Cost of Living Comparison Between Newark, NJ and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Newark, NJ and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,177 in Newark, NJ versus $1,261 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,636 in Newark, NJ versus $2,286 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,095 in Newark, NJ versus $3,310 in Phuket.

Living in Newark, NJ is roughly 152% more expensive than Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Newark, NJ is 136% above, Phuket is 6% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.19 $20.19

$4.56 ฿149

342.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.5 $89.5

$46.63 ฿1,519

91.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.23 $12.23

$8.47 ฿276

44.39%

Cappuccino

$4.85 $4.85

$3.03 ฿98.6

60.07%

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

$2.60 $2.60

$0.69 ฿22.45

276.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 $1.98

$0.37 ฿11.92

435.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.90 $5.90

$2.49 ฿81.0

136.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.92 $6.92

$3.66 ฿119

89.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.37 $1.37

$2.18 ฿71.0

-37.16%

White Bread (500g)

$4.48 $4.48

$1.90 ฿62.0

135.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$8.27 $8.27

$2.20 ฿71.6

275.91%

Eggs

$5.61 $5.61

$2.22 ฿72.4

152.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.01 $15.01

$19.99 ฿651

-24.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.60 $16.60

$3.66 ฿119

353.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.72 $20.72

$13.25 ฿432

56.38%

Apples (1kg)

$7.36 $7.36

$3.23 ฿105

127.86%

Banana (1kg)

$2.44 $2.44

$1.70 ฿55.3

43.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.93 $5.93

$2.39 ฿78.0

148.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.21 $6.21

$2.08 ฿67.7

198.56%

Potato (1kg)

$3.76 $3.76

$1.59 ฿51.8

136.48%

Onion (1kg)

$4.08 $4.08

$1.48 ฿48.31

175.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.94 $2.94

$1.03 ฿33.54

185.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.59 $2.59

$0.52 ฿16.83

398.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.01 $13.01

$4.25 ฿138

206.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.29 $20.29

$18.79 ฿612

7.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.02 $2.02

$1.76 ฿57.2

14.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.71 $3.71

$2.76 ฿89.8

34.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$5.90 $5.90

$1.36 ฿44.32

333.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.2 $54.2

$11.36 ฿370

376.85%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.94 $2.94

$3.14 ฿102

-6.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 $1.35

$1.04 ฿33.74

29.81%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$22.25 $22.25

$13.77 ฿448

61.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 $0.94

$1.34 ฿43.79

-29.85%

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

$29.8K $29.8K

$27.7K ฿901.4K

7.59%

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

$26.8K $26.8K

$33.9K ฿1.1M

-20.89%

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

$267 $267

$124 ฿4,025

115.66%

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

$63.3 $63.3

$13.52 ฿440

368.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$75.9 $75.9

$18.69 ฿609

305.99%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.43 $29.43

$61.8 ฿2,013

-52.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.27 $17.27

$17.25 ฿562

0.12%

Cinema Ticket

$15.16 $15.16

$9.14 ฿298

65.86%

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

$2,061 $2,061

$703 ฿22.9K

193.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$43.6K $43.6K

$15.9K ฿517.0K

174.86%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.3 $53.3

$59.5 ฿1,937

-10.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.18 $42.18

$35.07 ฿1,142

20.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$108 $108

$115 ฿3,754

-6.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$172 $172

$84.1 ฿2,737

104.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,286 $2,286

$619 ฿20.1K

269.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,526 $1,526

$433 ฿14.1K

252.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,238 $3,238

$2,062 ฿67.2K

57.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,578 $2,578

$1,511 ฿49.2K

70.61%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,563 $5,563

$3,646 ฿118.7K

52.57%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,673 $5,673

$2,626 ฿85.5K

116.08%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,501 $3,501

$507 ฿16.5K

590.62%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.63

5.33

24.39%

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

Last update for Newark, NJ: June 8, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,286 in Newark, NJ and $619 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Newark, NJ pays 591% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $89.0 in Newark, NJ vs $47.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $531 vs $293 per month, with Phuket cheaper across the board.

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

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

Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 152% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Newark, NJ pays 591% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $2,286 in Newark, NJ versus $619 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Phuket runs roughly 377% less than in Newark, NJ. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $2,061 in Newark, NJ versus $703 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,261 in Phuket versus $3,177 in Newark, NJ, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Newark, NJ. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Phuket is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Newark, NJ, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Newark, NJ and Phuket are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Phuket gentler on the wallet – expenses run 152% less than in Newark, NJ. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.