Cost of Living Comparison Between Cape Girardeau, MO and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Cape Girardeau, MO and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,984 in Cape Girardeau, MO versus $1,232 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,048 in Cape Girardeau, MO versus $2,054 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,112 in Cape Girardeau, MO versus $2,876 in Phuket.

Living in Cape Girardeau, MO is roughly 61% more expensive than in Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Cape Girardeau, MO is 45% above, Phuket is 10% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.56 $17.56

$4.41 ฿147

298.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$57.5 $57.5

$32.26 ฿1,077

78.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.16 $7.16

$8.93 ฿298

-19.82%

Cappuccino

$6.57 $6.57

$2.90 ฿96.6

126.55%

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

$2.95 $2.95

$0.88 ฿29.38

235.23%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 $1.98

$0.48 ฿16.06

312.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.94 $2.94

$2.35 ฿78.5

25.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.16 $8.16

$3.72 ฿124

119.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.15 $1.15

$1.87 ฿62.3

-38.50%

White Bread (500g)

$2.22 $2.22

$1.47 ฿48.94

51.02%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.98 $3.98

$1.55 ฿51.8

156.77%

Eggs

$2.98 $2.98

$2.10 ฿70.1

41.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.06 $13.06

$19.59 ฿654

-33.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.12 $14.12

$3.42 ฿114

312.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.40 $18.40

$11.38 ฿380

61.69%

Apples (1kg)

$3.35 $3.35

$2.98 ฿99.6

12.42%

Banana (1kg)

$1.53 $1.53

$1.68 ฿56.2

-8.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.16 $4.16

$2.21 ฿73.7

88.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.85 $4.85

$2.16 ฿72.1

124.54%

Potato (1kg)

$2.71 $2.71

$1.52 ฿50.9

78.29%

Onion (1kg)

$3.08 $3.08

$1.34 ฿44.67

129.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.29 $2.29

$1.13 ฿37.67

102.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.34 $2.34

$0.55 ฿18.24

325.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.46 $7.46

$4.26 ฿142

75.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.23 $15.23

$19.09 ฿637

-20.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 $1.70

$1.78 ฿59.4

-4.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.65 $4.65

$2.78 ฿92.9

67.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.23 ฿74.4

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.74 ฿759

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.02 $5.02

$3.03 ฿101

65.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.53 $1.53

$1.02 ฿34.15

50.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$20.93 $20.93

$3.89 ฿130

438.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.77 $0.77

$1.49 ฿49.77

-48.32%

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

$37.4K $37.4K

$26.6K ฿887.3K

40.81%

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

$25.1K $25.1K

$27.0K ฿902.2K

-7.15%

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

$203 $203

$102 ฿3,420

98.29%

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

$41.93 $41.93

$11.33 ฿378

270.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$77.5 $77.5

$17.40 ฿581

345.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$20.14 $20.14

$52.1 ฿1,738

-61.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.07 ฿370

Cinema Ticket

$15.01 $15.01

$7.69 ฿257

95.19%

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

$1,444 $1,444

$561 ฿18.7K

157.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$30.8K $30.8K

$11.5K ฿384.1K

167.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.70 $45.70

$63.0 ฿2,104

-27.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.67 $39.67

$29.52 ฿986

34.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.4 $85.4

$98.0 ฿3,272

-12.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$40.46 $40.46

$88.5 ฿2,954

-54.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$798 $798

$738 ฿24.6K

8.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$874 $874

$482 ฿16.1K

81.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,565 $1,565

$2,107 ฿70.3K

-25.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 $1,644

$1,226 ฿40.9K

34.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,464 $1,464

$3,617 ฿120.7K

-59.53%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,414 $1,414

$2,603 ฿86.9K

-45.68%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,420 $2,420

$494 ฿16.5K

390.27%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.07

5.57

8.98%

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

Last update for Cape Girardeau, MO: September 13, 2026

Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $798 in Cape Girardeau, MO and $738 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cape Girardeau, MO pays 390% 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: $57.0 in Cape Girardeau, MO vs $32.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $393 vs $274 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

Cape Girardeau, MO vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 61% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 390% higher in Cape Girardeau, MO, 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: $798 in Cape Girardeau, MO versus $738 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 44% higher in Cape Girardeau, MO. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,984 per month in Cape Girardeau, MO versus $1,232 in Phuket – a 61% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,232 in Phuket versus $1,984 in Cape Girardeau, MO, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Cape Girardeau, MO. 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 Cape Girardeau, MO, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Cape Girardeau, MO 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 61% less than in Cape Girardeau, MO. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.