Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Cleveland, MS and Phuket

For one person, living is cheaper in Phuket: $1,208 a month against $2,680 in Cleveland, MS, rent and utilities included – about $17,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Cleveland, MS
🇺🇸 United States
$2,680
/mo nomad
Phuket
🇹🇭 Thailand
$1,208
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Cleveland, MS and in Phuket

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Cleveland, MS and in Phuket actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,680 in Cleveland, MS versus $1,208 in Phuket.

  • Cleveland, MS $2,680
  • Phuket $1,208

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,896 in Cleveland, MS versus $2,027 in Phuket.

  • Cleveland, MS $3,896
  • Phuket $2,027

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,113 in Cleveland, MS versus $2,845 in Phuket.

  • Cleveland, MS $5,113
  • Phuket $2,845

Living in Cleveland, MS is roughly 122% more expensive than in Phuket, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Cleveland, MS is 98% above, Phuket is 11% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Cleveland, MS
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.81 $16.81
$4.40 ฿147
282.05%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$73.5 $73.5
$32.26 ฿1,078
127.96%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.08 $11.08
$8.76 ฿293
26.48%
Cappuccino
$5.26 $5.26
$2.83 ฿94.5
85.87%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.93 $2.93
$0.90 ฿30.14
225.56%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.35 $2.35
$0.47 ฿15.56
400.00%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.49 $5.49
$2.55 ฿85.2
115.29%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$6.69 $6.69
$3.83 ฿128
74.67%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Cleveland, MS
Phuket
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.09 $1.09
$1.73 ฿57.7
-36.99%
White Bread (500g)
$2.67 $2.67
$1.47 ฿49.11
81.63%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.74 $2.74
$1.51 ฿50.6
81.46%
Eggs
$3.39 $3.39
$2.17 ฿72.7
56.22%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.34 $10.34
$19.70 ฿658
-47.51%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$11.76 $11.76
$3.34 ฿112
252.10%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$23.00 $23.00
$11.16 ฿373
106.09%
Apples (1kg)
$5.13 $5.13
$2.85 ฿95.1
80.00%
Banana (1kg)
$1.41 $1.41
$1.70 ฿56.9
-17.06%
Oranges (1kg)
$4.29 $4.29
$2.19 ฿73.3
95.89%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.75 $3.75
$2.05 ฿68.4
82.93%
Potato (1kg)
$2.86 $2.86
$1.45 ฿48.57
97.24%
Onion (1kg)
$2.46 $2.46
$1.38 ฿46.16
78.26%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.01 $2.01
$1.07 ฿35.69
87.85%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.93 $1.93
$0.51 ฿16.91
278.43%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$9.58 $9.58
$4.26 ฿142
124.88%
Wine (Bottle)
$13.54 $13.54
$18.58 ฿621
-27.13%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.80 $1.80
$1.78 ฿59.7
1.12%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.68 $1.68
$2.85 ฿95.2
-41.05%
🚌 Getting Around
Cleveland, MS
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.14 $2.14
$2.26 ฿75.6
-5.31%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$22.10 ฿738
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.56 $2.56
$3.01 ฿101
-14.95%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.52 $1.52
$1.06 ฿35.34
43.40%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$23.58 $23.58
$3.86 ฿129
510.88%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.92 $0.92
$1.45 ฿48.45
-36.55%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.7K $27.7K
$26.3K ฿879.9K
5.20%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.7K $26.7K
$26.9K ฿900.4K
-1.07%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Cleveland, MS
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$222 $222
$96.4 ฿3,221
129.83%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$60.6 $60.6
$11.04 ฿369
449.09%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$68.4 $68.4
$17.14 ฿573
299.01%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Cleveland, MS
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$46.22 $46.22
$52.2 ฿1,744
-11.42%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$11.16 ฿373
-
Cinema Ticket
$13.08 $13.08
$7.81 ฿261
67.48%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Cleveland, MS
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,032 $1,032
$556 ฿18.6K
85.56%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$19.3K $19.3K
$11.6K ฿387.0K
66.76%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Cleveland, MS
Phuket
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$50.4 $50.4
$64.2 ฿2,146
-21.51%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$38.07 $38.07
$28.69 ฿959
32.69%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$83.8 $83.8
$95.4 ฿3,187
-12.08%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$152 $152
$88.0 ฿2,940
72.93%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Cleveland, MS
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,510 $1,510
$737 ฿24.6K
104.87%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,424 $1,424
$462 ฿15.5K
208.01%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,218 $2,218
$2,095 ฿70.0K
5.87%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,364 $2,364
$1,201 ฿40.1K
96.86%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,571 $2,571
$3,488 ฿116.6K
-26.29%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,707 $2,707
$2,523 ฿84.3K
7.32%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Cleveland, MS
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$501 ฿16.7K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.75
5.57
21.18%

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

Last update for Cleveland, MS: October 20, 2026

Last update for Phuket: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Cleveland, MS
$1.4K
Phuket
$462 67.5% $962
Groceries & Markets
Cleveland, MS
$375
Phuket
$269 28.4% $107
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Cleveland, MS
$351
Phuket
$125 64.5% $226
Eating Out
Cleveland, MS
$293
Phuket
$121 58.6% $172
Clothing & Footwear
Cleveland, MS
$146
Phuket
$124 14.9% $22
Sport & Entertainment
Cleveland, MS
$72
Phuket
$68 6.3% $4.6
Getting Around
Cleveland, MS
$19 *
Phuket
$39 111% $21

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,510 in Cleveland, MS and $737 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $74.0 in Cleveland, MS vs $32.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $375 vs $269 per month, with Phuket cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇺🇸 Cleveland, MS
🇹🇭 Phuket
🕒 Local time
04:32 4:32 AM
16:32 4:32 PM
12 h ahead of Cleveland, MS
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
367,991
79,308
💱 Currency
Thai Baht THB ฿
Exchange rates and currency converter

THB, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 22, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 22, 2026: 1 USD = 33.42 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.57 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Cleveland, MS Phuket 15,290 km ≈ 20 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Cleveland, MS
  • Phuket

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Cleveland, MS vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Phuket cheaper than Cleveland, MS?
Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and clothing. The 122% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You'd need roughly $4,019 in Cleveland, MS and $1,813 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.
What is the rent difference between Cleveland, MS and Phuket?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,510 in Cleveland, MS versus $737 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do food prices compare in Cleveland, MS and in Phuket?
Supermarket bills run roughly 40% higher in Cleveland, MS. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
What are total monthly expenses in Cleveland, MS and in Phuket?
All in, you'll spend $2,680 per month in Cleveland, MS versus $1,208 in Phuket – a 122% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Cleveland, MS or in Phuket?
At $1,208 in Phuket versus $2,680 in Cleveland, MS, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Cleveland, MS. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Cleveland, MS or Phuket more family-friendly?
For families, Phuket is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Cleveland, MS, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Cleveland, MS or Phuket?
Safety-wise, Cleveland, MS 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.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Phuket gentler on the wallet – expenses run 122% less than in Cleveland, MS. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

Cleveland, MS vs other spots: cost of living compared

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