Cost of Living Comparison Between Laurel, MS and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Laurel, MS and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,660 per month in Laurel, MS vs $1,253 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,790 per month in Laurel, MS vs $2,043 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,921 per month in Laurel, MS vs $2,833 in Phuket, rent included.

Laurel, MS costs about 112% more than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Laurel, MS sits 94% above the global median, while Phuket is 9% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.71 $17.71

$4.56 ฿150

288.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.6 $60.6

$32.62 ฿1,072

85.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.18 $9.18

$8.90 ฿293

3.15%

Cappuccino

$5.61 $5.61

$2.80 ฿92.2

100.36%

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

$2.12 $2.12

$0.88 ฿28.93

140.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.36 $2.36

$0.49 ฿16.08

381.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.92 $4.92

$2.39 ฿78.5

105.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.07 $6.07

$3.71 ฿122

63.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.02 $1.02

$1.79 ฿58.7

-43.02%

White Bread (500g)

$3.08 $3.08

$1.44 ฿47.38

113.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.55 $4.55

$1.58 ฿52.1

187.97%

Eggs

$4.02 $4.02

$2.13 ฿69.9

88.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.24 $9.24

$19.92 ฿655

-53.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.19 $11.19

$3.43 ฿113

226.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.09 $16.09

$11.33 ฿372

42.01%

Apples (1kg)

$3.88 $3.88

$2.95 ฿96.9

31.53%

Banana (1kg)

$1.33 $1.33

$1.72 ฿56.6

-22.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$7.87 $7.87

$2.32 ฿76.4

239.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.08 $3.08

$2.08 ฿68.4

48.08%

Potato (1kg)

$1.11 $1.11

$1.47 ฿48.33

-24.49%

Onion (1kg)

$5.41 $5.41

$1.36 ฿44.64

297.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.76 $2.76

$1.10 ฿36.12

150.91%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.83 $2.83

$0.57 ฿18.89

396.49%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.82 $9.82

$4.27 ฿140

129.98%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.85 $11.85

$18.42 ฿605

-35.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.34 $2.34

$1.87 ฿61.5

25.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.53 $3.53

$2.92 ฿96.0

20.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.91 $1.91

$2.22 ฿72.9

-13.96%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.90 ฿753

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.96 $2.96

$3.03 ฿99.6

-2.31%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.61 $1.61

$1.07 ฿35.31

50.47%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.18 $30.18

$3.93 ฿129

667.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.88 $0.88

$1.49 ฿49.04

-40.94%

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

$34.2K $34.2K

$27.1K ฿891.7K

26.00%

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

$25.2K $25.2K

$27.5K ฿902.3K

-8.31%

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

$283 $283

$103 ฿3,379

175.42%

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

$76.5 $76.5

$10.99 ฿361

596.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.1 $69.1

$17.51 ฿576

294.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.07 $39.07

$53.5 ฿1,760

-27.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.20 ฿368

Cinema Ticket

$15.72 $15.72

$7.48 ฿246

110.16%

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

$1,330 $1,330

$557 ฿18.3K

138.79%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.9K $17.9K

$11.9K ฿389.6K

50.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.1 $59.1

$64.1 ฿2,106

-7.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.54 $38.54

$29.07 ฿956

32.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$110 $110

$96.0 ฿3,154

14.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$139 $139

$90.3 ฿2,970

53.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,609 $1,609

$730 ฿24.0K

120.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,318 $1,318

$500 ฿16.4K

163.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,451 $2,451

$2,090 ฿68.7K

17.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,096 $2,096

$1,209 ฿39.7K

73.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,504 $2,504

$3,596 ฿118.2K

-30.38%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,532 $2,532

$2,512 ฿82.6K

0.80%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$503 ฿16.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.18

5.57

10.95%

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

Last update for Laurel, MS: August 31, 2026

Last update for Phuket: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,609 in Laurel, MS versus $730 in Phuket. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $61.0 in Laurel, MS versus $33.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $383 vs $273 – making Phuket the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Laurel, MS vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,660 in Laurel, MS, $1,253 in Phuket – roughly 112% apart. Laurel, MS costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,990 per month in Laurel, MS and $1,880 in Phuket. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Phuket, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $61.0 in Laurel, MS and $33.00 in Phuket. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 40% more in Laurel, MS, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Phuket, where all-in costs run around $1,253, than in Laurel, MS at $2,660. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Laurel, MS it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Phuket has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,253 in Phuket to $2,660 in Laurel, MS. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Phuket. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Laurel, MS makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.