Cost of Living Comparison Between Perth Amboy, NJ and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Perth Amboy, NJ and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,638 in Perth Amboy, NJ versus $1,261 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,888 in Perth Amboy, NJ versus $2,286 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,138 in Perth Amboy, NJ versus $3,310 in Phuket.

Living in Perth Amboy, NJ is roughly 109% more expensive than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Perth Amboy, NJ is 96% above, Phuket is 6% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Perth Amboy, NJ
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$20.27 $20.27
$4.56 ฿149
344.52%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$80.6 $80.6
$46.63 ฿1,519
72.94%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$15.15 $15.15
$8.47 ฿276
78.87%
Cappuccino
$5.31 $5.31
$3.03 ฿98.6
75.25%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.59 $2.59
$0.69 ฿22.45
275.36%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.95 $1.95
$0.37 ฿11.92
427.03%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$8.01 $8.01
$2.49 ฿81.0
221.69%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$8.07 $8.07
$3.66 ฿119
120.49%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Perth Amboy, NJ
Phuket
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.14 $1.14
$2.18 ฿71.0
-47.71%
White Bread (500g)
$2.14 $2.14
$1.90 ฿62.0
12.63%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$9.32 $9.32
$2.20 ฿71.6
323.64%
Eggs
$3.04 $3.04
$2.22 ฿72.4
36.94%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.50 $12.50
$19.99 ฿651
-37.47%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$11.55 $11.55
$3.66 ฿119
215.57%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$22.76 $22.76
$13.25 ฿432
71.77%
Apples (1kg)
$7.37 $7.37
$3.23 ฿105
128.17%
Banana (1kg)
$2.60 $2.60
$1.70 ฿55.3
52.94%
Oranges (1kg)
$5.41 $5.41
$2.39 ฿78.0
126.36%
Tomato (1kg)
$6.15 $6.15
$2.08 ฿67.7
195.67%
Potato (1kg)
$1.42 $1.42
$1.59 ฿51.8
-10.69%
Onion (1kg)
$1.47 $1.47
$1.48 ฿48.31
-0.68%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.47 $1.47
$1.03 ฿33.54
42.72%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$3.02 $3.02
$0.52 ฿16.83
480.77%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$10.85 $10.85
$4.25 ฿138
155.29%
Wine (Bottle)
$11.90 $11.90
$18.79 ฿612
-36.67%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.76 $1.76
$1.76 ฿57.2
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$6.46 $6.46
$2.76 ฿89.8
134.06%
🚌 Getting Around
Perth Amboy, NJ
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.98 $1.98
$1.36 ฿44.32
45.59%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$11.36 ฿370
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$6.04 $6.04
$3.14 ฿102
92.36%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.58 $1.58
$1.04 ฿33.74
51.92%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$41.44 $41.44
$13.77 ฿448
200.94%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.89 $0.89
$1.34 ฿43.79
-33.58%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$29.5K $29.5K
$27.7K ฿901.4K
6.54%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.4K $26.4K
$33.9K ฿1.1M
-22.13%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Perth Amboy, NJ
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$178 $178
$124 ฿4,025
44.23%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$23.89 $23.89
$13.52 ฿440
76.70%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$56.3 $56.3
$18.69 ฿609
201.07%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Perth Amboy, NJ
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$43.61 $43.61
$61.8 ฿2,013
-29.46%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$17.25 ฿562
-
Cinema Ticket
$14.89 $14.89
$9.14 ฿298
62.91%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Perth Amboy, NJ
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,892 $1,892
$703 ฿22.9K
169.30%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$40.6K $40.6K
$15.9K ฿517.0K
155.58%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Perth Amboy, NJ
Phuket
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$32.70 $32.70
$59.5 ฿1,937
-45.01%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$54.5 $54.5
$35.07 ฿1,142
55.49%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$75.3 $75.3
$115 ฿3,754
-34.68%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$96.4 $96.4
$84.1 ฿2,737
14.67%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Perth Amboy, NJ
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,580 $1,580
$619 ฿20.1K
155.42%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,336 $1,336
$433 ฿14.1K
208.79%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,620 $2,620
$2,062 ฿67.2K
27.05%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,230 $2,230
$1,511 ฿49.2K
47.57%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,048 $3,048
$3,646 ฿118.7K
-16.41%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,370 $2,370
$2,626 ฿85.5K
-9.72%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Perth Amboy, NJ
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,423 $3,423
$507 ฿16.5K
575.17%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.55
5.33
22.89%

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

Last update for Perth Amboy, NJ: June 6, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,580 in Perth Amboy, NJ and $619 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Perth Amboy, NJ pays 575% 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: $81.0 in Perth Amboy, NJ vs $47.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $445 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
Perth Amboy, NJ vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Perth Amboy, NJ or Phuket?
Phuket wins on cost – living expenses run 109% lower than in Perth Amboy, NJ. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Phuket the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Perth Amboy, NJ or Phuket?
Perth Amboy, NJ pays 575% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Perth Amboy, NJ vs Phuket?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,580 in Perth Amboy, NJ versus $619 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do childcare costs compare in Perth Amboy, NJ and Phuket?
Childcare runs $1,892 in Perth Amboy, NJ versus $703 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
How do dining costs compare in Perth Amboy, NJ vs Phuket?
Dining out is cheaper in Phuket – a meal for two runs $47.00 versus $81.0 in Perth Amboy, NJ. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Can you live on $1,500/month in Perth Amboy, NJ or Phuket?
At $1,261 in Phuket versus $2,638 in Perth Amboy, NJ, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Perth Amboy, NJ. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Perth Amboy, NJ or Phuket?
Both work as nomad bases, but Phuket delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,261 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Phuket hard to pass up.
How safe is Perth Amboy, NJ compared to Phuket?
Safety-wise, Perth Amboy, 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.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Phuket gentler on the wallet – expenses run 109% less than in Perth Amboy, NJ. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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