Cost of Living Comparison Between Barnegat, NJ and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Barnegat, NJ and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,846 in Barnegat, NJ versus $1,261 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,367 in Barnegat, NJ versus $2,276 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,888 in Barnegat, NJ versus $3,291 in Phuket.

Living in Barnegat, NJ is roughly 126% more expensive than in Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Barnegat, NJ is 113% above, Phuket is 6% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.39 $20.39

$4.53 ฿153

350.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$146 $146

$46.36 ฿1,565

215.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.60 $12.60

$8.65 ฿292

45.66%

Cappuccino

$5.82 $5.82

$3.09 ฿104

88.35%

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

$3.29 $3.29

$0.68 ฿22.89

383.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.66 $2.66

$0.37 ฿12.44

618.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.11 $8.11

$2.42 ฿81.6

235.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$12.22 $12.22

$3.81 ฿129

220.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 $1.08

$2.18 ฿73.5

-50.46%

White Bread (500g)

$5.10 $5.10

$1.82 ฿61.3

180.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$8.29 $8.29

$2.18 ฿73.5

280.28%

Eggs

$7.17 $7.17

$2.24 ฿75.4

220.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.34 $17.34

$19.93 ฿673

-13.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.70 $16.70

$3.64 ฿123

358.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.20 $20.20

$13.56 ฿458

48.97%

Apples (1kg)

$7.70 $7.70

$3.29 ฿111

134.04%

Banana (1kg)

$2.56 $2.56

$1.69 ฿56.9

51.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.68 $5.68

$2.33 ฿78.8

143.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.11 $4.11

$2.03 ฿68.4

102.46%

Potato (1kg)

$3.73 $3.73

$1.60 ฿54.0

133.12%

Onion (1kg)

$3.91 $3.91

$1.49 ฿50.5

162.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.19 $3.19

$1.01 ฿34.17

215.84%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.58 $2.58

$0.48 ฿16.09

437.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$18.76 $18.76

$4.45 ฿150

321.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.17 $15.17

$18.63 ฿629

-18.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.90 $2.90

$1.79 ฿60.3

62.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.82 $3.82

$2.80 ฿94.4

36.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.97 $1.97

$1.42 ฿47.90

38.73%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.33 ฿382

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 $3.03

$3.09 ฿104

-1.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.33 $1.33

$1.04 ฿35.19

27.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.25 $24.25

$13.63 ฿460

77.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.72 $0.72

$1.31 ฿44.23

-45.04%

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

$35.2K $35.2K

$27.3K ฿920.7K

29.03%

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

$27.8K $27.8K

$33.2K ฿1.1M

-16.43%

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

$180 $180

$123 ฿4,157

46.31%

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

$60.3 $60.3

$13.81 ฿466

336.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$62.6 $62.6

$18.52 ฿625

238.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.40 $43.40

$60.4 ฿2,037

-28.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.80 ฿567

Cinema Ticket

$19.75 $19.75

$8.89 ฿300

122.16%

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

$3,128 $3,128

$687 ฿23.2K

355.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.0K $23.0K

$15.6K ฿524.8K

48.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.8 $66.8

$57.6 ฿1,945

15.91%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.42 $47.42

$34.66 ฿1,170

36.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 $115

$115 ฿3,879

-0.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$171 $171

$84.9 ฿2,865

101.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,595 $1,595

$618 ฿20.8K

158.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,347 $1,347

$443 ฿15.0K

204.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,664 $2,664

$2,047 ฿69.1K

30.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,253 $2,253

$1,506 ฿50.8K

49.58%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,857 $2,857

$3,568 ฿120.4K

-19.94%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,454 $2,454

$2,511 ฿84.7K

-2.25%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$503 ฿17.0K

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 Barnegat, NJ: July 22, 2026

Last update for Phuket: July 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,595 in Barnegat, NJ and $618 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $146 in Barnegat, NJ vs $46.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $532 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

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

Barnegat, NJ and Phuket differ by about 126% in total monthly costs ($2,846 vs $1,261 including rent). Phuket is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $4,269 in Barnegat, NJ and $1,891 in Phuket to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,595 in Barnegat, NJ versus $618 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $3,128 in Barnegat, NJ versus $687 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 $146 in Barnegat, NJ. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,261 in Phuket versus $2,846 in Barnegat, NJ, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Barnegat, 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, Barnegat, 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 126% less than in Barnegat, NJ. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.