Cost of Living Comparison Between Atlantic City, NJ and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Atlantic City, NJ and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,408 in Atlantic City, NJ versus $1,264 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,602 in Atlantic City, NJ versus $2,256 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,796 in Atlantic City, NJ versus $3,248 in Phuket.

Living in Atlantic City, NJ is roughly 91% more expensive than in Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Atlantic City, NJ is 81% above, Phuket is 5% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.72 $24.72

$4.48 ฿150

451.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.2 $60.2

$45.59 ฿1,525

32.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.06 $12.06

$8.76 ฿293

37.67%

Cappuccino

$5.50 $5.50

$2.97 ฿99.3

85.19%

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

$2.82 $2.82

$0.69 ฿22.96

308.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.52 $2.52

$0.39 ฿13.07

546.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.10 $7.10

$2.53 ฿84.7

180.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.84 $8.84

$3.75 ฿125

135.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.22 $1.22

$2.15 ฿71.8

-43.26%

White Bread (500g)

$4.04 $4.04

$1.82 ฿60.7

121.98%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$8.30 $8.30

$2.18 ฿73.1

280.73%

Eggs

$6.53 $6.53

$2.25 ฿75.2

190.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.12 $17.12

$20.00 ฿669

-14.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.61 $16.61

$3.63 ฿121

357.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.92 $19.92

$13.56 ฿453

46.90%

Apples (1kg)

$4.49 $4.49

$3.24 ฿109

38.58%

Banana (1kg)

$2.44 $2.44

$1.64 ฿54.7

48.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.73 $5.73

$2.33 ฿78.0

145.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.33 $6.33

$2.07 ฿69.3

205.80%

Potato (1kg)

$3.83 $3.83

$1.55 ฿51.8

147.10%

Onion (1kg)

$4.12 $4.12

$1.46 ฿48.67

182.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.04 $2.04

$0.98 ฿32.94

108.16%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.05 $2.05

$0.48 ฿16.13

327.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$19.15 $19.15

$4.35 ฿146

340.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.72 $14.72

$18.57 ฿621

-20.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.04 $3.04

$1.86 ฿62.1

63.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.89 $3.89

$2.65 ฿88.8

46.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.42 ฿47.40

39.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.57 ฿387

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.89 $4.89

$3.17 ฿106

54.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.12 $2.12

$1.03 ฿34.51

105.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$41.92 $41.92

$13.89 ฿465

201.80%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.87 $0.87

$1.34 ฿44.96

-35.07%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$27.8K ฿929.6K

26.00%

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

$27.8K $27.8K

$33.4K ฿1.1M

-16.59%

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

$184 $184

$123 ฿4,116

49.88%

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

$60.9 $60.9

$13.77 ฿461

342.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$54.9 $54.9

$18.33 ฿613

199.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.35 $42.35

$60.7 ฿2,030

-30.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.16 ฿574

Cinema Ticket

$14.63 $14.63

$8.87 ฿297

64.94%

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

$3,114 $3,114

$688 ฿23.0K

352.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.3K $23.3K

$15.8K ฿527.8K

47.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$43.12 $43.12

$59.3 ฿1,984

-27.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.63 $40.63

$34.69 ฿1,160

17.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$59.8 $59.8

$115 ฿3,853

-48.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.8 $74.8

$83.8 ฿2,802

-10.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,381 $1,381

$621 ฿20.8K

122.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$982 $982

$446 ฿14.9K

120.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,992 $1,992

$2,034 ฿68.0K

-2.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,857 $1,857

$1,496 ฿50.0K

24.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,567 $3,567

$3,455 ฿115.6K

3.25%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,547 $3,547

$2,531 ฿84.7K

40.11%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,983 $3,983

$494 ฿16.5K

706.98%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.44

5.33

20.83%

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

Last update for Atlantic City, NJ: July 26, 2026

Last update for Phuket: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,381 in Atlantic City, NJ and $621 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Atlantic City, NJ pays 707% 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: $60.0 in Atlantic City, NJ vs $46.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $503 vs $291 per month, with Phuket 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

Atlantic City, NJ vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Atlantic City, NJ and Phuket differ by about 91% in total monthly costs ($2,408 vs $1,264 including rent). Phuket is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 707% higher in Atlantic City, NJ, 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: $1,381 in Atlantic City, NJ versus $621 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $3,114 in Atlantic City, NJ versus $688 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Phuket – a meal for two runs $46.00 versus $60.0 in Atlantic City, NJ. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,264 in Phuket versus $2,408 in Atlantic City, NJ, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Atlantic City, NJ. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket 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, Atlantic City, NJ and Phuket 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 Phuket gentler on the wallet – expenses run 91% less than in Atlantic City, NJ. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.