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: $2,346 in Atlantic City, NJ versus $1,232 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,592 in Atlantic City, NJ versus $2,255 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,838 in Atlantic City, NJ versus $3,279 in Phuket.

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

The two cities straddle the global median: Atlantic City, NJ is 75% above, Phuket is 8% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.34 $25.34

$4.63 ฿151

447.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.4 $60.4

$46.84 ฿1,532

28.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.03 $12.03

$8.84 ฿289

36.09%

Cappuccino

$5.35 $5.35

$3.00 ฿98.0

78.33%

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

$2.78 $2.78

$0.74 ฿24.25

275.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.52 $2.52

$0.37 ฿11.95

581.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.20 $7.20

$2.44 ฿79.8

195.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.95 $8.95

$3.61 ฿118

147.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.18 $1.18

$2.26 ฿73.9

-47.79%

White Bread (500g)

$4.03 $4.03

$1.84 ฿60.1

119.02%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$8.37 $8.37

$2.24 ฿73.4

273.66%

Eggs

$6.23 $6.23

$2.32 ฿75.7

168.53%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.54 $17.54

$19.67 ฿643

-10.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.57 $16.57

$3.65 ฿119

353.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.35 $20.35

$13.10 ฿428

55.34%

Apples (1kg)

$4.44 $4.44

$3.39 ฿111

30.97%

Banana (1kg)

$2.44 $2.44

$1.64 ฿53.7

48.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.79 $5.79

$2.41 ฿79.0

140.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.29 $6.29

$2.03 ฿66.4

209.85%

Potato (1kg)

$3.80 $3.80

$1.56 ฿50.9

143.59%

Onion (1kg)

$4.04 $4.04

$1.50 ฿48.94

169.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.94 $1.94

$1.02 ฿33.50

90.20%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.04 $2.04

$0.49 ฿16.00

316.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$19.23 $19.23

$4.45 ฿145

332.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.48 $13.48

$18.88 ฿617

-28.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.91 $2.91

$1.78 ฿58.1

63.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 $3.73

$2.75 ฿90.1

35.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.40 ฿45.81

41.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.48 ฿376

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.91 $4.91

$3.12 ฿102

57.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.12 $2.12

$1.00 ฿32.67

112.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$41.80 $41.80

$14.09 ฿461

196.66%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.82 $0.82

$1.35 ฿44.19

-39.26%

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

$34.3K $34.3K

$27.2K ฿888.9K

26.35%

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

$28.5K $28.5K

$32.9K ฿1.1M

-13.52%

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

$183 $183

$125 ฿4,087

46.63%

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

$59.8 $59.8

$13.57 ฿444

340.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$54.4 $54.4

$18.52 ฿606

193.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.23 $42.23

$61.5 ฿2,010

-31.31%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.84 ฿551

Cinema Ticket

$14.66 $14.66

$9.19 ฿300

59.52%

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

$3,201 $3,201

$698 ฿22.8K

358.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.4K $23.4K

$15.6K ฿509.9K

50.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$41.89 $41.89

$57.8 ฿1,889

-27.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.74 $40.74

$35.24 ฿1,152

15.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$59.8 $59.8

$113 ฿3,699

-47.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.3 $74.3

$86.4 ฿2,825

-13.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,385 $1,385

$616 ฿20.1K

124.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,017 $1,017

$446 ฿14.6K

128.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,982 $1,982

$2,048 ฿67.0K

-3.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,822 $1,822

$1,492 ฿48.8K

22.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,629 $3,629

$3,779 ฿123.6K

-3.95%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,629 $3,629

$2,649 ฿86.6K

37.01%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,834 $4,834

$524 ฿17.1K

822.78%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Phuket: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,385 in Atlantic City, NJ and $616 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Atlantic City, NJ pays 823% 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 $47.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $499 vs $292 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 ($2,346 vs $1,232 including rent). Phuket is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Atlantic City, NJ pays 823% more on average, 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: $1,385 in Atlantic City, NJ versus $616 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $3,201 in Atlantic City, NJ versus $698 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 $47.00 versus $60.0 in Atlantic City, NJ. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,232 in Phuket versus $2,346 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.