Cost of Living Comparison Between Long Island, NY and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Long Island, NY and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,624 per month in Long Island, NY vs $1,232 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $5,315 per month in Long Island, NY vs $2,054 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $7,005 per month in Long Island, NY vs $2,876 in Phuket, rent included.

Long Island, NY costs about 194% more than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Long Island, NY sits 165% above the global median, while Phuket is 10% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.86 $24.86

$4.41 ฿147

463.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$101 $101

$32.26 ฿1,077

214.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.96 $10.96

$8.93 ฿298

22.73%

Cappuccino

$5.00 $5.00

$2.90 ฿96.6

72.41%

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

$2.21 $2.21

$0.88 ฿29.38

151.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 $1.58

$0.48 ฿16.06

229.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.94 $7.94

$2.35 ฿78.5

237.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.87 $7.87

$3.72 ฿124

111.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.33 $1.33

$1.87 ฿62.3

-28.88%

White Bread (500g)

$4.39 $4.39

$1.47 ฿48.94

198.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.55 ฿51.8

27.74%

Eggs

$5.13 $5.13

$2.10 ฿70.1

144.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.38 $12.38

$19.59 ฿654

-36.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.80 $11.80

$3.42 ฿114

245.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.75 $16.75

$11.38 ฿380

47.19%

Apples (1kg)

$4.28 $4.28

$2.98 ฿99.6

43.62%

Banana (1kg)

$1.27 $1.27

$1.68 ฿56.2

-24.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 $2.13

$2.21 ฿73.7

-3.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.02 $5.02

$2.16 ฿72.1

132.41%

Potato (1kg)

$1.12 $1.12

$1.52 ฿50.9

-26.32%

Onion (1kg)

$2.16 $2.16

$1.34 ฿44.67

61.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.53 $1.53

$1.13 ฿37.67

35.40%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.56 $1.56

$0.55 ฿18.24

183.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.30 $11.30

$4.26 ฿142

165.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.71 $14.71

$19.09 ฿637

-22.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 $1.70

$1.78 ฿59.4

-4.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.12 $4.12

$2.78 ฿92.9

48.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.82 $2.82

$2.23 ฿74.4

26.46%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$130 $130

$22.74 ฿759

472.16%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.96 $2.96

$3.03 ฿101

-2.31%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.04 $2.04

$1.02 ฿34.15

100.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.88 $23.88

$3.89 ฿130

513.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.06 $1.06

$1.49 ฿49.77

-28.86%

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

$36.4K $36.4K

$26.6K ฿887.3K

36.85%

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

$25.3K $25.3K

$27.0K ฿902.2K

-6.53%

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

$217 $217

$102 ฿3,420

111.54%

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

$46.87 $46.87

$11.33 ฿378

313.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.5 $53.5

$17.40 ฿581

207.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.24 $31.24

$52.1 ฿1,738

-40.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$103 $103

$11.07 ฿370

833.24%

Cinema Ticket

$14.71 $14.71

$7.69 ฿257

91.29%

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

$2,286 $2,286

$561 ฿18.7K

307.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.4K $23.4K

$11.5K ฿384.1K

103.61%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$40.09 $40.09

$63.0 ฿2,104

-36.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.7 $57.7

$29.52 ฿986

95.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.2 $77.2

$98.0 ฿3,272

-21.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$154 $154

$88.5 ฿2,954

74.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,632 $2,632

$738 ฿24.6K

256.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,271 $2,271

$482 ฿16.1K

370.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,705 $4,705

$2,107 ฿70.3K

123.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,556 $3,556

$1,226 ฿40.9K

190.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,332 $4,332

$3,617 ฿120.7K

19.76%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,315 $4,315

$2,603 ฿86.9K

65.78%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,938 $4,938

$494 ฿16.5K

900.40%

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 Long Island, NY: September 12, 2026

Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,632 in Long Island, NY versus $738 in Phuket. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 900% higher in Long Island, NY, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $101 in Long Island, NY versus $32.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $373 vs $274 – 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 Island, NY vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,624 in Long Island, NY, $1,232 in Phuket – roughly 194% apart. Long Island, NY costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,437 per month in Long Island, NY and $1,847 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.

Kindergarten costs $2,286 per month in Long Island, NY and $561 in Phuket. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 36% more in Long Island, NY, 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 $1,232, than in Long Island, NY at $3,624. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Long Island, NY it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Long Island, NY has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,232 in Phuket to $3,624 in Long Island, NY. 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 Island, NY makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.