Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Middlesex, NJ and Phuket

For one person, living is cheaper in Phuket: $1,294 a month against $2,599 in Middlesex, NJ, rent and utilities included – about $15,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

124

Cost of Living Index in Middlesex, NJ
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Middlesex, NJ Living Index
62

Cost of Living Index in Phuket
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Phuket Living Index

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Middlesex, NJ

🇺🇸 United States

$2,599

/mo nomad

Phuket

🇹🇭 Thailand

$1,294

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Middlesex, NJ and in Phuket

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Middlesex, NJ and in Phuket actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,599 per month in Middlesex, NJ vs $1,294 in Phuket, rent included.

Middlesex, NJ $2,599
Phuket $1,294

A couple spends around $3,818 per month in Middlesex, NJ vs $2,204 in Phuket, rent included.

Middlesex, NJ $3,818
Phuket $2,204

A family of three spends $5,036 per month in Middlesex, NJ vs $3,115 in Phuket, rent included.

Middlesex, NJ $5,036
Phuket $3,115

Middlesex, NJ costs about 101% more than Phuket, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Middlesex, NJ sits 92% above the global median, while Phuket is 4% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.26 $20.26

$4.39 ฿148

361.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$75.5 $75.5

$32.31 ฿1,086

133.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.20 $13.20

$8.70 ฿293

51.72%

Cappuccino

$5.26 $5.26

$2.72 ฿91.6

93.38%

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

$2.79 $2.79

$0.93 ฿31.28

200.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.52 $2.52

$0.50 ฿16.79

404.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.93 $5.93

$2.53 ฿85.1

134.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.25 $8.25

$3.63 ฿122

127.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.00 $1.00

$1.74 ฿58.5

-42.53%

White Bread (500g)

$4.57 $4.57

$1.45 ฿48.77

215.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.44 $4.44

$1.50 ฿50.5

196.00%

Eggs

$6.43 $6.43

$2.17 ฿73.0

196.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.38 $10.38

$19.09 ฿642

-45.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.83 $10.83

$3.40 ฿114

218.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.37 $19.37

$10.90 ฿366

77.71%

Apples (1kg)

$5.59 $5.59

$2.94 ฿98.9

90.14%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 $1.64

$1.69 ฿56.9

-2.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.37 $3.37

$2.19 ฿73.8

53.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.03 $3.03

$2.12 ฿71.4

42.92%

Potato (1kg)

$2.21 $2.21

$1.46 ฿49.03

51.37%

Onion (1kg)

$2.48 $2.48

$1.37 ฿45.99

81.02%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.64 $2.64

$1.08 ฿36.17

144.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.94 $2.94

$0.55 ฿18.34

434.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.89 $13.89

$4.43 ฿149

213.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.05 $17.05

$18.25 ฿614

-6.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.88 $1.88

$1.77 ฿59.6

6.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.85 $2.85

$2.88 ฿96.8

-1.04%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.22 $2.22

$1.45 ฿48.66

53.10%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$62.7 $62.7

$54.9 ฿1,845

14.17%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.83 $3.83

$1.51 ฿50.9

153.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.21 $2.21

$0.78 ฿26.08

183.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$48.86 $48.86

$3.84 ฿129

1172.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.96 $0.96

$1.49 ฿50.0

-35.57%

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

$27.8K $27.8K

$26.9K ฿903.7K

3.60%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

$26.3K ฿885.7K

1.48%

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

$202 $202

$97.8 ฿3,288

106.57%

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

$36.43 $36.43

$11.29 ฿380

222.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$60.6 $60.6

$17.19 ฿578

252.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.71 $37.71

$68.3 ฿2,297

-44.81%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.92 ฿367

Cinema Ticket

$12.52 $12.52

$7.43 ฿250

68.51%

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

$2,096 $2,096

$530 ฿17.8K

295.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$34.8K $34.8K

$18.8K ฿631.4K

85.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$38.26 $38.26

$61.7 ฿2,073

-37.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$16.02 $16.02

$28.25 ฿950

-43.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 $99.6

$96.0 ฿3,228

3.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$117 $117

$86.8 ฿2,919

34.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,671 $2,671

$721 ฿24.2K

270.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,281 $1,281

$509 ฿17.1K

151.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,538 $2,538

$1,950 ฿65.6K

30.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,130 $2,130

$1,397 ฿47.0K

52.51%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,053 $3,053

$4,192 ฿140.9K

-27.18%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,456 $2,456

$3,298 ฿110.9K

-25.54%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$492 ฿16.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.51

5.57

16.88%

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

Last update for Middlesex, NJ: November 1, 2026

Last update for Phuket: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Middlesex, NJ

$1.3K 49.3%

Phuket

$509 39.3% 60.3% $773

Groceries & Markets

Middlesex, NJ

$416 16%

Phuket

$267 20.6% 35.8% $149

Eating Out

Middlesex, NJ

$332 12.8%

Phuket

$120 9.2% 64% $213

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Middlesex, NJ

$299 11.5%

Phuket

$126 9.8% 57.8% $173

Clothing & Footwear

Middlesex, NJ

$122 4.7%

Phuket

$123 9.5% 0.7% $0.9

Getting Around

Middlesex, NJ

$86 3.3%

Phuket

$66 5.1% 23.5% $20

Sport & Entertainment

Middlesex, NJ

$63 2.4%

Phuket

$83 6.4% 32.5% $20

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,671 in Middlesex, NJ versus $721 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 $75 in Middlesex, NJ versus $32 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $416 vs $267 – making Phuket the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Middlesex, NJ

🇹🇭 Phuket

🕒 Local time

10:34 10:34 AM

22:34 10:34 PM

12 h ahead of Middlesex, NJ

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

13,746

79,308

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

Thai Baht THB ฿

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.892 EUR

100 THB = 2.97 USD

100 THB = 2.65 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

THB, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

🇹🇭 Thai Baht (฿)

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

United States Dollar exchange rates as of November 4, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.892 EUR).

Thai Baht exchange rates as of November 4, 2026: 1 USD = 33.62 THB (100 THB = 2.97 USD). 1 EUR = 37.69 THB (100 THB = 2.65 EUR).

THB to USD in detail →

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Middlesex, NJ Phuket 14,580 km ≈ 19 h nonstop flight

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Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

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

Yes – Middlesex, NJ is pricier by about 101%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,899 per month in Middlesex, NJ and $1,940 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: a one-bedroom in the center costs $721 there versus $2,671 in Middlesex, NJ.

Groceries cost about 56% more in Middlesex, NJ, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $75 in Middlesex, NJ and $32 in Phuket. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Phuket, where all-in costs run around $1,294, than in Middlesex, NJ at $2,599. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Middlesex, NJ it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Phuket – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.

For expats, Phuket is the easier option financially – housing and daily costs are lower, and overall it costs about 50% less, which matters a lot on a fixed budget or early-career salary.