Cost of Living Comparison Between Staten Island, NY and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Staten Island, NY and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,916 in Staten Island, NY versus $1,261 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,517 in Staten Island, NY versus $2,276 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,119 in Staten Island, NY versus $3,291 in Phuket.

Living in Staten Island, NY is roughly 131% more expensive than in Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Staten Island, NY is 118% above, Phuket is 6% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$22.33 $22.33

$4.53 ฿153

392.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$101 $101

$46.36 ฿1,565

117.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.09 $12.09

$8.65 ฿292

39.77%

Cappuccino

$6.07 $6.07

$3.09 ฿104

96.44%

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

$2.29 $2.29

$0.68 ฿22.89

236.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.63 $1.63

$0.37 ฿12.44

340.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.90 $7.90

$2.42 ฿81.6

226.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.76 $7.76

$3.81 ฿129

103.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.47 $1.47

$2.18 ฿73.5

-32.57%

White Bread (500g)

$4.68 $4.68

$1.82 ฿61.3

157.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$7.98 $7.98

$2.18 ฿73.5

266.06%

Eggs

$6.49 $6.49

$2.24 ฿75.4

189.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.16 $17.16

$19.93 ฿673

-13.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.10 $13.10

$3.64 ฿123

259.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.79 $19.79

$13.56 ฿458

45.94%

Apples (1kg)

$6.71 $6.71

$3.29 ฿111

103.95%

Banana (1kg)

$2.60 $2.60

$1.69 ฿56.9

53.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.95 $5.95

$2.33 ฿78.8

155.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.25 $6.25

$2.03 ฿68.4

207.88%

Potato (1kg)

$3.71 $3.71

$1.60 ฿54.0

131.88%

Onion (1kg)

$3.92 $3.92

$1.49 ฿50.5

163.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.73 $2.73

$1.01 ฿34.17

170.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.78 $2.78

$0.48 ฿16.09

479.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$18.79 $18.79

$4.45 ฿150

322.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.89 $14.89

$18.63 ฿629

-20.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 $1.83

$1.79 ฿60.3

2.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.89 $3.89

$2.80 ฿94.4

38.93%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.82 $2.82

$1.42 ฿47.90

98.59%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.33 ฿382

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.06 $3.06

$3.09 ฿104

-0.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.13 $2.13

$1.04 ฿35.19

104.81%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$41.40 $41.40

$13.63 ฿460

203.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 $0.95

$1.31 ฿44.23

-27.48%

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

$35.4K $35.4K

$27.3K ฿920.7K

29.81%

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

$27.9K $27.9K

$33.2K ฿1.1M

-16.11%

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

$218 $218

$123 ฿4,157

77.16%

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

$59.3 $59.3

$13.81 ฿466

329.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$64.2 $64.2

$18.52 ฿625

246.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$114 $114

$60.4 ฿2,037

89.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.80 ฿567

Cinema Ticket

$19.91 $19.91

$8.89 ฿300

123.96%

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

$1,970 $1,970

$687 ฿23.2K

186.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.9K $15.9K

$15.6K ฿524.8K

2.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.9 $67.9

$57.6 ฿1,945

17.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.35 $37.35

$34.66 ฿1,170

7.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 $112

$115 ฿3,879

-2.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 $104

$84.9 ฿2,865

22.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,745 $1,745

$618 ฿20.8K

182.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,402 $1,402

$443 ฿15.0K

216.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,256 $3,256

$2,047 ฿69.1K

59.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,623 $2,623

$1,506 ฿50.8K

74.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,568 ฿120.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,511 ฿84.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,822 $5,822

$503 ฿17.0K

1058.01%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.74

5.33

26.45%

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

Last update for Staten Island, NY: July 20, 2026

Last update for Phuket: July 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,745 in Staten Island, NY and $618 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Staten Island, NY pays 1058% 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: $101 in Staten Island, NY vs $46.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $510 vs $292 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

Staten Island, NY vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 131% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 1058% higher in Staten Island, NY, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,745 in Staten Island, NY versus $618 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,970 in Staten Island, NY versus $687 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 $46.00 versus $101 in Staten Island, NY. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,261 in Phuket versus $2,916 in Staten Island, NY, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Staten Island, NY. 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 Staten Island, NY, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Staten Island, NY 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 131% less than in Staten Island, NY. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.