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 $3,522 per month in Long Island, NY vs $1,261 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $5,143 per month in Long Island, NY vs $2,286 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $6,764 per month in Long Island, NY vs $3,310 in Phuket, rent included.

Long Island, NY costs about 179% more than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Long Island, NY sits 162% above the global median, while Phuket is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.03 $20.03

$4.56 ฿150

339.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$98.7 $98.7

$46.63 ฿1,535

111.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.61 $13.61

$8.47 ฿279

60.68%

Cappuccino

$4.90 $4.90

$3.03 ฿99.7

61.72%

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

$2.39 $2.39

$0.69 ฿22.69

246.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.76 $1.76

$0.37 ฿12.04

375.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.85 $6.85

$2.49 ฿81.9

175.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.05 $8.05

$3.66 ฿120

119.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 $1.25

$2.18 ฿71.8

-42.66%

White Bread (500g)

$3.67 $3.67

$1.90 ฿62.6

93.16%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.93 $4.93

$2.20 ฿72.4

124.09%

Eggs

$4.90 $4.90

$2.22 ฿73.2

120.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.48 $17.48

$19.99 ฿658

-12.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.95 $11.95

$3.66 ฿121

226.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.17 $15.17

$13.25 ฿436

14.49%

Apples (1kg)

$4.85 $4.85

$3.23 ฿106

50.15%

Banana (1kg)

$1.76 $1.76

$1.70 ฿55.9

3.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.05 $4.05

$2.39 ฿78.8

69.46%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.12 $4.12

$2.08 ฿68.4

98.08%

Potato (1kg)

$2.72 $2.72

$1.59 ฿52.4

71.07%

Onion (1kg)

$3.81 $3.81

$1.48 ฿48.83

157.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.23 $2.23

$1.03 ฿33.90

116.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.34 $2.34

$0.52 ฿17.01

350.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.03 $12.03

$4.25 ฿140

183.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.73 $14.73

$18.79 ฿618

-21.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 $1.69

$1.76 ฿57.8

-3.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.08 $4.08

$2.76 ฿90.8

47.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.96 $2.96

$1.36 ฿44.79

117.65%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$127 $127

$11.36 ฿374

1018.31%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.04 $3.04

$3.14 ฿103

-3.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.01 $2.01

$1.04 ฿34.10

93.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.09 $24.09

$13.77 ฿453

74.95%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.91 $0.91

$1.34 ฿44.26

-32.09%

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

$24.4K $24.4K

$27.7K ฿911.1K

-11.70%

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

$24.9K $24.9K

$33.9K ฿1.1M

-26.45%

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

$128 $128

$124 ฿4,069

3.24%

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

$45.10 $45.10

$13.52 ฿445

233.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.9 $61.9

$18.69 ฿615

231.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.48 $33.48

$61.8 ฿2,035

-45.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.25 ฿568

Cinema Ticket

$12.76 $12.76

$9.14 ฿301

39.61%

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

$2,246 $2,246

$703 ฿23.1K

219.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.0K $24.0K

$15.9K ฿522.5K

50.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$40.65 $40.65

$59.5 ฿1,958

-31.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$62.6 $62.6

$35.07 ฿1,154

78.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.9 $74.9

$115 ฿3,795

-35.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$130 $130

$84.1 ฿2,767

54.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,336 $2,336

$619 ฿20.4K

277.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,251 $2,251

$433 ฿14.2K

420.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,152 $4,152

$2,062 ฿67.9K

101.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,595 $3,595

$1,511 ฿49.7K

137.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,243 $4,243

$3,646 ฿120.0K

16.37%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,299 $4,299

$2,626 ฿86.4K

63.75%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,053 $5,053

$507 ฿16.7K

896.59%

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 Long Island, NY: June 9, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,336 in Long Island, NY versus $619 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 897% 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 $99.0 in Long Island, NY versus $47.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $417 vs $293 – 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: $3,522 in Long Island, NY, $1,261 in Phuket – roughly 179% apart. Long Island, NY costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,282 per month in Long Island, NY and $1,892 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 $2,246 per month in Long Island, NY and $703 in Phuket. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 42% 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 $1,261, than in Long Island, NY at $3,522. 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 $1,261 in Phuket to $3,522 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.