Cost of Living Comparison Between Long Branch, NJ and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Long Branch, NJ and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,822 per month in Long Branch, NJ vs $1,261 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,137 per month in Long Branch, NJ vs $2,276 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,453 per month in Long Branch, NJ vs $3,291 in Phuket, rent included.

Long Branch, NJ costs about 124% more than Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Long Branch, NJ sits 111% above the global median, while Phuket is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.28 $20.28

$4.53 ฿153

347.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$91.3 $91.3

$46.36 ฿1,565

96.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.97 $11.97

$8.65 ฿292

38.38%

Cappuccino

$4.97 $4.97

$3.09 ฿104

60.84%

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

$2.60 $2.60

$0.68 ฿22.89

282.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.00 $2.00

$0.37 ฿12.44

440.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.93 $3.93

$2.42 ฿81.6

62.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.89 $6.89

$3.81 ฿129

80.84%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.35 $1.35

$2.18 ฿73.5

-38.07%

White Bread (500g)

$4.23 $4.23

$1.82 ฿61.3

132.42%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$10.19 $10.19

$2.18 ฿73.5

367.43%

Eggs

$4.29 $4.29

$2.24 ฿75.4

91.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.35 $15.35

$19.93 ฿673

-22.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.73 $13.73

$3.64 ฿123

277.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.90 $20.90

$13.56 ฿458

54.13%

Apples (1kg)

$5.93 $5.93

$3.29 ฿111

80.24%

Banana (1kg)

$2.20 $2.20

$1.69 ฿56.9

30.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.04 $5.04

$2.33 ฿78.8

116.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.40 $5.40

$2.03 ฿68.4

166.01%

Potato (1kg)

$3.43 $3.43

$1.60 ฿54.0

114.38%

Onion (1kg)

$2.91 $2.91

$1.49 ฿50.5

95.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.92 $2.92

$1.01 ฿34.17

189.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.48 $2.48

$0.48 ฿16.09

416.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.93 $12.93

$4.45 ฿150

190.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.09 $16.09

$18.63 ฿629

-13.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.03 $2.03

$1.79 ฿60.3

13.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.28 $4.28

$2.80 ฿94.4

52.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.42 ฿47.90

39.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.33 ฿382

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.94 $2.94

$3.09 ฿104

-4.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 $1.34

$1.04 ฿35.19

28.85%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$22.31 $22.31

$13.63 ฿460

63.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.86 $0.86

$1.31 ฿44.23

-34.35%

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

$27.4K $27.4K

$27.3K ฿920.7K

0.28%

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

$26.1K $26.1K

$33.2K ฿1.1M

-21.36%

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

$270 $270

$123 ฿4,157

118.86%

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

$63.7 $63.7

$13.81 ฿466

361.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$77.6 $77.6

$18.52 ฿625

319.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.92 $42.92

$60.4 ฿2,037

-28.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.80 ฿567

Cinema Ticket

$14.95 $14.95

$8.89 ฿300

68.17%

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

$2,110 $2,110

$687 ฿23.2K

207.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.5K $23.5K

$15.6K ฿524.8K

51.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.5 $51.5

$57.6 ฿1,945

-10.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.05 $42.05

$34.66 ฿1,170

21.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.7 $94.7

$115 ฿3,879

-17.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 $144

$84.9 ฿2,865

69.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,578 $1,578

$618 ฿20.8K

155.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,337 $1,337

$443 ฿15.0K

201.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,654 $2,654

$2,047 ฿69.1K

29.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,257 $2,257

$1,506 ฿50.8K

49.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,068 $3,068

$3,568 ฿120.4K

-14.03%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,697 $2,697

$2,511 ฿84.7K

7.43%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$503 ฿17.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.68

5.33

25.33%

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

Last update for Long Branch, NJ: July 20, 2026

Last update for Phuket: July 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,578 in Long Branch, NJ versus $618 in Phuket. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $91.0 in Long Branch, NJ versus $46.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $490 vs $292 – 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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $2,822 in Long Branch, NJ, $1,261 in Phuket – roughly 124% apart. Long Branch, NJ costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,232 per month in Long Branch, NJ and $1,891 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 $91.0 in Long Branch, NJ and $46.00 in Phuket. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 68% more in Long Branch, NJ, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Phuket, where all-in costs run around $1,261, than in Long Branch, NJ at $2,822. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Long Branch, NJ it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Phuket has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,261 in Phuket to $2,822 in Long Branch, NJ. 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, Long Branch, NJ makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.