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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,729 in Summit, NJ versus $1,265 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,069 in Summit, NJ versus $2,297 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,409 in Summit, NJ versus $3,329 in Phuket.

Living in Summit, NJ is roughly 116% more expensive than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Summit, NJ is 104% above, Phuket is 6% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.67 $19.67

$4.70 ฿154

318.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$101 $101

$45.37 ฿1,489

123.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.82 $13.82

$8.43 ฿277

63.94%

Cappuccino

$5.23 $5.23

$2.93 ฿96.1

78.50%

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

$2.48 $2.48

$0.69 ฿22.50

259.42%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 $2.05

$0.37 ฿12.04

454.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.10 $8.10

$2.41 ฿79.0

236.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.11 $8.11

$3.72 ฿122

118.01%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.26 $1.26

$2.23 ฿73.3

-43.50%

White Bread (500g)

$3.68 $3.68

$1.83 ฿60.1

101.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.27 $5.27

$2.17 ฿71.1

142.86%

Eggs

$4.11 $4.11

$2.21 ฿72.6

85.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$25.74 $25.74

$19.74 ฿648

30.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.95 $11.95

$3.63 ฿119

229.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.30 $17.30

$13.53 ฿444

27.86%

Apples (1kg)

$7.19 $7.19

$3.28 ฿108

119.21%

Banana (1kg)

$1.80 $1.80

$1.61 ฿52.9

11.80%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.89 $3.89

$2.41 ฿79.0

61.41%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.14 $4.14

$2.08 ฿68.4

99.04%

Potato (1kg)

$2.80 $2.80

$1.53 ฿50.2

83.01%

Onion (1kg)

$3.70 $3.70

$1.48 ฿48.58

150.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.47 $2.47

$0.99 ฿32.44

149.49%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.67 $2.67

$0.51 ฿16.74

423.53%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.95 $10.95

$4.41 ฿145

148.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.23 $15.23

$19.38 ฿636

-21.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 $1.76

$1.78 ฿58.4

-1.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.42 $6.42

$2.71 ฿89.0

136.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.97 $1.97

$1.37 ฿44.99

43.80%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.39 ฿374

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.91 $2.91

$3.02 ฿99.1

-3.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.08 $2.08

$0.99 ฿32.63

110.10%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.07 $24.07

$14.10 ฿463

70.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.86 $0.86

$1.36 ฿44.71

-36.76%

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

$30.5K $30.5K

$28.2K ฿925.3K

8.27%

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

$25.2K $25.2K

$32.9K ฿1.1M

-23.48%

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

$178 $178

$122 ฿3,993

46.33%

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

$50.6 $50.6

$13.57 ฿445

273.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$55.4 $55.4

$18.31 ฿601

202.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.14 $43.14

$60.2 ฿1,976

-28.36%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.14 ฿562

Cinema Ticket

$15.24 $15.24

$8.69 ฿285

75.37%

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

$1,851 $1,851

$693 ฿22.8K

166.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.9K $23.9K

$15.7K ฿514.7K

52.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$69.1 $69.1

$59.5 ฿1,953

16.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.7 $54.7

$34.77 ฿1,141

57.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.2 $76.2

$115 ฿3,760

-33.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$134 $134

$83.3 ฿2,733

60.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,718 $2,718

$613 ฿20.1K

343.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,337 $1,337

$437 ฿14.3K

205.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,508 $5,508

$2,094 ฿68.7K

163.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,204 $2,204

$1,509 ฿49.5K

46.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,600 $2,600

$3,749 ฿123.0K

-30.66%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,355 $2,355

$2,616 ฿85.8K

-9.96%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.55

5.33

22.89%

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

Last update for Summit, NJ: May 30, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,718 in Summit, NJ and $613 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $101 in Summit, NJ vs $45.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $468 vs $293 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

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

Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 116% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $4,093 in Summit, NJ and $1,898 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: $2,718 in Summit, NJ versus $613 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,851 in Summit, NJ versus $693 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 $45.00 versus $101 in Summit, NJ. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,265 in Phuket versus $2,729 in Summit, NJ, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Summit, 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 Summit, NJ, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Summit, 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 116% less than in Summit, NJ. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.