🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,232 in Phuket versus $2,863 in Beach Haven, NJ.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,054 in Phuket versus $4,386 in Beach Haven, NJ.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,876 in Phuket versus $5,908 in Beach Haven, NJ.
🌍Living in Phuket costs roughly 57% less than in Beach Haven, NJ, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Phuket is 10% below, Beach Haven, NJ is 109% above.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Beach Haven, NJ
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.41฿147
$25.20$25.20
-82.50%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.26฿1,074
$138$138
-76.56%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.93฿297
$14.05$14.05
-36.44%
Cappuccino
$2.90฿96.4
$6.31$6.31
-54.04%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.88฿29.30
$3.86$3.86
-77.20%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.48฿16.01
$2.82$2.82
-82.98%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.35฿78.3
$8.14$8.14
-71.13%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.72฿124
$9.93$9.93
-62.54%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Beach Haven, NJ
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.87฿62.1
$1.39$1.39
34.53%
White Bread(500g)
$1.47฿48.81
$4.76$4.76
-69.12%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.55฿51.7
$7.04$7.04
-77.98%
Eggs
$2.10฿70.0
$5.60$5.60
-62.50%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$19.59฿652
$17.30$17.30
13.24%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.42฿114
$14.82$14.82
-76.92%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$11.38฿379
$17.83$17.83
-36.17%
Apples(1kg)
$2.98฿99.3
$6.21$6.21
-52.01%
Banana(1kg)
$1.68฿56.1
$2.22$2.22
-24.32%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.21฿73.5
$5.93$5.93
-62.73%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.16฿72.0
$6.32$6.32
-65.82%
Potato(1kg)
$1.52฿50.8
$3.48$3.48
-56.32%
Onion(1kg)
$1.34฿44.55
$4.13$4.13
-67.55%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.13฿37.57
$2.69$2.69
-57.99%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.55฿18.19
$2.47$2.47
-77.73%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.26฿142
$19.35$19.35
-77.98%
Wine(Bottle)
$19.09฿635
$20.07$20.07
-4.88%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.78฿59.2
$3.16$3.16
-43.67%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.78฿92.6
$4.00$4.00
-30.50%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Beach Haven, NJ
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$2.23฿74.2
$2.20$2.20
1.36%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$22.74฿757
-
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.03฿101
$2.97$2.97
2.02%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.02฿34.06
$2.20$2.20
-53.64%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$3.89฿130
$42.50$42.50
-90.85%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.49฿49.63
$1.07$1.07
39.25%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.6K฿884.9K
$35.7K$35.7K
-25.60%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$27.0K฿899.8K
$25.1K$25.1K
7.49%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Beach Haven, NJ
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$102฿3,411
$233$233
-56.09%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.33฿377
$72.9$72.9
-84.46%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$17.40฿579
$71.5$71.5
-75.66%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Beach Haven, NJ
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$52.1฿1,734
$37.44$37.44
39.10%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$11.07฿369
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$7.69฿256
$23.20$23.20
-66.85%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Beach Haven, NJ
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$561฿18.7K
$1,440$1,440
-61.08%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$11.5K฿383.0K
$23.1K$23.1K
-50.10%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Beach Haven, NJ
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$63.0฿2,098
$74.5$74.5
-15.40%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$29.52฿983
$53.7$53.7
-45.05%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$98.0฿3,263
$119$119
-17.45%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$88.5฿2,946
$126$126
-29.98%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Beach Haven, NJ
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$738฿24.6K
$1,748$1,748
-57.77%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$482฿16.1K
$1,471$1,471
-67.22%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,107฿70.1K
$2,191$2,191
-3.83%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,226฿40.8K
$2,060$2,060
-40.50%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,617฿120.4K
$2,370$2,370
52.61%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,603฿86.7K
$2,286$2,286
13.85%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Beach Haven, NJ
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$494฿16.4K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.57
6.76
-17.60%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026
Last update for Beach Haven, NJ: September 13, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $738 in Phuket and $1,748 in Beach Haven, NJ. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
🛒Dining out: $32.00 in Phuket vs $138 in Beach Haven, NJ for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $274 vs $514 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
Phuket vs Beach Haven, NJ: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Beach Haven, NJ cheaper than Phuket?
Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 133% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You'd need roughly $1,847 in Phuket and $4,295 in Beach Haven, NJ to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
What is the rent difference between Phuket and Beach Haven, NJ?
Rent for a central apartment: $738 in Phuket versus $1,748 in Beach Haven, NJ. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do food prices compare in Phuket and in Beach Haven, NJ?
Supermarket bills run roughly 88% higher in Beach Haven, NJ. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
What are total monthly expenses in Phuket and in Beach Haven, NJ?
All in, you'll spend $1,232 per month in Phuket versus $2,863 in Beach Haven, NJ – a 133% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Phuket or in Beach Haven, NJ?
At $1,232 in Phuket versus $2,863 in Beach Haven, NJ, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Beach Haven, NJ. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Phuket or Beach Haven, NJ more family-friendly?
For families, Phuket is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Beach Haven, NJ, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Phuket or Beach Haven, NJ?
Safety-wise, Phuket and Beach Haven, NJ 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 easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Phuket gentler on the wallet – expenses run 133% less than in Beach Haven, NJ. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.