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: $2,915 in Camden, NJ versus $1,261 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,246 in Camden, NJ versus $2,286 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,577 in Camden, NJ versus $3,310 in Phuket.

Living in Camden, NJ is roughly 131% more expensive than Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Camden, NJ is 117% above, Phuket is 6% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.94 $19.94

$4.56 ฿149

337.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$91.0 $91.0

$46.63 ฿1,519

95.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.23 $12.23

$8.47 ฿276

44.39%

Cappuccino

$4.89 $4.89

$3.03 ฿98.6

61.39%

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

$2.73 $2.73

$0.69 ฿22.45

295.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.02 $2.02

$0.37 ฿11.92

445.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.06 $6.06

$2.49 ฿81.0

143.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.91 $6.91

$3.66 ฿119

88.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.35 $1.35

$2.18 ฿71.0

-38.07%

White Bread (500g)

$4.23 $4.23

$1.90 ฿62.0

122.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$8.07 $8.07

$2.20 ฿71.6

266.82%

Eggs

$4.31 $4.31

$2.22 ฿72.4

94.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.88 $14.88

$19.99 ฿651

-25.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.73 $16.73

$3.66 ฿119

357.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.07 $20.07

$13.25 ฿432

51.47%

Apples (1kg)

$6.19 $6.19

$3.23 ฿105

91.64%

Banana (1kg)

$2.14 $2.14

$1.70 ฿55.3

25.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.93 $5.93

$2.39 ฿78.0

148.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.42 $5.42

$2.08 ฿67.7

160.58%

Potato (1kg)

$3.69 $3.69

$1.59 ฿51.8

132.08%

Onion (1kg)

$2.81 $2.81

$1.48 ฿48.31

89.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.02 $3.02

$1.03 ฿33.54

193.20%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.52 $2.52

$0.52 ฿16.83

384.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.93 $12.93

$4.25 ฿138

204.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.20 $20.20

$18.79 ฿612

7.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.03 $2.03

$1.76 ฿57.2

15.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.05 $4.05

$2.76 ฿89.8

46.74%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.25 $2.25

$1.36 ฿44.32

65.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$59.3 $59.3

$11.36 ฿370

422.27%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.93 $2.93

$3.14 ฿102

-6.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.52 $1.52

$1.04 ฿33.74

46.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$22.06 $22.06

$13.77 ฿448

60.20%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.97 $0.97

$1.34 ฿43.79

-27.61%

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

$30.5K $30.5K

$27.7K ฿901.4K

10.34%

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

$25.4K $25.4K

$33.9K ฿1.1M

-24.85%

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

$271 $271

$124 ฿4,025

119.08%

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

$59.1 $59.1

$13.52 ฿440

337.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$76.3 $76.3

$18.69 ฿609

308.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.59 $42.59

$61.8 ฿2,013

-31.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.25 ฿562

Cinema Ticket

$15.27 $15.27

$9.14 ฿298

67.07%

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

$2,051 $2,051

$703 ฿22.9K

191.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.6K $23.6K

$15.9K ฿517.0K

48.61%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.1 $56.1

$59.5 ฿1,937

-5.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.27 $41.27

$35.07 ฿1,142

17.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.5 $94.5

$115 ฿3,754

-18.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 $144

$84.1 ฿2,737

71.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,626 $1,626

$619 ฿20.1K

162.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,332 $1,332

$433 ฿14.1K

207.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,667 $2,667

$2,062 ฿67.2K

29.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,206 $2,206

$1,511 ฿49.2K

45.98%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,872 $2,872

$3,646 ฿118.7K

-21.23%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,442 $2,442

$2,626 ฿85.5K

-7.00%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,831 $4,831

$507 ฿16.5K

852.94%

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: June 6, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,626 in Camden, NJ and $619 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Camden, NJ pays 853% 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: $91.0 in Camden, NJ vs $47.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $506 vs $293 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 131% in total monthly costs ($2,915 vs $1,261 including rent). Phuket is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Camden, NJ pays 853% more on average, 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: $1,626 in Camden, NJ versus $619 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 422% less than in Camden, NJ. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $2,051 in Camden, NJ versus $703 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,261 in Phuket versus $2,915 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 131% less than in Camden, NJ. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.