Cost of Living Comparison Between Somerset, NJ and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Somerset, NJ and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $4,069 in Somerset, NJ versus $1,253 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,464 in Somerset, NJ versus $2,043 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,858 in Somerset, NJ versus $2,833 in Phuket.

Living in Somerset, NJ is roughly 225% more expensive than in Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Somerset, NJ is 196% above, Phuket is 9% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.73 $17.73

$4.56 ฿150

288.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.63 $39.63

$32.62 ฿1,073

21.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.90 $7.90

$8.90 ฿293

-11.24%

Cappuccino

$5.07 $5.07

$2.80 ฿92.2

81.07%

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

$1.96 $1.96

$0.88 ฿28.94

122.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.53 $1.53

$0.49 ฿16.08

212.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.23 $8.23

$2.39 ฿78.5

244.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.03 $7.03

$3.71 ฿122

89.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.32 $1.32

$1.79 ฿58.8

-26.26%

White Bread (500g)

$4.39 $4.39

$1.44 ฿47.40

204.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.96 $5.96

$1.58 ฿52.1

277.22%

Eggs

$2.04 $2.04

$2.13 ฿69.9

-4.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.15 $13.15

$19.92 ฿655

-33.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.35 $10.35

$3.43 ฿113

201.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.51 $19.51

$11.33 ฿372

72.20%

Apples (1kg)

$6.22 $6.22

$2.95 ฿97.0

110.85%

Banana (1kg)

$2.87 $2.87

$1.72 ฿56.6

66.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.19 $4.19

$2.32 ฿76.5

80.60%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.18 $5.18

$2.08 ฿68.4

149.04%

Potato (1kg)

$3.01 $3.01

$1.47 ฿48.34

104.76%

Onion (1kg)

$3.51 $3.51

$1.36 ฿44.65

158.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.47 $2.47

$1.10 ฿36.13

124.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.06 $3.06

$0.57 ฿18.89

436.84%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$17.34 $17.34

$4.27 ฿140

306.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.15 $15.15

$18.42 ฿606

-17.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 $1.77

$1.87 ฿61.5

-5.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.56 $3.56

$2.92 ฿96.1

21.92%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.06 $2.06

$2.22 ฿73.0

-7.21%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.90 ฿753

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.07 $3.07

$3.03 ฿99.6

1.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.20 $2.20

$1.07 ฿35.32

105.61%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$41.94 $41.94

$3.93 ฿129

967.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 $1.01

$1.49 ฿49.06

-32.21%

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

$35.1K $35.1K

$27.1K ฿892.0K

29.37%

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

$25.1K $25.1K

$27.5K ฿902.6K

-8.74%

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

$227 $227

$103 ฿3,380

120.83%

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

$51.7 $51.7

$10.99 ฿361

370.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$50.6 $50.6

$17.51 ฿576

188.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.59 $41.59

$53.5 ฿1,760

-22.31%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.20 ฿368

Cinema Ticket

$20.28 $20.28

$7.48 ฿246

171.12%

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

$1,783 $1,783

$557 ฿18.3K

220.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K $15.8K

$11.9K ฿389.7K

33.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$77.8 $77.8

$64.1 ฿2,107

21.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.07 $40.07

$29.07 ฿956

37.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$127 $127

$96.0 ฿3,155

32.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$167 $167

$90.3 ฿2,970

84.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,612 $1,612

$730 ฿24.0K

120.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,603 $2,603

$500 ฿16.4K

420.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,464 $2,464

$2,090 ฿68.7K

17.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,096 $2,096

$1,209 ฿39.8K

73.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,765 $2,765

$3,596 ฿118.2K

-23.11%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,379 $2,379

$2,512 ฿82.6K

-5.31%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$503 ฿16.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.3

5.57

13.11%

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

Last update for Somerset, NJ: September 1, 2026

Last update for Phuket: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,612 in Somerset, NJ and $730 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $40.00 in Somerset, NJ vs $33.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $439 vs $273 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

Somerset, NJ vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 225% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $6,104 in Somerset, NJ and $1,880 in Phuket 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,612 in Somerset, NJ versus $730 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,783 in Somerset, NJ versus $557 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Phuket – a meal for two runs $33.00 versus $40.00 in Somerset, NJ. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,253 in Phuket versus $4,069 in Somerset, NJ, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Somerset, NJ. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Phuket is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Somerset, NJ, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Somerset, NJ and Phuket are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Phuket gentler on the wallet – expenses run 225% less than in Somerset, NJ. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.