Cost of Living Comparison Between Bergen County, NJ and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Bergen County, NJ and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $4,259 in Bergen County, NJ versus $1,253 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,407 in Bergen County, NJ versus $2,043 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,555 in Bergen County, NJ versus $2,833 in Phuket.

Living in Bergen County, NJ is roughly 240% more expensive than in Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Bergen County, NJ is 210% above, Phuket is 9% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$22.15 $22.15

$4.56 ฿150

385.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$83.8 $83.8

$32.62 ฿1,073

157.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.57 $12.57

$8.90 ฿293

41.24%

Cappuccino

$5.30 $5.30

$2.80 ฿92.3

89.29%

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

$3.02 $3.02

$0.88 ฿28.96

243.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.24 $2.24

$0.49 ฿16.09

357.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.86 $7.86

$2.39 ฿78.6

228.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.03 $8.03

$3.71 ฿122

116.44%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.41 $1.41

$1.79 ฿58.8

-21.23%

White Bread (500g)

$4.52 $4.52

$1.44 ฿47.43

213.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$8.68 $8.68

$1.58 ฿52.1

449.37%

Eggs

$5.29 $5.29

$2.13 ฿70.0

148.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.52 $12.52

$19.92 ฿655

-37.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.65 $11.65

$3.43 ฿113

239.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.38 $17.38

$11.33 ฿373

53.40%

Apples (1kg)

$5.37 $5.37

$2.95 ฿97.0

82.03%

Banana (1kg)

$1.69 $1.69

$1.72 ฿56.6

-1.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.03 $5.03

$2.32 ฿76.5

116.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.08 $5.08

$2.08 ฿68.5

144.23%

Potato (1kg)

$2.78 $2.78

$1.47 ฿48.37

89.12%

Onion (1kg)

$3.15 $3.15

$1.36 ฿44.68

131.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.38 $2.38

$1.10 ฿36.15

116.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.46 $2.46

$0.57 ฿18.90

331.58%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.15 $13.15

$4.27 ฿140

207.96%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.64 $23.64

$18.42 ฿606

28.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 $1.72

$1.87 ฿61.6

-8.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.44 $4.44

$2.92 ฿96.1

52.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.14 $4.14

$2.22 ฿73.0

86.49%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$168 $168

$22.90 ฿753

632.23%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.68 $2.68

$3.03 ฿99.7

-11.55%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.54 $1.54

$1.07 ฿35.34

43.93%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.59 $23.59

$3.93 ฿129

500.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.06 $1.06

$1.49 ฿49.09

-28.86%

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

$36.7K $36.7K

$27.1K ฿892.5K

35.19%

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

$25.0K $25.0K

$27.5K ฿903.2K

-8.91%

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

$207 $207

$103 ฿3,382

101.12%

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

$77.1 $77.1

$10.99 ฿362

601.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$67.5 $67.5

$17.51 ฿576

285.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$101 $101

$53.5 ฿1,761

87.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$49.77 $49.77

$11.20 ฿368

344.38%

Cinema Ticket

$14.88 $14.88

$7.48 ฿246

98.93%

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

$2,257 $2,257

$557 ฿18.3K

305.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.8K $23.8K

$11.9K ฿390.0K

100.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.41 $49.41

$64.1 ฿2,108

-22.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.40 $46.40

$29.07 ฿957

59.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 $79.7

$96.0 ฿3,157

-16.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$150 $150

$90.3 ฿2,972

65.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,729 $2,729

$730 ฿24.0K

273.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,678 $2,678

$500 ฿16.4K

435.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,703 $4,703

$2,090 ฿68.8K

124.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,956 $2,956

$1,209 ฿39.8K

144.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,914 $3,914

$3,596 ฿118.3K

8.83%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,785 $3,785

$2,512 ฿82.7K

50.67%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,352 $5,352

$503 ฿16.6K

963.19%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.16

5.57

10.59%

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

Last update for Bergen County, NJ: August 31, 2026

Last update for Phuket: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,729 in Bergen County, NJ and $730 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bergen County, NJ pays 963% 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: $84.0 in Bergen County, NJ vs $33.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $464 vs $273 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

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

Bergen County, NJ and Phuket differ by about 240% in total monthly costs ($4,259 vs $1,253 including rent). Phuket is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 963% higher in Bergen County, 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: $2,729 in Bergen County, NJ versus $730 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Phuket – a meal for two runs $33.00 versus $84.0 in Bergen County, NJ. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $4,259 per month in Bergen County, NJ versus $1,253 in Phuket – a 240% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,253 in Phuket versus $4,259 in Bergen County, NJ, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Bergen County, 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, Bergen County, 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 240% less than in Bergen County, NJ. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.