Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Brookhaven, NY

For one person, living is cheaper in Phuket: $1,208 a month against $2,722 in Brookhaven, NY, rent and utilities included – about $18,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Phuket
🇹🇭 Thailand
$1,208
/mo nomad
Brookhaven, NY
🇺🇸 United States
$2,722
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Phuket and in Brookhaven, NY

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Phuket and in Brookhaven, NY actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,208 in Phuket versus $2,722 in Brookhaven, NY.

  • Phuket $1,208
  • Brookhaven, NY $2,722

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,027 in Phuket versus $4,065 in Brookhaven, NY.

  • Phuket $2,027
  • Brookhaven, NY $4,065

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,845 in Phuket versus $5,408 in Brookhaven, NY.

  • Phuket $2,845
  • Brookhaven, NY $5,408

Living in Phuket costs roughly 56% less than in Brookhaven, NY, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Phuket is 11% below, Brookhaven, NY is 101% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Brookhaven, NY
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.40 ฿147
$24.74 $24.74
-82.22%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.26 ฿1,078
$98.9 $98.9
-67.38%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.76 ฿293
$11.20 $11.20
-21.79%
Cappuccino
$2.83 ฿94.5
$5.35 $5.35
-47.10%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.90 ฿30.14
$2.24 $2.24
-59.82%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.47 ฿15.56
$1.54 $1.54
-69.48%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.55 ฿85.2
$8.01 $8.01
-68.16%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.83 ฿128
$8.20 $8.20
-53.29%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Brookhaven, NY
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.73 ฿57.7
$1.26 $1.26
37.30%
White Bread (500g)
$1.47 ฿49.11
$4.31 $4.31
-65.89%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.51 ฿50.6
$7.76 $7.76
-80.54%
Eggs
$2.17 ฿72.7
$5.75 $5.75
-62.26%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$19.70 ฿658
$12.61 $12.61
56.23%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.34 ฿112
$11.62 $11.62
-71.26%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$11.16 ฿373
$17.07 $17.07
-34.62%
Apples (1kg)
$2.85 ฿95.1
$5.54 $5.54
-48.56%
Banana (1kg)
$1.70 ฿56.9
$1.73 $1.73
-1.73%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.19 ฿73.3
$6.16 $6.16
-64.45%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.05 ฿68.4
$6.14 $6.14
-66.61%
Potato (1kg)
$1.45 ฿48.57
$5.47 $5.47
-73.49%
Onion (1kg)
$1.38 ฿46.16
$3.77 $3.77
-63.40%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.07 ฿35.69
$2.79 $2.79
-61.65%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.51 ฿16.91
$2.94 $2.94
-82.65%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.26 ฿142
$11.50 $11.50
-62.96%
Wine (Bottle)
$18.58 ฿621
$24.08 $24.08
-22.84%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.78 ฿59.7
$1.71 $1.71
4.09%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.85 ฿95.2
$5.49 $5.49
-48.09%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Brookhaven, NY
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.26 ฿75.6
$1.86 $1.86
21.51%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$22.10 ฿738
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.01 ฿101
$2.93 $2.93
2.73%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.06 ฿35.34
$2.03 $2.03
-47.78%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$3.86 ฿129
$23.54 $23.54
-83.60%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.45 ฿48.45
$1.10 $1.10
31.82%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.3K ฿879.9K
$27.6K $27.6K
-4.53%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.9K ฿900.4K
$26.7K $26.7K
0.87%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Brookhaven, NY
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$96.4 ฿3,221
$211 $211
-54.27%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.04 ฿369
$75.6 $75.6
-85.39%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$17.14 ฿573
$64.3 $64.3
-73.36%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Brookhaven, NY
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$52.2 ฿1,744
$40.96 $40.96
27.39%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$11.16 ฿373
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$7.81 ฿261
$14.76 $14.76
-47.09%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Brookhaven, NY
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$556 ฿18.6K
$2,237 $2,237
-75.15%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$11.6K ฿387.0K
$23.6K $23.6K
-50.85%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Brookhaven, NY
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$64.2 ฿2,146
$41.13 $41.13
56.09%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$28.69 ฿959
$56.5 $56.5
-49.23%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$95.4 ฿3,187
$76.1 $76.1
25.29%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$88.0 ฿2,940
$158 $158
-44.33%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Brookhaven, NY
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$737 ฿24.6K
$1,587 $1,587
-53.55%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$462 ฿15.5K
$1,275 $1,275
-63.74%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,095 ฿70.0K
$2,527 $2,527
-17.11%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,201 ฿40.1K
$2,118 $2,118
-43.31%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,488 ฿116.6K
$3,099 $3,099
12.53%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,523 ฿84.3K
$2,127 $2,127
18.60%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Brookhaven, NY
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$501 ฿16.7K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.57
6.75
-17.48%

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

Last update for Phuket: October 19, 2026

Last update for Brookhaven, NY: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Phuket
$462
Brookhaven, NY
$1.3K 176% $813
Groceries & Markets
Phuket
$269
Brookhaven, NY
$489 81.9% $220
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
$125
Brookhaven, NY
$351 182% $226
Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
$124
Brookhaven, NY
$149 20.1% $25
Eating Out
Phuket
$121
Brookhaven, NY
$367 203% $246
Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
$68
Brookhaven, NY
$70 4% $2.7
Getting Around
Phuket
$39
Brookhaven, NY
$21 * 48% $19

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $737 in Phuket and $1,587 in Brookhaven, NY. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $32.00 in Phuket vs $99.0 in Brookhaven, NY for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $269 vs $489 per month, with Phuket cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇹🇭 Phuket
🇺🇸 Brookhaven, NY
🕒 Local time
20:56 8:56 PM
09:56 9:56 AM
11 h behind Phuket
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
79,308
11,674
💱 Currency
Thai Baht THB ฿
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 22, 2026: 1 USD = 33.42 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.57 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 22, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Phuket Brookhaven, NY 14,530 km ≈ 19 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Phuket
  • Brookhaven, NY

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Brookhaven, NY: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Brookhaven, NY cheaper than Phuket?
Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, clothing, and eating out. The 125% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You'd need roughly $1,813 in Phuket and $4,083 in Brookhaven, NY 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 Brookhaven, NY?
Rent for a central apartment: $737 in Phuket versus $1,587 in Brookhaven, NY. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do food prices compare in Phuket and in Brookhaven, NY?
Supermarket bills run roughly 82% higher in Brookhaven, NY. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
What are total monthly expenses in Phuket and in Brookhaven, NY?
All in, you'll spend $1,208 per month in Phuket versus $2,722 in Brookhaven, NY – a 125% 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 Brookhaven, NY?
At $1,208 in Phuket versus $2,722 in Brookhaven, NY, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Brookhaven, NY. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Phuket or Brookhaven, NY more family-friendly?
For families, Phuket is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Brookhaven, NY, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Phuket or Brookhaven, NY?
Safety-wise, Phuket and Brookhaven, NY 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 125% less than in Brookhaven, NY. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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