Out

Hackensack, NJ

$377 11.1%

Chiang Mai

$78 8.3% 79.4% $299

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Hackensack, NJ

$316 9.3%

Chiang Mai

$94 10.1% 70.2% $222

Clothing & Footwear

Hackensack, NJ

$131 3.9%

Chiang Mai

$109 11.6% 17.1% $22

Getting Around

Hackensack, NJ

$87 2.6%

Chiang Mai

$61 6.6% 29.6% $26

Sport & Entertainment

Hackensack, NJ

$85 2.5%

Chiang Mai

$50 5.4% 41.1% $35

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,356 in Hackensack, NJ versus $482 in Chiang Mai. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries in Hackensack, NJ are about 10 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $98 in Hackensack, NJ versus $19 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $423 vs $234 – making Chiang Mai the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Hackensack, NJ

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🕒 Local time

23:55 11:55 PM

11:55 11:55 AM

12 h ahead of Hackensack, NJ

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

44,756

127,240

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

Thai Baht THB ฿

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.896 EUR

100 THB = 2.96 USD

100 THB = 2.65 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

THB, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

🇹🇭 Thai Baht (฿)

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

United States Dollar exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.896 EUR).

Thai Baht exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 33.75 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.68 THB (100 THB = 2.65 EUR).

THB to USD in detail →

On the map

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

From you

Hackensack, NJ
Chiang Mai

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

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

Hackensack, NJ costs about 262% 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 $5,081 per month in Hackensack, NJ and $1,403 in Chiang Mai. 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 $2,356 in Hackensack, NJ.

Kindergarten costs $1,965 per month in Hackensack, NJ and $736 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 80% more in Hackensack, NJ, though the gap depends on what you buy.

$800 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,387 in Hackensack, NJ and $936 in Chiang Mai. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $936 versus $3,387 in Hackensack, NJ. Both appeal to remote workers, and the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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, Hackensack, NJ makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.