Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Midland, MI and Phuket

For one person, living is cheaper in Phuket: $1,278 a month against $1,873 in Midland, MI, rent and utilities included – about $7,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

90

Cost of Living Index in Midland, MI
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Midland, MI Living Index
62

Cost of Living Index in Phuket
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Phuket Living Index

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Midland, MI

🇺🇸 United States

$1,873

/mo nomad

Phuket

🇹🇭 Thailand

$1,278

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Midland, MI 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 Midland, MI and in Phuket actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,873 per month in Midland, MI vs $1,278 in Phuket, rent included.

Midland, MI $1,873
Phuket $1,278

A couple spends around $2,699 per month in Midland, MI vs $2,216 in Phuket, rent included.

Midland, MI $2,699
Phuket $2,216

A family of three spends $3,525 per month in Midland, MI vs $3,154 in Phuket, rent included.

Midland, MI $3,525
Phuket $3,154

Midland, MI costs about 47% more than Phuket, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Midland, MI sits 38% above the global median, while Phuket is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.13 $20.13

$4.47 ฿151

350.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$50.7 $50.7

$32.41 ฿1,094

56.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.90 $9.90

$8.81 ฿297

12.37%

Cappuccino

$4.98 $4.98

$2.83 ฿95.4

75.97%

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

$2.20 $2.20

$0.87 ฿29.42

152.87%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.48 $1.48

$0.49 ฿16.66

202.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.86 $3.86

$2.56 ฿86.3

50.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.93 $4.93

$3.68 ฿124

33.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.84 $0.84

$1.66 ฿56.0

-49.40%

White Bread (500g)

$2.59 $2.59

$1.46 ฿49.32

77.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.19 $2.19

$1.50 ฿50.5

46.00%

Eggs

$3.30 $3.30

$2.09 ฿70.5

57.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.19 $11.19

$19.07 ฿643

-41.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.65 $7.65

$3.30 ฿111

131.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 $10.90

$10.91 ฿368

-0.09%

Apples (1kg)

$3.35 $3.35

$2.93 ฿98.9

14.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 $1.44

$1.69 ฿57.0

-14.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.35 $4.35

$2.25 ฿75.8

93.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.76 $3.76

$2.08 ฿70.1

80.77%

Potato (1kg)

$2.58 $2.58

$1.51 ฿51.0

70.86%

Onion (1kg)

$2.05 $2.05

$1.38 ฿46.54

48.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.02 $2.02

$1.07 ฿35.97

88.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.99 $0.99

$0.52 ฿17.51

90.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.02 $10.02

$4.20 ฿142

138.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.47 $13.47

$18.79 ฿634

-28.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.95 $1.95

$1.82 ฿61.5

7.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.05 $3.05

$2.84 ฿95.9

7.39%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.95 $1.95

$1.45 ฿49.00

34.48%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$122 $122

$56.7 ฿1,912

114.49%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.56 $2.56

$3.02 ฿102

-15.23%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.53 $2.53

$1.02 ฿34.34

148.04%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$39.32 $39.32

$3.69 ฿125

965.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.96 $0.96

$1.47 ฿49.78

-34.69%

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

$31.2K $31.2K

$26.8K ฿903.7K

16.40%

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

$26.2K $26.2K

$26.7K ฿900.8K

-2.00%

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

$181 $181

$96.4 ฿3,252

87.47%

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

$40.27 $40.27

$11.26 ฿380

257.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$49.30 $49.30

$16.85 ฿569

192.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.34 $42.34

$67.2 ฿2,269

-37.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$31.69 $31.69

$10.73 ฿362

195.34%

Cinema Ticket

$11.95 $11.95

$7.50 ฿253

59.33%

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

$1,675 $1,675

$476 ฿16.1K

252.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.1K $14.1K

$11.3K ฿380.1K

25.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.43 $45.43

$62.4 ฿2,105

-27.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.85 $39.85

$28.41 ฿959

40.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.4 $72.4

$94.3 ฿3,182

-23.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.5 $78.5

$85.8 ฿2,896

-8.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$710 $710

$716 ฿24.2K

-0.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$694 $694

$491 ฿16.6K

41.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,755 $1,755

$1,927 ฿65.0K

-8.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$986 $986

$1,431 ฿48.3K

-31.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,822 $1,822

$4,175 ฿140.9K

-56.37%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,823 $1,823

$3,045 ฿102.8K

-40.12%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,705 $6,705

$502 ฿17.0K

1235.02%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.51

5.57

16.88%

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

Last update for Midland, MI: October 27, 2026

Last update for Phuket: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Midland, MI

$694 37.1%

Phuket

$491 38.4% 29.3% $203

Groceries & Markets

Midland, MI

$297 15.9%

Phuket

$266 20.8% 10.4% $31

Eating Out

Midland, MI

$294 15.7%

Phuket

$122 9.5% 58.7% $173

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Midland, MI

$270 14.4%

Phuket

$124 9.7% 53.9% $146

Getting Around

Midland, MI

$145 7.7%

Phuket

$71 5.5% 51.2% $74

Clothing & Footwear

Midland, MI

$106 5.7%

Phuket

$122 9.5% 14.7% $16

Sport & Entertainment

Midland, MI

$66 3.5%

Phuket

$82 6.4% 24.1% $16

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $710 in Midland, MI versus $716 in Phuket. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries in Midland, MI are about 13 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $51 in Midland, MI versus $32 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $297 vs $266 – making Phuket the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Midland, MI

🇹🇭 Phuket

🕒 Local time

05:01 5:01 AM

17:01 5:01 PM

12 h ahead of Midland, MI

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

132,524

79,308

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

Thai Baht THB ฿

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.896 EUR

100 THB = 2.96 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

THB, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

🇹🇭 Thai Baht (฿)

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

United States Dollar exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.896 EUR).

Thai Baht exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 33.75 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.66 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

THB to USD in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Midland, MI Phuket 14,280 km ≈ 18 h nonstop flight

From you

Midland, MI
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

Midland, MI vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,873 in Midland, MI, $1,278 in Phuket – Phuket comes out roughly 32% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,809 per month in Midland, MI and $1,917 in Phuket. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A central 1-bedroom goes for about $710 in Midland, MI and $716 in Phuket. The gap holds across neighborhoods – outer areas show a similar spread, just at lower price points.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,873 in Midland, MI and $1,278 in Phuket. That makes Phuket about 32% cheaper.

Public transport costs about 53% less in Phuket. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Phuket, where all-in costs run around $1,278, than in Midland, MI at $1,873. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Midland, MI 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 $1,278 in Phuket to $1,873 in Midland, MI. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.

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