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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,852 in Camden, NJ versus $1,264 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,182 in Camden, NJ versus $2,256 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,512 in Camden, NJ versus $3,248 in Phuket.

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

The two cities straddle the global median: Camden, NJ is 114% above, Phuket is 5% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.72 $19.72

$4.48 ฿150

340.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$91.6 $91.6

$45.59 ฿1,521

100.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.87 $11.87

$8.76 ฿292

35.50%

Cappuccino

$4.78 $4.78

$2.97 ฿99.0

60.94%

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

$2.75 $2.75

$0.69 ฿22.90

298.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.93 $1.93

$0.39 ฿13.04

394.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.91 $5.91

$2.53 ฿84.4

133.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.12 $7.12

$3.75 ฿125

89.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 $1.40

$2.15 ฿71.6

-34.88%

White Bread (500g)

$4.28 $4.28

$1.82 ฿60.6

135.16%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$8.43 $8.43

$2.18 ฿72.9

286.70%

Eggs

$4.34 $4.34

$2.25 ฿75.0

92.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.03 $15.03

$20.00 ฿667

-24.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.63 $16.63

$3.63 ฿121

358.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.20 $20.20

$13.56 ฿452

48.97%

Apples (1kg)

$5.97 $5.97

$3.24 ฿108

84.26%

Banana (1kg)

$2.20 $2.20

$1.64 ฿54.6

34.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.89 $5.89

$2.33 ฿77.8

152.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.46 $5.46

$2.07 ฿69.1

163.77%

Potato (1kg)

$3.68 $3.68

$1.55 ฿51.6

137.42%

Onion (1kg)

$2.77 $2.77

$1.46 ฿48.54

89.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.96 $2.96

$0.98 ฿32.86

202.04%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.46 $2.46

$0.48 ฿16.09

412.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.79 $12.79

$4.35 ฿145

194.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.97 $20.97

$18.57 ฿620

12.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.95 $1.95

$1.86 ฿61.9

4.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.24 $4.24

$2.65 ฿88.6

60.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.28 $2.28

$1.42 ฿47.28

60.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$59.2 $59.2

$11.57 ฿386

411.75%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 $3.02

$3.17 ฿106

-4.73%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.53 $1.53

$1.03 ฿34.41

48.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$21.84 $21.84

$13.89 ฿463

57.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.97 $0.97

$1.34 ฿44.84

-27.61%

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

$30.4K $30.4K

$27.8K ฿927.1K

9.32%

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

$25.7K $25.7K

$33.4K ฿1.1M

-23.12%

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

$266 $266

$123 ฿4,105

116.51%

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

$59.7 $59.7

$13.77 ฿459

333.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$74.8 $74.8

$18.33 ฿611

307.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.19 $43.19

$60.7 ฿2,025

-28.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.16 ฿573

Cinema Ticket

$15.08 $15.08

$8.87 ฿296

70.01%

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

$2,060 $2,060

$688 ฿22.9K

199.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.1K $23.1K

$15.8K ฿526.4K

46.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.8 $57.8

$59.3 ฿1,978

-2.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.18 $42.18

$34.69 ฿1,157

21.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.9 $92.9

$115 ฿3,843

-19.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$142 $142

$83.8 ฿2,794

69.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,631 $1,631

$621 ฿20.7K

162.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,373 $1,373

$446 ฿14.9K

207.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,670 $2,670

$2,034 ฿67.8K

31.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,235 $2,235

$1,496 ฿49.9K

49.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,612 $2,612

$3,455 ฿115.3K

-24.38%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,065 $2,065

$2,531 ฿84.4K

-18.43%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,677 $4,677

$494 ฿16.5K

847.46%

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 Camden, NJ: July 25, 2026

Last update for Phuket: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,631 in Camden, NJ and $621 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Camden, NJ pays 847% 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: $92.0 in Camden, NJ vs $46.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $509 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

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

Camden, NJ and Phuket differ by about 126% in total monthly costs ($2,852 vs $1,264 including rent). Phuket is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 847% higher in Camden, 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: $1,631 in Camden, NJ versus $621 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Phuket runs roughly 412% less than in Camden, NJ. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $2,060 in Camden, NJ versus $688 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,264 in Phuket versus $2,852 in Camden, NJ, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Camden, 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, Camden, 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 Camden, NJ. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.