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: $2,694 in Summit, NJ versus $1,270 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,990 in Summit, NJ versus $2,304 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,286 in Summit, NJ versus $3,339 in Phuket.

Living in Summit, NJ is roughly 112% more expensive than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Summit, NJ is 101% above, Phuket is 5% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.64 $19.64

$4.66 ฿150

321.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$99.0 $99.0

$46.44 ฿1,496

113.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.13 $14.13

$8.68 ฿280

62.79%

Cappuccino

$5.16 $5.16

$2.95 ฿95.0

74.92%

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

$2.47 $2.47

$0.70 ฿22.52

252.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 $1.98

$0.39 ฿12.70

407.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.10 $8.10

$2.53 ฿81.6

220.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.06 $8.06

$3.78 ฿122

113.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.21 $1.21

$2.22 ฿71.5

-45.50%

White Bread (500g)

$3.74 $3.74

$1.80 ฿57.8

107.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.13 $5.13

$2.19 ฿70.4

134.25%

Eggs

$4.20 $4.20

$2.31 ฿74.5

81.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$25.31 $25.31

$19.34 ฿623

30.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.01 $12.01

$3.77 ฿121

218.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.10 $17.10

$13.22 ฿426

29.35%

Apples (1kg)

$7.49 $7.49

$3.33 ฿107

124.92%

Banana (1kg)

$1.78 $1.78

$1.65 ฿53.1

7.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.02 $4.02

$2.29 ฿73.7

75.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.11 $4.11

$1.99 ฿64.1

106.53%

Potato (1kg)

$2.77 $2.77

$1.53 ฿49.24

81.05%

Onion (1kg)

$3.83 $3.83

$1.51 ฿48.77

153.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.50 $2.50

$1.03 ฿33.12

142.72%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.58 $2.58

$0.51 ฿16.57

405.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.99 $10.99

$4.41 ฿142

149.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.97 $14.97

$19.41 ฿625

-22.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 $1.78

$1.80 ฿58.0

-1.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.24 $6.24

$2.68 ฿86.4

132.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.05 $2.05

$1.43 ฿46.11

43.36%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.70 ฿377

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.92 $2.92

$3.04 ฿97.9

-3.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.99 $1.99

$1.04 ฿33.37

91.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.79 $23.79

$13.68 ฿441

73.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.88 $0.88

$1.30 ฿41.85

-32.31%

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

$29.6K $29.6K

$27.9K ฿898.9K

6.27%

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

$25.2K $25.2K

$33.0K ฿1.1M

-23.69%

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

$178 $178

$123 ฿3,962

45.11%

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

$50.6 $50.6

$13.82 ฿445

266.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$56.2 $56.2

$18.86 ฿608

198.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.26 $42.26

$61.2 ฿1,970

-30.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.81 ฿541

Cinema Ticket

$15.21 $15.21

$8.87 ฿286

71.48%

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

$1,852 $1,852

$696 ฿22.4K

165.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.1K $24.1K

$16.1K ฿517.4K

49.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$70.5 $70.5

$59.3 ฿1,910

18.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.4 $55.4

$34.85 ฿1,123

59.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.1 $75.1

$113 ฿3,646

-33.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$135 $135

$85.1 ฿2,740

59.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,783 $2,783

$615 ฿19.8K

352.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,337 $1,337

$448 ฿14.4K

198.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,396 $5,396

$2,085 ฿67.2K

158.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,235 $2,235

$1,496 ฿48.2K

49.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,674 $2,674

$3,734 ฿120.3K

-28.40%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,410 $2,410

$2,662 ฿85.8K

-9.48%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$534 ฿17.2K

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: April 20, 2026

Last update for Phuket: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,783 in Summit, NJ and $615 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $99 in Summit, NJ vs $46 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $467 vs $291 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 112% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $4,041 in Summit, NJ and $1,904 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: $2,783 in Summit, NJ versus $615 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,852 in Summit, NJ versus $696 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 $99.0 in Summit, NJ. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,270 in Phuket versus $2,694 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 112% less than in Summit, NJ. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.