๐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,608 in Brookhaven, NY versus $1,270 in Phuket.
๐Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,895 in Brookhaven, NY versus $2,304 in Phuket.
๐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,182 in Brookhaven, NY versus $3,339 in Phuket.
๐Living in Brookhaven, NY is roughly 105% more expensive than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.
๐The two cities straddle the global median: Brookhaven, NY is 95% above, Phuket is 5% below.
Currency
๐ฝ Eating Out
Brookhaven, NY
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$19.99$19.99
$4.66เธฟ150
328.97%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$100$100
$46.44เธฟ1,496
116.17%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$13.87$13.87
$8.68เธฟ280
59.79%
Cappuccino
$5.45$5.45
$2.95เธฟ95.0
84.75%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.35$2.35
$0.70เธฟ22.52
235.71%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.88$1.88
$0.39เธฟ12.70
382.05%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$6.80$6.80
$2.53เธฟ81.6
168.77%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$8.84$8.84
$3.78เธฟ122
133.86%
๐ Groceries & Markets
Brookhaven, NY
Phuket
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.28$1.28
$2.22เธฟ71.5
-42.34%
White Bread(500g)
$3.66$3.66
$1.80เธฟ57.8
103.33%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$5.28$5.28
$2.19เธฟ70.4
141.10%
Eggs
$4.74$4.74
$2.31เธฟ74.5
105.19%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$21.78$21.78
$19.34เธฟ623
12.62%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$11.71$11.71
$3.77เธฟ121
210.61%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$17.07$17.07
$13.22เธฟ426
29.12%
Apples(1kg)
$4.98$4.98
$3.33เธฟ107
49.55%
Banana(1kg)
$1.74$1.74
$1.65เธฟ53.1
5.45%
Oranges(1kg)
$3.97$3.97
$2.29เธฟ73.7
73.36%
Tomato(1kg)
$4.10$4.10
$1.99เธฟ64.1
106.03%
Potato(1kg)
$2.78$2.78
$1.53เธฟ49.24
81.70%
Onion(1kg)
$3.89$3.89
$1.51เธฟ48.77
157.62%
Lettuce(1 head)
$2.37$2.37
$1.03เธฟ33.12
130.10%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$2.68$2.68
$0.51เธฟ16.57
425.49%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$11.88$11.88
$4.41เธฟ142
169.39%
Wine(Bottle)
$15.09$15.09
$19.41เธฟ625
-22.26%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.76$1.76
$1.80เธฟ58.0
-2.22%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$5.86$5.86
$2.68เธฟ86.4
118.66%
๐ Getting Around
Brookhaven, NY
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$2.04$2.04
$1.43เธฟ46.11
42.66%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
-
$11.70เธฟ377
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$2.96$2.96
$3.04เธฟ97.9
-2.63%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$2.02$2.02
$1.04เธฟ33.37
94.23%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$23.73$23.73
$13.68เธฟ441
73.46%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$0.85$0.85
$1.30เธฟ41.85
-34.62%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$35.4K$35.4K
$27.9Kเธฟ898.9K
26.89%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$25.8K$25.8K
$33.0Kเธฟ1.1M
-21.86%
๐งพ Monthly Utilities & Internet
Brookhaven, NY
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$123$123
$123เธฟ3,962
0.32%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$44.21$44.21
$13.82เธฟ445
219.90%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$66.1$66.1
$18.86เธฟ608
250.58%
๐ Sport & Entertainment
Brookhaven, NY
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$42.97$42.97
$61.2เธฟ1,970
-29.73%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$16.81เธฟ541
-
Cinema Ticket
$16.96$16.96
$8.87เธฟ286
91.21%
๐งธ Childcare & Education
Brookhaven, NY
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$2,259$2,259
$696เธฟ22.4K
224.42%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$23.3K$23.3K
$16.1Kเธฟ517.4K
45.11%
๐๐ Clothing & Footwear
Brookhaven, NY
Phuket
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$73.8$73.8
$59.3เธฟ1,910
24.48%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$64.1$64.1
$34.85เธฟ1,123
83.99%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$76.1$76.1
$113เธฟ3,646
-32.73%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$136$136
$85.1เธฟ2,740
60.16%
๐ Accommodation & Living
Brookhaven, NY
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,604$1,604
$615เธฟ19.8K
160.63%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,375$1,375
$448เธฟ14.4K
206.70%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,618$2,618
$2,085เธฟ67.2K
25.59%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$2,197$2,197
$1,496เธฟ48.2K
46.85%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$2,679$2,679
$3,734เธฟ120.3K
-28.27%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,322$2,322
$2,662เธฟ85.8K
-12.76%
๐ต Salaries & Financials
Brookhaven, NY
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
-
$534เธฟ17.2K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
6.62
5.33
24.20%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input โ minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Brookhaven, NY: April 22, 2026
Last update for Phuket: April 20, 2026
Cost Breakdown
๐ A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,604 in Brookhaven, NY and $615 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
๐Dining out: $100 in Brookhaven, NY vs $46 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $445 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
Brookhaven, NY vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Phuket cheaper than Brookhaven, NY?
Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 105% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You'd need roughly $3,913 in Brookhaven, NY 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.
What is the rent difference between Brookhaven, NY and Phuket?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,604 in Brookhaven, NY versus $615 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do food prices compare in Brookhaven, NY and Phuket?
Supermarket bills run roughly 53% higher in Brookhaven, NY. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
What are total monthly expenses in Brookhaven, NY vs Phuket?
All in, you'll spend $2,608 per month in Brookhaven, NY versus $1,270 in Phuket โ a 105% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Brookhaven, NY or Phuket?
At $1,270 in Phuket versus $2,608 in Brookhaven, NY, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Brookhaven, NY. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Brookhaven, NY or Phuket more family-friendly?
For families, Phuket is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Brookhaven, NY, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Brookhaven, NY or Phuket?
Safety-wise, Brookhaven, NY 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.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Phuket gentler on the wallet โ expenses run 105% less than in Brookhaven, NY. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.
Brookhaven, NY vs other spots: cost of living compared