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: $3,821 in Summit, NJ versus $1,253 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,974 in Summit, NJ versus $2,043 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $8,126 in Summit, NJ versus $2,833 in Phuket.

Living in Summit, NJ is roughly 205% more expensive than in Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Summit, NJ is 178% above, Phuket is 9% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.52 $24.52

$4.56 ฿150

437.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$101 $101

$32.62 ฿1,072

209.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.08 $11.08

$8.90 ฿293

24.49%

Cappuccino

$5.52 $5.52

$2.80 ฿92.2

97.14%

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

$2.22 $2.22

$0.88 ฿28.93

152.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.46 $1.46

$0.49 ฿16.08

197.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.98 $7.98

$2.39 ฿78.5

233.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.04 $8.04

$3.71 ฿122

116.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.26 $1.26

$1.79 ฿58.7

-29.61%

White Bread (500g)

$3.91 $3.91

$1.44 ฿47.38

171.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.16 $6.16

$1.58 ฿52.1

289.87%

Eggs

$5.56 $5.56

$2.13 ฿69.9

161.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.22 $14.22

$19.92 ฿655

-28.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.47 $10.47

$3.43 ฿113

205.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.46 $17.46

$11.33 ฿372

54.10%

Apples (1kg)

$6.04 $6.04

$2.95 ฿96.9

104.75%

Banana (1kg)

$1.78 $1.78

$1.72 ฿56.6

3.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.35 $4.35

$2.32 ฿76.4

87.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.07 $5.07

$2.08 ฿68.4

143.75%

Potato (1kg)

$2.97 $2.97

$1.47 ฿48.33

102.04%

Onion (1kg)

$3.71 $3.71

$1.36 ฿44.64

172.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.12 $3.12

$1.10 ฿36.12

183.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.87 $2.87

$0.57 ฿18.89

403.51%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.45 $11.45

$4.27 ฿140

168.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.01 $20.01

$18.42 ฿605

8.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 $1.78

$1.87 ฿61.5

-4.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.44 $5.44

$2.92 ฿96.0

86.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.22 ฿72.9

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.90 ฿753

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.97 $2.97

$3.03 ฿99.6

-1.98%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.99 $1.99

$1.07 ฿35.31

85.98%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.79 $23.79

$3.93 ฿129

505.34%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 $1.09

$1.49 ฿49.04

-26.85%

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

$36.0K $36.0K

$27.1K ฿891.7K

32.76%

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

$25.2K $25.2K

$27.5K ฿902.3K

-8.17%

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

$211 $211

$103 ฿3,379

105.72%

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

$60.4 $60.4

$10.99 ฿361

449.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$50.3 $50.3

$17.51 ฿576

187.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$80.3 $80.3

$53.5 ฿1,760

50.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.20 ฿368

Cinema Ticket

$14.94 $14.94

$7.48 ฿246

99.73%

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

$1,750 $1,750

$557 ฿18.3K

214.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.9K $15.9K

$11.9K ฿389.6K

34.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$41.24 $41.24

$64.1 ฿2,106

-35.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.1 $58.1

$29.07 ฿956

99.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.2 $76.2

$96.0 ฿3,154

-20.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 $120

$90.3 ฿2,970

33.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,803 $2,803

$730 ฿24.0K

283.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,479 $2,479

$500 ฿16.4K

396.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,491 $5,491

$2,090 ฿68.7K

162.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$5,068 $5,068

$1,209 ฿39.7K

319.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,596 ฿118.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,512 ฿82.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$503 ฿16.5K

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 Summit, NJ: September 1, 2026

Last update for Phuket: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,803 in Summit, NJ and $730 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $101 in Summit, NJ vs $33.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $453 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

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, Sport & Entertainment. The 205% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $5,731 in Summit, 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: $2,803 in Summit, NJ versus $730 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,750 in Summit, 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 $101 in Summit, NJ. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,253 in Phuket versus $3,821 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 205% less than in Summit, NJ. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.