🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,232 in Phuket versus $2,652 in Camden, NJ.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,054 in Phuket versus $3,896 in Camden, NJ.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,876 in Phuket versus $5,140 in Camden, NJ.
🌍Living in Phuket costs roughly 54% less than in Camden, NJ, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Phuket is 10% below, Camden, NJ is 94% above.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Camden, NJ
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.41฿147
$20.39$20.39
-78.37%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.26฿1,074
$80.4$80.4
-59.88%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.93฿297
$12.10$12.10
-26.20%
Cappuccino
$2.90฿96.4
$5.34$5.34
-45.69%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.88฿29.30
$2.55$2.55
-65.49%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.48฿16.01
$2.01$2.01
-76.12%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.35฿78.3
$6.13$6.13
-61.66%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.72฿124
$7.93$7.93
-53.09%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Camden, NJ
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.87฿62.1
$1.43$1.43
30.77%
White Bread(500g)
$1.47฿48.81
$4.37$4.37
-66.36%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.55฿51.7
$7.17$7.17
-78.38%
Eggs
$2.10฿70.0
$5.09$5.09
-58.74%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$19.59฿652
$12.23$12.23
60.18%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.42฿114
$13.11$13.11
-73.91%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$11.38฿379
$17.91$17.91
-36.46%
Apples(1kg)
$2.98฿99.3
$5.90$5.90
-49.49%
Banana(1kg)
$1.68฿56.1
$1.70$1.70
-1.18%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.21฿73.5
$5.26$5.26
-57.98%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.16฿72.0
$5.27$5.27
-59.01%
Potato(1kg)
$1.52฿50.8
$2.85$2.85
-46.67%
Onion(1kg)
$1.34฿44.55
$3.03$3.03
-55.78%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.13฿37.57
$2.43$2.43
-53.50%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.55฿18.19
$2.39$2.39
-76.99%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.26฿142
$12.81$12.81
-66.74%
Wine(Bottle)
$19.09฿635
$15.01$15.01
27.18%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.78฿59.2
$2.29$2.29
-22.27%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.78฿92.6
$3.28$3.28
-15.24%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Camden, NJ
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$2.23฿74.2
$1.87$1.87
19.25%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$22.74฿757
-
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.03฿101
$2.68$2.68
13.06%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.02฿34.06
$1.53$1.53
-33.33%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$3.89฿130
$23.74$23.74
-83.61%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.49฿49.63
$1.16$1.16
28.45%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.6K฿884.9K
$35.3K$35.3K
-24.74%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$27.0K฿899.8K
$25.0K$25.0K
8.25%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Camden, NJ
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$102฿3,411
$215$215
-52.42%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.33฿377
$54.8$54.8
-79.31%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$17.40฿579
$62.8$62.8
-72.27%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Camden, NJ
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$52.1฿1,734
$40.82$40.82
27.58%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$11.07฿369
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$7.69฿256
$15.72$15.72
-51.08%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Camden, NJ
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$561฿18.7K
$2,204$2,204
-74.56%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$11.5K฿383.0K
$34.8K$34.8K
-66.91%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Camden, NJ
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$63.0฿2,098
$48.54$48.54
29.85%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$29.52฿983
$46.52$46.52
-36.54%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$98.0฿3,263
$102$102
-3.50%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$88.5฿2,946
$119$119
-25.37%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Camden, NJ
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$738฿24.6K
$1,494$1,494
-50.60%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$482฿16.1K
$1,149$1,149
-58.02%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,107฿70.1K
$2,141$2,141
-1.59%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,226฿40.8K
$2,372$2,372
-48.32%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,617฿120.4K
$2,584$2,584
40.00%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,603฿86.7K
$2,213$2,213
17.62%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Camden, NJ
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$494฿16.4K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.57
6.16
-9.58%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026
Last update for Camden, NJ: September 15, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $738 in Phuket and $1,494 in Camden, NJ. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
🛒Dining out: $32.00 in Phuket vs $80.0 in Camden, NJ for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $274 vs $451 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 Camden, NJ: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Phuket and in Camden, NJ?
Phuket and Camden, NJ differ by about 115% in total monthly costs ($1,232 vs $2,652 including rent). Phuket is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
What salary covers living expenses in Phuket compared to Camden, NJ?
You'd need roughly $1,847 in Phuket and $3,979 in Camden, 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.
How do apartment prices compare in Phuket and in Camden, NJ?
Rent for a central apartment: $738 in Phuket versus $1,494 in Camden, NJ. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Supermarket bills run roughly 65% higher in Camden, NJ. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Which city is more expensive overall: Phuket or Camden, NJ?
All in, you'll spend $1,232 per month in Phuket versus $2,652 in Camden, NJ – a 115% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Which city is more doable on $1,500 per month?
At $1,232 in Phuket versus $2,652 in Camden, NJ, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Camden, NJ. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Phuket and Camden, NJ?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.
Is Phuket or Camden, NJ safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Phuket and Camden, 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.
Where should expats move: Phuket or Camden, NJ?
Expats usually find Phuket gentler on the wallet – expenses run 115% less than in Camden, NJ. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.