Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Long Branch, NJ

For one person, living is cheaper in Phuket: $1,278 a month against $2,692 in Long Branch, NJ, rent and utilities included – about $17,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

62

Cost of Living Index in Phuket
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Phuket Living Index
123

Cost of Living Index in Long Branch, NJ
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Long Branch, NJ Living Index

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Phuket

🇹🇭 Thailand

$1,278

/mo nomad

Long Branch, NJ

🇺🇸 United States

$2,692

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Phuket and in Long Branch, NJ

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 Long Branch, NJ actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,278 per month in Phuket vs $2,692 in Long Branch, NJ, rent included.

Phuket $1,278
Long Branch, NJ $2,692

A couple spends around $2,216 per month in Phuket vs $3,706 in Long Branch, NJ, rent included.

Phuket $2,216
Long Branch, NJ $3,706

A family of three spends $3,154 per month in Phuket vs $4,720 in Long Branch, NJ, rent included.

Phuket $3,154
Long Branch, NJ $4,720

Phuket is about 53% cheaper than Long Branch, NJ, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Phuket sits 6% below the global median, while Long Branch, NJ is 98% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.47 ฿151

$19.97 $19.97

-77.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.41 ฿1,094

$75.4 $75.4

-57.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.81 ฿297

$12.98 $12.98

-32.13%

Cappuccino

$2.83 ฿95.5

$5.02 $5.02

-43.63%

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

$0.87 ฿29.43

$2.78 $2.78

-68.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.67

$2.04 $2.04

-75.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.56 ฿86.4

$3.97 $3.97

-35.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.68 ฿124

$6.96 $6.96

-47.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.66 ฿56.0

$1.06 $1.06

56.60%

White Bread (500g)

$1.46 ฿49.35

$4.62 $4.62

-68.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.6

$4.39 $4.39

-65.83%

Eggs

$2.09 ฿70.5

$6.48 $6.48

-67.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.07 ฿644

$10.54 $10.54

80.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.30 ฿111

$10.85 $10.85

-69.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.91 ฿368

$19.14 $19.14

-43.00%

Apples (1kg)

$2.93 ฿99.0

$5.47 $5.47

-46.44%

Banana (1kg)

$1.69 ฿57.1

$1.60 $1.60

5.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 ฿75.8

$3.40 $3.40

-33.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿70.1

$3.12 $3.12

-33.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.51 ฿51.0

$2.25 $2.25

-32.89%

Onion (1kg)

$1.38 ฿46.56

$2.49 $2.49

-44.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 ฿35.99

$2.72 $2.72

-60.66%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.52

$2.83 $2.83

-81.63%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.20 ฿142

$13.69 $13.69

-69.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.79 ฿634

$16.82 $16.82

11.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.82 ฿61.5

$1.92 $1.92

-5.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 ฿95.9

$2.76 $2.76

2.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.45 ฿49.03

$2.19 $2.19

-33.79%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$56.7 ฿1,913

$62.0 $62.0

-8.58%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ฿102

$5.94 $5.94

-49.16%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 ฿34.36

$1.54 $1.54

-33.77%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.69 ฿125

$31.68 $31.68

-88.35%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 ฿49.81

$1.04 $1.04

41.35%

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

$26.8K ฿904.3K

$28.1K $28.1K

-4.86%

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

$26.7K ฿901.3K

$26.4K $26.4K

1.23%

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

$96.4 ฿3,254

$179 $179

-46.29%

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

$11.26 ฿380

$37.21 $37.21

-69.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.85 ฿569

$59.8 $59.8

-71.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 ฿2,270

$36.08 $36.08

86.34%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.73 ฿362

Cinema Ticket

$7.50 ฿253

$12.42 $12.42

-39.61%

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

$476 ฿16.1K

$2,152 $2,152

-77.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.3K ฿380.4K

$21.4K $21.4K

-47.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.4 ฿2,106

$38.46 $38.46

62.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.41 ฿959

$16.42 $16.42

73.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.3 ฿3,184

$100.0 $100.0

-5.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.8 ฿2,898

$126 $126

-31.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$716 ฿24.2K

$1,440 $1,440

-50.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$491 ฿16.6K

$1,417 $1,417

-65.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,927 ฿65.1K

$2,815 $2,815

-31.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,431 ฿48.3K

$1,870 $1,870

-23.51%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,175 ฿141.0K

$2,782 $2,782

50.09%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,045 ฿102.8K

$2,109 $2,109

44.38%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$502 ฿17.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

6.51

-14.44%

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

Last update for Phuket: October 26, 2026

Last update for Long Branch, NJ: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Phuket

$491 38.4%

Long Branch, NJ

$1.4K 52.7% 189% $926

Groceries & Markets

Phuket

$266 20.8%

Long Branch, NJ

$415 15.4% 55.9% $149

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Phuket

$124 9.7%

Long Branch, NJ

$276 10.3% 122% $152

Clothing & Footwear

Phuket

$122 9.5%

Long Branch, NJ

$126 4.7% 3.7% $4.6

Eating Out

Phuket

$122 9.5%

Long Branch, NJ

$312 11.6% 156% $190

Sport & Entertainment

Phuket

$82 6.4%

Long Branch, NJ

$61 2.3% 25.9% $21

Getting Around

Phuket

$71 5.5%

Long Branch, NJ

$84 3.1% 19.6% $14

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $716 in Phuket versus $1,440 in Long Branch, NJ. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $32 in Phuket versus $75 in Long Branch, NJ. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $266 vs $415 – making Phuket the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Phuket

🇺🇸 Long Branch, NJ

🕒 Local time

02:02 2:02 AM

15:02 3:02 PM

11 h behind Phuket

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

79,308

32,314

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.96 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

1 USD = 0.898 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇭 Thai Baht (฿)

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 33.77 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.59 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.11 USD (1 USD = 0.898 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Phuket Long Branch, NJ 14,600 km ≈ 19 h nonstop flight

From you

Phuket
Long Branch, NJ

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 Long Branch, NJ: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,278 in Phuket, $2,692 in Long Branch, NJ – roughly 111% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,917 per month in Phuket and $4,039 in Long Branch, NJ. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Phuket, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $716 there versus $1,440 in Long Branch, NJ.

Groceries cost about 56% more in Long Branch, NJ, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $32 in Phuket and $75 in Long Branch, NJ. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Phuket, where all-in costs run around $1,278, than in Long Branch, NJ at $2,692. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Long Branch, NJ it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Phuket – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

For expats, Phuket is the easier option financially – housing and daily costs are lower, and the 111% gap matters a lot on a fixed budget or early-career salary.