Cost of Living Comparison Between Brooklyn, NY and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Brooklyn, NY and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,937 per month in Brooklyn, NY vs $1,250 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $5,994 per month in Brooklyn, NY vs $2,284 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $8,050 per month in Brooklyn, NY vs $3,317 in Phuket, rent included.

Brooklyn, NY costs about 215% more than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Brooklyn, NY sits 195% above the global median, while Phuket is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.90 $19.90

$4.55 ฿153

337.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$120 $120

$46.18 ฿1,550

160.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.65 $12.65

$8.84 ฿297

43.10%

Cappuccino

$5.66 $5.66

$3.06 ฿103

84.97%

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

$2.84 $2.84

$0.73 ฿24.36

289.04%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 $2.06

$0.40 ฿13.37

415.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.79 $7.79

$2.43 ฿81.6

220.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.89 $7.89

$3.78 ฿127

108.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.47 $1.47

$2.26 ฿75.8

-34.96%

White Bread (500g)

$4.72 $4.72

$1.81 ฿60.8

160.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.24 $6.24

$2.25 ฿75.7

177.33%

Eggs

$5.40 $5.40

$2.25 ฿75.4

140.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.98 $13.98

$19.51 ฿655

-28.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.32 $12.32

$3.65 ฿122

237.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.10 $15.10

$13.05 ฿438

15.71%

Apples (1kg)

$5.92 $5.92

$3.23 ฿109

83.28%

Banana (1kg)

$3.98 $3.98

$1.62 ฿54.3

145.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.79 $5.79

$2.38 ฿80.0

143.28%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.19 $6.19

$2.03 ฿68.0

204.93%

Potato (1kg)

$5.08 $5.08

$1.53 ฿51.5

232.03%

Onion (1kg)

$4.82 $4.82

$1.50 ฿50.4

221.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.76 $2.76

$0.98 ฿32.85

181.63%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.28 $2.28

$0.52 ฿17.36

338.46%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.27 $15.27

$4.44 ฿149

243.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.71 $20.71

$18.32 ฿615

13.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.59 $2.59

$1.86 ฿62.6

39.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.60 $3.60

$2.68 ฿90.0

34.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.93 $2.93

$1.41 ฿47.37

107.80%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$133 $133

$11.70 ฿393

1038.03%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 $3.08

$3.11 ฿104

-0.96%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.22 $2.22

$1.04 ฿35.00

113.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$42.73 $42.73

$14.11 ฿474

202.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.98 $0.98

$1.31 ฿44.02

-25.19%

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

$25.3K $25.3K

$27.8K ฿933.8K

-9.03%

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

$24.4K $24.4K

$33.2K ฿1.1M

-26.49%

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

$157 $157

$122 ฿4,110

28.54%

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

$59.0 $59.0

$13.59 ฿456

334.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.6 $69.6

$18.70 ฿628

271.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$110 $110

$60.5 ฿2,031

81.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$68.5 $68.5

$16.98 ฿570

303.30%

Cinema Ticket

$19.61 $19.61

$9.07 ฿305

116.21%

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

$1,935 $1,935

$706 ฿23.7K

173.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.4K $14.4K

$15.8K ฿530.5K

-9.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.5 $61.5

$58.6 ฿1,965

4.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.3 $59.3

$35.36 ฿1,187

67.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$111 $111

$115 ฿3,876

-3.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$131 $131

$83.7 ฿2,811

56.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,149 $3,149

$626 ฿21.0K

403.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,394 $2,394

$445 ฿14.9K

437.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$6,142 $6,142

$2,040 ฿68.5K

201.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$4,405 $4,405

$1,492 ฿50.1K

195.21%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$11.8K $11.8K

$3,483 ฿116.9K

238.19%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,687 $6,687

$2,577 ฿86.5K

159.51%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,833 $3,833

$500 ฿16.8K

666.74%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.51

5.33

22.14%

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

Last update for Brooklyn, NY: July 14, 2026

Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $3,149 in Brooklyn, NY versus $626 in Phuket. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 667% higher in Brooklyn, NY, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $120 in Brooklyn, NY versus $46.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $490 vs $289 – making Phuket the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Brooklyn, NY vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,937 in Brooklyn, NY, $1,250 in Phuket – roughly 215% apart. Brooklyn, NY costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,906 per month in Brooklyn, NY and $1,875 in Phuket. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Phuket, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $120 in Brooklyn, NY and $46.00 in Phuket. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $3,937 in Brooklyn, NY and $1,250 in Phuket. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Phuket, where all-in costs run around $1,250, than in Brooklyn, NY at $3,937. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Brooklyn, NY it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Brooklyn, NY has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,250 in Phuket to $3,937 in Brooklyn, NY. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Phuket. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Brooklyn, NY makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.