😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,425 in Cleveland, MS versus $1,265 in Phuket.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,455 in Cleveland, MS versus $2,297 in Phuket.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,486 in Cleveland, MS versus $3,329 in Phuket.
😐Living in Cleveland, MS is roughly 92% more expensive than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Cleveland, MS is 81% above, Phuket is 6% below.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Cleveland, MS
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$18.24$18.24
$4.70฿154
288.09%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$40.49$40.49
$45.37฿1,489
-10.76%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$11.34$11.34
$8.43฿277
34.52%
Cappuccino
$3.96$3.96
$2.93฿96.1
35.15%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.05$2.05
$0.69฿22.50
197.10%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.33$2.33
$0.37฿12.04
529.73%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$3.92$3.92
$2.41฿79.0
62.66%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.92$3.92
$3.72฿122
5.38%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Cleveland, MS
Phuket
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.04$1.04
$2.23฿73.3
-53.36%
White Bread(500g)
$3.38$3.38
$1.83฿60.1
84.70%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.14$2.14
$2.17฿71.1
-1.38%
Eggs
$2.98$2.98
$2.21฿72.6
34.84%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$9.45$9.45
$19.74฿648
-52.13%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$11.74$11.74
$3.63฿119
223.42%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$16.77$16.77
$13.53฿444
23.95%
Apples(1kg)
$4.65$4.65
$3.28฿108
41.77%
Banana(1kg)
$1.39$1.39
$1.61฿52.9
-13.66%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.87$2.87
$2.41฿79.0
19.09%
Tomato(1kg)
$3.90$3.90
$2.08฿68.4
87.50%
Potato(1kg)
$4.01$4.01
$1.53฿50.2
162.09%
Onion(1kg)
$2.45$2.45
$1.48฿48.58
65.54%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.89$1.89
$0.99฿32.44
90.91%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$2.02$2.02
$0.51฿16.74
296.08%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$5.08$5.08
$4.41฿145
15.19%
Wine(Bottle)
$11.96$11.96
$19.38฿636
-38.29%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.73$1.73
$1.78฿58.4
-2.81%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.18$2.18
$2.71฿89.0
-19.56%
🚌 Getting Around
Cleveland, MS
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$2.06$2.06
$1.37฿44.99
50.36%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
-
$11.39฿374
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$2.49$2.49
$3.02฿99.1
-17.55%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.47$1.47
$0.99฿32.63
48.48%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$23.75$23.75
$14.10฿463
68.44%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$0.76$0.76
$1.36฿44.71
-44.12%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$23.6K$23.6K
$28.2K฿925.3K
-16.16%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$25.5K$25.5K
$32.9K฿1.1M
-22.59%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Cleveland, MS
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$125$125
$122฿3,993
3.02%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$57.9$57.9
$13.57฿445
326.46%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$70.7$70.7
$18.31฿601
285.91%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Cleveland, MS
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$42.71$42.71
$60.2฿1,976
-29.08%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$17.14฿562
-
Cinema Ticket
$12.48$12.48
$8.69฿285
43.61%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Cleveland, MS
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$1,026$1,026
$693฿22.8K
47.95%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$19.2K$19.2K
$15.7K฿514.7K
22.19%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Cleveland, MS
Phuket
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$20.35$20.35
$59.5฿1,953
-65.82%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.98$40.98
$34.77฿1,141
17.86%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$76.1$76.1
$115฿3,760
-33.60%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$46.05$46.05
$83.3฿2,733
-44.71%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Cleveland, MS
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,603$1,603
$613฿20.1K
161.42%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,350$1,350
$437฿14.3K
208.98%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,591$2,591
$2,094฿68.7K
23.72%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$2,229$2,229
$1,509฿49.5K
47.69%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$2,359$2,359
$3,749฿123.0K
-37.08%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,701$2,701
$2,616฿85.8K
3.27%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Cleveland, MS
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
-
$508฿16.7K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
6.58
5.33
23.45%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Cleveland, MS: June 1, 2026
Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,603 in Cleveland, MS and $613 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
🛒Dining out: $40.00 in Cleveland, MS vs $45.00 in Phuket. Groceries flip the comparison at $350 vs $293, with Phuket cheaper for home cooking.
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 & Markets, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 92% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You'd need roughly $3,638 in Cleveland, MS 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.
What is the rent difference between Cleveland, MS and Phuket?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,603 in Cleveland, MS versus $613 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 Phuket?
Supermarket bills run roughly 20% 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 vs Phuket?
All in, you'll spend $2,425 per month in Cleveland, MS versus $1,265 in Phuket – a 92% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Cleveland, MS or Phuket?
At $1,265 in Phuket versus $2,425 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 92% 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