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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,102 in Elizabeth, NJ versus $1,261 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,379 in Elizabeth, NJ versus $2,276 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,657 in Elizabeth, NJ versus $3,291 in Phuket.

Living in Elizabeth, NJ is roughly 146% more expensive than in Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Elizabeth, NJ is 132% above, Phuket is 6% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.04 $20.04

$4.53 ฿153

342.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$98.2 $98.2

$46.36 ฿1,565

111.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.04 $12.04

$8.65 ฿292

39.19%

Cappuccino

$5.95 $5.95

$3.09 ฿104

92.56%

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

$2.39 $2.39

$0.68 ฿22.89

251.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 $1.55

$0.37 ฿12.44

318.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.81 $6.81

$2.42 ฿81.6

181.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.15 $7.15

$3.81 ฿129

87.66%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.32 $1.32

$2.18 ฿73.5

-39.45%

White Bread (500g)

$4.31 $4.31

$1.82 ฿61.3

136.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.63 $5.63

$2.18 ฿73.5

158.26%

Eggs

$5.47 $5.47

$2.24 ฿75.4

144.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.14 $14.14

$19.93 ฿673

-29.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.83 $11.83

$3.64 ฿123

225.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.34 $17.34

$13.56 ฿458

27.88%

Apples (1kg)

$5.84 $5.84

$3.29 ฿111

77.51%

Banana (1kg)

$2.68 $2.68

$1.69 ฿56.9

58.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.37 $4.37

$2.33 ฿78.8

87.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.47 $4.47

$2.03 ฿68.4

120.20%

Potato (1kg)

$3.12 $3.12

$1.60 ฿54.0

95.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.83 $2.83

$1.49 ฿50.5

89.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.82 $2.82

$1.01 ฿34.17

179.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.55 $2.55

$0.48 ฿16.09

431.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.94 $14.94

$4.45 ฿150

235.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.07 $15.07

$18.63 ฿629

-19.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.49 $2.49

$1.79 ฿60.3

39.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 $3.63

$2.80 ฿94.4

29.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.89 $2.89

$1.42 ฿47.90

103.52%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$78.7 $78.7

$11.33 ฿382

594.97%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.01 $3.01

$3.09 ฿104

-2.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.11 $2.11

$1.04 ฿35.19

102.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$42.10 $42.10

$13.63 ฿460

208.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.89 $0.89

$1.31 ฿44.23

-32.06%

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

$23.9K $23.9K

$27.3K ฿920.7K

-12.42%

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

$24.1K $24.1K

$33.2K ฿1.1M

-27.52%

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

$213 $213

$123 ฿4,157

72.66%

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

$53.8 $53.8

$13.81 ฿466

289.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.7 $57.7

$18.52 ฿625

211.77%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.42 $25.42

$60.4 ฿2,037

-57.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.80 ฿567

Cinema Ticket

$20.02 $20.02

$8.89 ฿300

125.20%

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

$1,777 $1,777

$687 ฿23.2K

158.83%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.3K $14.3K

$15.6K ฿524.8K

-7.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.9 $50.9

$57.6 ฿1,945

-11.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.7 $58.7

$34.66 ฿1,170

69.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.4 $86.4

$115 ฿3,879

-24.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 $124

$84.9 ฿2,865

46.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,160 $2,160

$618 ฿20.8K

249.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,752 $1,752

$443 ฿15.0K

295.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,631 $2,631

$2,047 ฿69.1K

28.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,457 $2,457

$1,506 ฿50.8K

63.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,748 $2,748

$3,568 ฿120.4K

-22.99%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,362 $2,362

$2,511 ฿84.7K

-5.94%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,343 $5,343

$503 ฿17.0K

962.85%

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 Elizabeth, NJ: July 19, 2026

Last update for Phuket: July 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,160 in Elizabeth, NJ and $618 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Elizabeth, 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: $98.0 in Elizabeth, NJ vs $46.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $446 vs $292 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

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

Elizabeth, NJ and Phuket differ by about 146% in total monthly costs ($3,102 vs $1,261 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 Elizabeth, 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: $2,160 in Elizabeth, NJ versus $618 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,777 in Elizabeth, NJ versus $687 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 53% higher in Elizabeth, NJ. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,261 in Phuket versus $3,102 in Elizabeth, NJ, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Elizabeth, 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, Elizabeth, 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 146% less than in Elizabeth, NJ. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.