Cost of Living Comparison Between Fort Lee, NJ and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Fort Lee, NJ and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,404 in Fort Lee, NJ versus $1,265 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,449 in Fort Lee, NJ versus $2,089 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,494 in Fort Lee, NJ versus $2,913 in Phuket.

Living in Fort Lee, NJ is roughly 169% more expensive than in Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Fort Lee, NJ is 147% above, Phuket is 8% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.15 $25.15

$4.66 ฿154

439.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$81.8 $81.8

$32.22 ฿1,065

153.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.14 $11.14

$8.68 ฿287

28.34%

Cappuccino

$5.52 $5.52

$2.90 ฿95.8

90.34%

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

$2.21 $2.21

$0.84 ฿27.89

163.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.52 $1.52

$0.49 ฿16.16

210.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.95 $7.95

$2.48 ฿82.0

220.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.84 $7.84

$3.73 ฿123

110.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 $1.27

$1.89 ฿62.3

-32.80%

White Bread (500g)

$3.90 $3.90

$1.41 ฿46.54

176.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.56 $6.56

$1.62 ฿53.6

304.94%

Eggs

$4.70 $4.70

$2.24 ฿74.1

109.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.64 $12.64

$19.84 ฿656

-36.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.03 $12.03

$3.48 ฿115

245.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.50 $17.50

$11.37 ฿376

53.91%

Apples (1kg)

$5.32 $5.32

$2.90 ฿95.8

83.45%

Banana (1kg)

$1.78 $1.78

$1.72 ฿57.0

3.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.18 $6.18

$2.27 ฿75.1

172.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.81 $4.81

$2.13 ฿70.4

125.82%

Potato (1kg)

$4.07 $4.07

$1.47 ฿48.72

176.87%

Onion (1kg)

$3.72 $3.72

$1.42 ฿46.92

161.97%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.89 $2.89

$1.10 ฿36.25

162.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.71 $2.71

$0.60 ฿19.76

351.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.53 $11.53

$4.31 ฿142

167.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.85 $11.85

$18.60 ฿615

-36.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 $1.69

$1.80 ฿59.5

-6.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.02 $2.02

$2.97 ฿98.0

-31.99%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.70 $2.70

$2.25 ฿74.2

20.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$138 $138

$23.49 ฿776

488.97%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.92 $2.92

$3.10 ฿102

-5.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.01 $2.01

$1.08 ฿35.56

86.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.29 $24.29

$3.87 ฿128

527.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.87 $0.87

$1.43 ฿47.16

-39.16%

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

$32.0K $32.0K

$27.8K ฿918.0K

15.25%

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

$24.9K $24.9K

$27.0K ฿891.5K

-7.59%

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

$207 $207

$105 ฿3,462

97.43%

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

$78.5 $78.5

$11.39 ฿376

589.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$66.8 $66.8

$17.54 ฿580

280.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$125 $125

$54.3 ฿1,795

129.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.44 ฿378

Cinema Ticket

$14.56 $14.56

$7.78 ฿257

87.15%

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

$2,000 $2,000

$576 ฿19.0K

247.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.6K $23.6K

$11.6K ฿382.7K

104.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$41.18 $41.18

$63.6 ฿2,103

-35.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.3 $58.3

$29.10 ฿961

100.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.0 $76.0

$96.2 ฿3,179

-21.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.8 $83.8

$90.0 ฿2,974

-6.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,462 $2,462

$733 ฿24.2K

235.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,755 $1,755

$501 ฿16.5K

250.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,335 $5,335

$2,126 ฿70.2K

150.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$4,068 $4,068

$1,252 ฿41.4K

224.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,284 $4,284

$3,534 ฿116.8K

21.22%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,730 $3,730

$2,622 ฿86.6K

42.25%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,631 $6,631

$508 ฿16.8K

1206.50%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.17

5.57

10.77%

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

Last update for Fort Lee, NJ: September 5, 2026

Last update for Phuket: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,462 in Fort Lee, NJ and $733 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Fort Lee, NJ pays 1206% 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: $82.0 in Fort Lee, NJ vs $32.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $433 vs $275 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

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

Phuket wins on cost – living expenses run 169% lower than in Fort Lee, NJ. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Phuket the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 1206% higher in Fort Lee, 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: $2,462 in Fort Lee, NJ versus $733 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $3,404 per month in Fort Lee, NJ versus $1,265 in Phuket – a 169% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Phuket runs roughly 489% less than in Fort Lee, NJ. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,265 in Phuket versus $3,404 in Fort Lee, NJ, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Fort Lee, NJ. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Phuket delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,265 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Phuket hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Fort Lee, 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 169% less than in Fort Lee, NJ. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.