🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,261 in Phuket versus $2,638 in Perth Amboy, NJ.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,286 in Phuket versus $3,888 in Perth Amboy, NJ.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,310 in Phuket versus $5,138 in Perth Amboy, NJ.
🙂Living in Phuket costs roughly 52% less than in Perth Amboy, NJ, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Phuket is 6% below, Perth Amboy, NJ is 96% above.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Perth Amboy, NJ
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.56฿149
$20.27$20.27
-77.50%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.63฿1,519
$80.6$80.6
-42.18%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.47฿276
$15.15$15.15
-44.09%
Cappuccino
$3.03฿98.6
$5.31$5.31
-42.94%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.69฿22.45
$2.59$2.59
-73.36%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.37฿11.92
$1.95$1.95
-81.03%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.49฿81.0
$8.01$8.01
-68.91%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.66฿119
$8.07$8.07
-54.65%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Perth Amboy, NJ
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.18฿71.0
$1.14$1.14
91.23%
White Bread(500g)
$1.90฿62.0
$2.14$2.14
-11.21%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.20฿71.6
$9.32$9.32
-76.39%
Eggs
$2.22฿72.4
$3.04$3.04
-26.97%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$19.99฿651
$12.50$12.50
59.92%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.66฿119
$11.55$11.55
-68.31%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$13.25฿432
$22.76$22.76
-41.78%
Apples(1kg)
$3.23฿105
$7.37$7.37
-56.17%
Banana(1kg)
$1.70฿55.3
$2.60$2.60
-34.62%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.39฿78.0
$5.41$5.41
-55.82%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.08฿67.7
$6.15$6.15
-66.18%
Potato(1kg)
$1.59฿51.8
$1.42$1.42
11.97%
Onion(1kg)
$1.48฿48.31
$1.47$1.47
0.68%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.03฿33.54
$1.47$1.47
-29.93%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.52฿16.83
$3.02$3.02
-82.78%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.25฿138
$10.85$10.85
-60.83%
Wine(Bottle)
$18.79฿612
$11.90$11.90
57.90%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.76฿57.2
$1.76$1.76
-
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.76฿89.8
$6.46$6.46
-57.28%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Perth Amboy, NJ
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.36฿44.32
$1.98$1.98
-31.31%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$11.36฿370
-
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.14฿102
$6.04$6.04
-48.01%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.04฿33.74
$1.58$1.58
-34.18%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$13.77฿448
$41.44$41.44
-66.77%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.34฿43.79
$0.89$0.89
50.56%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.7K฿901.4K
$29.5K$29.5K
-6.14%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.9K฿1.1M
$26.4K$26.4K
28.41%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Perth Amboy, NJ
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$124฿4,025
$178$178
-30.67%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.52฿440
$23.89$23.89
-43.41%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.69฿609
$56.3$56.3
-66.79%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Perth Amboy, NJ
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$61.8฿2,013
$43.61$43.61
41.76%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.25฿562
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$9.14฿298
$14.89$14.89
-38.62%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Perth Amboy, NJ
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$703฿22.9K
$1,892$1,892
-62.87%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$15.9K฿517.0K
$40.6K$40.6K
-60.87%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Perth Amboy, NJ
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$59.5฿1,937
$32.70$32.70
81.83%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$35.07฿1,142
$54.5$54.5
-35.69%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$115฿3,754
$75.3$75.3
53.08%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$84.1฿2,737
$96.4$96.4
-12.79%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Perth Amboy, NJ
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$619฿20.1K
$1,580$1,580
-60.85%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$433฿14.1K
$1,336$1,336
-67.62%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,062฿67.2K
$2,620$2,620
-21.29%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,511฿49.2K
$2,230$2,230
-32.24%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,646฿118.7K
$3,048$3,048
19.63%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,626฿85.5K
$2,370$2,370
10.77%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Perth Amboy, NJ
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$507฿16.5K
$3,423$3,423
-85.19%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.33
6.55
-18.63%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Phuket: June 7, 2026
Last update for Perth Amboy, NJ: June 6, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $619 in Phuket and $1,580 in Perth Amboy, NJ. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Perth Amboy, NJ pays 575% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.
🛒Dining out: $47.00 in Phuket vs $81.0 in Perth Amboy, NJ for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $445 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 Perth Amboy, NJ: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Phuket or Perth Amboy, NJ?
Phuket wins on cost – living expenses run 109% 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.
Are salaries higher in Phuket or Perth Amboy, NJ?
On paper, Perth Amboy, NJ earns 575% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Phuket vs Perth Amboy, NJ?
Rent for a central apartment: $619 in Phuket versus $1,580 in Perth Amboy, NJ. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do childcare costs compare in Phuket and Perth Amboy, NJ?
Childcare runs $703 in Phuket versus $1,892 in Perth Amboy, NJ. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
How do dining costs compare in Phuket vs Perth Amboy, NJ?
Dining out is cheaper in Phuket – a meal for two runs $47.00 versus $81.0 in Perth Amboy, NJ. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Can you live on $1,500/month in Phuket or Perth Amboy, NJ?
At $1,261 in Phuket versus $2,638 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.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Phuket or Perth Amboy, NJ?
Both work as nomad bases, but Phuket delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,261 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Phuket hard to pass up.
How safe is Phuket compared to Perth Amboy, NJ?
Safety-wise, Phuket and Perth Amboy, 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 more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Phuket gentler on the wallet – expenses run 109% less than in Perth Amboy, NJ. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.