Cost of Living Comparison Between Mount Laurel, NJ and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Mount Laurel, NJ and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,513 per month in Mount Laurel, NJ vs $1,253 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,684 per month in Mount Laurel, NJ vs $2,043 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,856 per month in Mount Laurel, NJ vs $2,833 in Phuket, rent included.

Mount Laurel, NJ costs about 101% more than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Mount Laurel, NJ sits 83% above the global median, while Phuket is 9% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.07 $17.07

$4.56 ฿150

274.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$81.4 $81.4

$32.62 ฿1,072

149.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.98 $11.98

$8.90 ฿293

34.61%

Cappuccino

$5.37 $5.37

$2.80 ฿92.2

91.79%

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

$2.95 $2.95

$0.88 ฿28.93

235.23%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.95 $1.95

$0.49 ฿16.08

297.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.93 $2.93

$2.39 ฿78.5

22.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.90 $5.90

$3.71 ฿122

59.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.46 $1.46

$1.79 ฿58.7

-18.44%

White Bread (500g)

$2.72 $2.72

$1.44 ฿47.38

88.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.39 $5.39

$1.58 ฿52.1

241.14%

Eggs

$4.04 $4.04

$2.13 ฿69.9

89.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.97 $11.97

$19.92 ฿655

-39.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.48 $6.48

$3.43 ฿113

88.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.12 $13.12

$11.33 ฿372

15.80%

Apples (1kg)

$5.80 $5.80

$2.95 ฿96.9

96.61%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 $1.63

$1.72 ฿56.6

-5.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.29 $4.29

$2.32 ฿76.4

84.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.30 $4.30

$2.08 ฿68.4

106.73%

Potato (1kg)

$2.26 $2.26

$1.47 ฿48.33

53.74%

Onion (1kg)

$3.07 $3.07

$1.36 ฿44.64

125.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.51 $2.51

$1.10 ฿36.12

128.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.45 $2.45

$0.57 ฿18.89

329.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.76 $11.76

$4.27 ฿140

175.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.91 $14.91

$18.42 ฿605

-19.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.31 $2.31

$1.87 ฿61.5

23.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.35 $4.35

$2.92 ฿96.0

48.97%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.28 $2.28

$2.22 ฿72.9

2.70%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.90 ฿753

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.63 $2.63

$3.03 ฿99.6

-13.20%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.52 $1.52

$1.07 ฿35.31

42.06%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.61 $23.61

$3.93 ฿129

500.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.11 $1.11

$1.49 ฿49.04

-25.50%

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

$37.1K $37.1K

$27.1K ฿891.7K

36.64%

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

$25.6K $25.6K

$27.5K ฿902.3K

-6.56%

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

$218 $218

$103 ฿3,379

112.27%

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

$63.2 $63.2

$10.99 ฿361

474.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$68.4 $68.4

$17.51 ฿576

290.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.16 $42.16

$53.5 ฿1,760

-21.24%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.20 ฿368

Cinema Ticket

$14.93 $14.93

$7.48 ฿246

99.60%

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

$2,264 $2,264

$557 ฿18.3K

306.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$42.6K $42.6K

$11.9K ฿389.6K

259.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.29 $48.29

$64.1 ฿2,106

-24.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.61 $46.61

$29.07 ฿956

60.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

$96.0 ฿3,154

6.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$142 $142

$90.3 ฿2,970

57.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,616 $1,616

$730 ฿24.0K

121.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,303 $1,303

$500 ฿16.4K

160.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,486 $2,486

$2,090 ฿68.7K

18.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,873 $1,873

$1,209 ฿39.7K

54.90%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,108 $3,108

$3,596 ฿118.2K

-13.57%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,643 $2,643

$2,512 ฿82.6K

5.19%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$503 ฿16.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.16

5.57

10.59%

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

Last update for Mount Laurel, NJ: August 31, 2026

Last update for Phuket: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,616 in Mount Laurel, NJ versus $730 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 $81.0 in Mount Laurel, NJ versus $33.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $367 vs $273 – 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

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

Yes – Mount Laurel, NJ is pricier by about 101%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,769 per month in Mount Laurel, NJ and $1,880 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.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,513 in Mount Laurel, NJ and $1,253 in Phuket. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $2,264 per month in Mount Laurel, NJ and $557 in Phuket. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Phuket, where all-in costs run around $1,253, than in Mount Laurel, NJ at $2,513. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Mount Laurel, 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 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, Mount Laurel, NJ makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.