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 $2,666 per month in Mount Laurel, NJ vs $1,261 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,840 per month in Mount Laurel, NJ vs $2,276 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,015 per month in Mount Laurel, NJ vs $3,291 in Phuket, rent included.

Mount Laurel, NJ costs about 111% more than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Mount Laurel, NJ sits 100% above the global median, while Phuket is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.87 $16.87

$4.53 ฿153

272.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$91.6 $91.6

$46.36 ฿1,565

97.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.04 $12.04

$8.65 ฿292

39.19%

Cappuccino

$4.84 $4.84

$3.09 ฿104

56.63%

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

$2.66 $2.66

$0.68 ฿22.89

291.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.99 $1.99

$0.37 ฿12.44

437.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.94 $2.94

$2.42 ฿81.6

21.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.93 $5.93

$3.81 ฿129

55.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.36 $1.36

$2.18 ฿73.5

-37.61%

White Bread (500g)

$2.84 $2.84

$1.82 ฿61.3

56.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.42 $5.42

$2.18 ฿73.5

148.62%

Eggs

$4.09 $4.09

$2.24 ฿75.4

82.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.19 $13.19

$19.93 ฿673

-33.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.46 $6.46

$3.64 ฿123

77.47%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.14 $13.14

$13.56 ฿458

-3.10%

Apples (1kg)

$6.02 $6.02

$3.29 ฿111

82.98%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 $1.61

$1.69 ฿56.9

-4.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.39 $4.39

$2.33 ฿78.8

88.41%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.53 $4.53

$2.03 ฿68.4

123.15%

Potato (1kg)

$2.17 $2.17

$1.60 ฿54.0

35.62%

Onion (1kg)

$2.90 $2.90

$1.49 ฿50.5

94.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.09 $3.09

$1.01 ฿34.17

205.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.55 $2.55

$0.48 ฿16.09

431.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.97 $11.97

$4.45 ฿150

168.99%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.85 $14.85

$18.63 ฿629

-20.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.01 $2.01

$1.79 ฿60.3

12.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.27 $4.27

$2.80 ฿94.4

52.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.06 $2.06

$1.42 ฿47.90

45.07%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.33 ฿382

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.98 $2.98

$3.09 ฿104

-3.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.53 $1.53

$1.04 ฿35.19

47.12%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$22.22 $22.22

$13.63 ฿460

63.02%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.93 $0.93

$1.31 ฿44.23

-29.01%

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

$27.5K $27.5K

$27.3K ฿920.7K

0.88%

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

$25.6K $25.6K

$33.2K ฿1.1M

-22.89%

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

$274 $274

$123 ฿4,157

122.53%

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

$62.6 $62.6

$13.81 ฿466

353.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$55.1 $55.1

$18.52 ฿625

197.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.33 $43.33

$60.4 ฿2,037

-28.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.80 ฿567

Cinema Ticket

$15.17 $15.17

$8.89 ฿300

70.64%

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

$2,065 $2,065

$687 ฿23.2K

200.79%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.2K $23.2K

$15.6K ฿524.8K

49.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.2 $51.2

$57.6 ฿1,945

-11.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.75 $41.75

$34.66 ฿1,170

20.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.4 $92.4

$115 ฿3,879

-19.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$143 $143

$84.9 ฿2,865

67.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,609 $1,609

$618 ฿20.8K

160.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,364 $1,364

$443 ฿15.0K

207.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,661 $2,661

$2,047 ฿69.1K

30.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,244 $2,244

$1,506 ฿50.8K

48.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,871 $2,871

$3,568 ฿120.4K

-19.53%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,528 $2,528

$2,511 ฿84.7K

0.68%

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 Mount Laurel, NJ: July 20, 2026

Last update for Phuket: July 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,609 in Mount Laurel, 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 $92.0 in Mount Laurel, NJ versus $46.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $375 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

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

Yes – Mount Laurel, NJ is pricier by about 111%, 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 $3,999 per month in Mount Laurel, 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.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,666 in Mount Laurel, NJ and $1,261 in Phuket. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $2,065 per month in Mount Laurel, NJ and $687 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 $1,261, than in Mount Laurel, NJ at $2,666. 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.