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: $2,779 in Barnegat, NJ versus $1,270 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,285 in Barnegat, NJ versus $2,304 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,792 in Barnegat, NJ versus $3,339 in Phuket.

Living in Barnegat, NJ is roughly 119% more expensive than Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Barnegat, NJ is 107% above, Phuket is 5% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.79 $19.79

$4.66 ฿150

324.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$148 $148

$46.44 ฿1,496

217.70%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.38 $12.38

$8.68 ฿280

42.63%

Cappuccino

$6.06 $6.06

$2.95 ฿95.0

105.42%

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

$3.38 $3.38

$0.70 ฿22.52

382.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.57 $2.57

$0.39 ฿12.70

558.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.19 $8.19

$2.53 ฿81.6

223.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$12.18 $12.18

$3.78 ฿122

222.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 $1.08

$2.22 ฿71.5

-51.35%

White Bread (500g)

$5.16 $5.16

$1.80 ฿57.8

186.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$8.22 $8.22

$2.19 ฿70.4

275.34%

Eggs

$7.16 $7.16

$2.31 ฿74.5

209.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.45 $17.45

$19.34 ฿623

-9.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.77 $16.77

$3.77 ฿121

344.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.35 $20.35

$13.22 ฿426

53.93%

Apples (1kg)

$7.71 $7.71

$3.33 ฿107

131.53%

Banana (1kg)

$2.47 $2.47

$1.65 ฿53.1

49.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.61 $5.61

$2.29 ฿73.7

144.98%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.90 $3.90

$1.99 ฿64.1

95.98%

Potato (1kg)

$3.67 $3.67

$1.53 ฿49.24

139.87%

Onion (1kg)

$3.94 $3.94

$1.51 ฿48.77

160.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.15 $3.15

$1.03 ฿33.12

205.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.54 $2.54

$0.51 ฿16.57

398.04%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$18.69 $18.69

$4.41 ฿142

323.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.80 $14.80

$19.41 ฿625

-23.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.93 $2.93

$1.80 ฿58.0

62.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.75 $3.75

$2.68 ฿86.4

39.93%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.03 $2.03

$1.43 ฿46.11

41.96%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.70 ฿377

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.04 $3.04

$3.04 ฿97.9

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.40 $1.40

$1.04 ฿33.37

34.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.17 $24.17

$13.68 ฿441

76.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.77 $0.77

$1.30 ฿41.85

-40.77%

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

$34.8K $34.8K

$27.9K ฿898.9K

24.89%

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

$28.5K $28.5K

$33.0K ฿1.1M

-13.65%

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

$185 $185

$123 ฿3,962

50.26%

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

$58.7 $58.7

$13.82 ฿445

324.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$63.3 $63.3

$18.86 ฿608

235.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.03 $43.03

$61.2 ฿1,970

-29.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.81 ฿541

Cinema Ticket

$19.91 $19.91

$8.87 ฿286

124.46%

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

$3,194 $3,194

$696 ฿22.4K

358.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.1K $23.1K

$16.1K ฿517.4K

43.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.2 $66.2

$59.3 ฿1,910

11.64%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.20 $48.20

$34.85 ฿1,123

38.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$114 $114

$113 ฿3,646

0.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$167 $167

$85.1 ฿2,740

96.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,602 $1,602

$615 ฿19.8K

160.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,334 $1,334

$448 ฿14.4K

197.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,648 $2,648

$2,085 ฿67.2K

27.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,191 $2,191

$1,496 ฿48.2K

46.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,413 $2,413

$3,734 ฿120.3K

-35.39%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,065 $2,065

$2,662 ฿85.8K

-22.44%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$534 ฿17.2K

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: April 21, 2026

Last update for Phuket: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,602 in Barnegat, NJ and $615 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $148 in Barnegat, NJ vs $46 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $530 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

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

Barnegat, NJ and Phuket differ by about 119% in total monthly costs ($2,779 vs $1,270 including rent). Phuket is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $4,168 in Barnegat, NJ and $1,904 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: $1,602 in Barnegat, NJ versus $615 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $3,194 in Barnegat, NJ versus $696 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 $148 in Barnegat, NJ. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,270 in Phuket versus $2,779 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 119% less than in Barnegat, NJ. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.