Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Perth Amboy, NJ

For one person, living is cheaper in Phuket: $1,294 a month against $2,497 in Perth Amboy, NJ, rent and utilities included – about $14,400 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
121

Cost of Living Index in Perth Amboy, NJ
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Perth Amboy, NJ Living Index

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Phuket

🇹🇭 Thailand

$1,294

/mo nomad

Perth Amboy, NJ

🇺🇸 United States

$2,497

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Phuket and in Perth Amboy, 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 Perth Amboy, NJ actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,294 in Phuket versus $2,497 in Perth Amboy, NJ.

Phuket $1,294
Perth Amboy, NJ $2,497

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,204 in Phuket versus $3,699 in Perth Amboy, NJ.

Phuket $2,204
Perth Amboy, NJ $3,699

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,115 in Phuket versus $4,901 in Perth Amboy, NJ.

Phuket $3,115
Perth Amboy, NJ $4,901

Living in Phuket costs roughly 48% less than in Perth Amboy, NJ, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Phuket is 4% below, Perth Amboy, NJ is 85% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.39 ฿147

$18.95 $18.95

-76.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.31 ฿1,085

$78.7 $78.7

-58.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.70 ฿292

$12.92 $12.92

-32.66%

Cappuccino

$2.72 ฿91.5

$6.20 $6.20

-56.13%

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

$0.93 ฿31.25

$2.57 $2.57

-63.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.50 ฿16.78

$1.52 $1.52

-67.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.53 ฿85.0

$8.96 $8.96

-71.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 ฿122

$6.83 $6.83

-46.85%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 ฿58.4

$1.14 $1.14

52.63%

White Bread (500g)

$1.45 ฿48.73

$2.24 $2.24

-35.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.5

$6.16 $6.16

-75.65%

Eggs

$2.17 ฿73.0

$2.94 $2.94

-26.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.09 ฿641

$14.22 $14.22

34.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.40 ฿114

$10.44 $10.44

-67.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 ฿366

$19.88 $19.88

-45.17%

Apples (1kg)

$2.94 ฿98.8

$6.14 $6.14

-52.12%

Banana (1kg)

$1.69 ฿56.8

$3.48 $3.48

-51.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.19 ฿73.7

$4.19 $4.19

-47.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.12 ฿71.4

$5.20 $5.20

-59.23%

Potato (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.99

$1.46 $1.46

Onion (1kg)

$1.37 ฿45.95

$1.39 $1.39

-1.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 ฿36.14

$1.47 $1.47

-26.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ฿18.32

$2.92 $2.92

-81.16%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.43 ฿149

$14.82 $14.82

-70.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.25 ฿613

$11.85 $11.85

54.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 ฿59.5

$1.77 $1.77

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 ฿96.8

$3.64 $3.64

-20.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.45 ฿48.62

$1.79 $1.79

-18.99%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.9 ฿1,844

$57.9 $57.9

-5.23%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.51 ฿50.8

$3.05 $3.05

-50.49%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.78 ฿26.06

$2.14 $2.14

-63.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.84 ฿129

$41.29 $41.29

-90.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿49.96

$1.07 $1.07

39.25%

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

$26.9K ฿902.9K

$27.6K $27.6K

-2.55%

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

$26.3K ฿884.9K

$26.0K $26.0K

1.22%

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

$97.8 ฿3,285

$171 $171

-42.85%

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

$11.29 ฿379

$23.96 $23.96

-52.88%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.19 ฿577

$49.92 $49.92

-65.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.3 ฿2,295

$39.57 $39.57

72.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.92 ฿367

Cinema Ticket

$7.43 ฿250

$18.29 $18.29

-59.38%

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

$530 ฿17.8K

$1,741 $1,741

-69.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.8K ฿630.9K

$20.4K $20.4K

-7.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.7 ฿2,072

$32.70 $32.70

88.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.25 ฿949

$41.16 $41.16

-31.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.0 ฿3,225

$77.3 $77.3

24.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.8 ฿2,916

$97.5 $97.5

-10.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$721 ฿24.2K

$1,604 $1,604

-55.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$509 ฿17.1K

$1,239 $1,239

-58.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,950 ฿65.5K

$2,931 $2,931

-33.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,397 ฿46.9K

$2,063 $2,063

-32.29%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,192 ฿140.8K

$2,800 $2,800

49.71%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,298 ฿110.8K

$2,609 $2,609

26.40%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$492 ฿16.5K

$3,333 $3,333

-85.25%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

6.72

-17.11%

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

Last update for Phuket: November 2, 2026

Last update for Perth Amboy, NJ: October 31, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Phuket

$509 39.3%

Perth Amboy, NJ

$1.2K 49.6% 143% $730

Groceries & Markets

Phuket

$267 20.6%

Perth Amboy, NJ

$407 16.3% 52.5% $140

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Phuket

$126 9.8%

Perth Amboy, NJ

$245 9.8% 94% $119

Clothing & Footwear

Phuket

$123 9.5%

Perth Amboy, NJ

$112 4.5% 8.8% $11

Eating Out

Phuket

$120 9.2%

Perth Amboy, NJ

$340 13.6% 184% $220

Sport & Entertainment

Phuket

$83 6.4%

Perth Amboy, NJ

$76 3.1% 8.5% $7

Getting Around

Phuket

$66 5.1%

Perth Amboy, NJ

$79 3.2% 19.3% $13

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $721 in Phuket and $1,604 in Perth Amboy, NJ. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Perth Amboy, NJ pays about 6.8 times more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $32 in Phuket vs $79 in Perth Amboy, NJ for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $267 vs $407 per month, with Phuket cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Phuket

🇺🇸 Perth Amboy, NJ

🕒 Local time

15:21 3:21 PM

03:21 3:21 AM

12 h behind Phuket

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

79,308

48,607

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.98 USD

100 THB = 2.65 EUR

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇭 Thai Baht (฿)

Thai Baht exchange rates as of November 5, 2026: 1 USD = 33.59 THB (100 THB = 2.98 USD). 1 EUR = 37.75 THB (100 THB = 2.65 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of November 5, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Phuket Perth Amboy, NJ 14,580 km ≈ 19 h nonstop flight

From you

Phuket
Perth Amboy, 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 Perth Amboy, NJ: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket wins on cost – living expenses run 48% 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.

On paper, salaries run 85% lower in Phuket. That’s worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $721 in Phuket versus $1,604 in Perth Amboy, NJ. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $530 in Phuket versus $1,741 in Perth Amboy, NJ. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 53% higher in Perth Amboy, NJ. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,294 in Phuket versus $2,497 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.

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.

Expats usually find Phuket gentler on the wallet – expenses run 48% less than in Perth Amboy, NJ. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.