Cost of Living Comparison Between Missoula, MT and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Missoula, MT and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,421 in Missoula, MT versus $1,264 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,924 in Missoula, MT versus $2,256 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,426 in Missoula, MT versus $3,248 in Phuket.

Living in Missoula, MT is roughly 92% more expensive than in Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Missoula, MT is 82% above, Phuket is 5% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.55 $18.55

$4.48 ฿150

314.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$76.1 $76.1

$45.59 ฿1,521

66.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.44 $9.44

$8.76 ฿292

7.76%

Cappuccino

$4.13 $4.13

$2.97 ฿99.0

39.06%

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

$2.21 $2.21

$0.69 ฿22.90

220.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.81 $1.81

$0.39 ฿13.04

364.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.83 $5.83

$2.53 ฿84.4

130.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.16 $6.16

$3.75 ฿125

64.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.02 $1.02

$2.15 ฿71.6

-52.56%

White Bread (500g)

$3.06 $3.06

$1.82 ฿60.6

68.13%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.77 $4.77

$2.18 ฿72.9

118.81%

Eggs

$4.48 $4.48

$2.25 ฿75.0

99.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.48 $16.48

$20.00 ฿667

-17.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.71 $10.71

$3.63 ฿121

195.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.24 $16.24

$13.56 ฿452

19.76%

Apples (1kg)

$4.62 $4.62

$3.24 ฿108

42.59%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 $1.66

$1.64 ฿54.6

1.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.00 $5.00

$2.33 ฿77.8

114.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.73 $5.73

$2.07 ฿69.1

176.81%

Potato (1kg)

$2.16 $2.16

$1.55 ฿51.6

39.35%

Onion (1kg)

$2.47 $2.47

$1.46 ฿48.54

69.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.05 $2.05

$0.98 ฿32.86

109.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.38 $2.38

$0.48 ฿16.09

395.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.14 $11.14

$4.35 ฿145

156.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$25.48 $25.48

$18.57 ฿620

37.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 $1.68

$1.86 ฿61.9

-9.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 $2.73

$2.65 ฿88.6

3.02%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.03 $2.03

$1.42 ฿47.28

42.96%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.57 ฿386

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.88 $4.88

$3.17 ฿106

53.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.79 $1.79

$1.03 ฿34.41

73.79%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$39.81 $39.81

$13.89 ฿463

186.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.90 $0.90

$1.34 ฿44.84

-32.84%

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

$26.3K $26.3K

$27.8K ฿927.1K

-5.33%

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

$26.2K $26.2K

$33.4K ฿1.1M

-21.40%

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

$134 $134

$123 ฿4,105

8.70%

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

$58.9 $58.9

$13.77 ฿459

328.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$73.8 $73.8

$18.33 ฿611

302.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$64.2 $64.2

$60.7 ฿2,025

5.82%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.16 ฿573

Cinema Ticket

$11.94 $11.94

$8.87 ฿296

34.61%

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

$1,440 $1,440

$688 ฿22.9K

109.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.9K $13.9K

$15.8K ฿526.4K

-12.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.4 $52.4

$59.3 ฿1,978

-11.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.85 $45.85

$34.69 ฿1,157

32.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.1 $88.1

$115 ฿3,843

-23.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$148 $148

$83.8 ฿2,794

76.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,564 $1,564

$621 ฿20.7K

151.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,177 $1,177

$446 ฿14.9K

163.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,011 $3,011

$2,034 ฿67.8K

48.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,629 $2,629

$1,496 ฿49.9K

75.75%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,144 $4,144

$3,455 ฿115.3K

19.96%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,713 $3,713

$2,531 ฿84.4K

46.70%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,565 $3,565

$494 ฿16.5K

622.12%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.64

5.33

24.58%

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

Last update for Missoula, MT: July 26, 2026

Last update for Phuket: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,564 in Missoula, MT and $621 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Missoula, MT pays 622% 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: $76.0 in Missoula, MT vs $46.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $424 vs $291 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

Missoula, MT vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 92% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 622% higher in Missoula, MT, 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: $1,564 in Missoula, MT versus $621 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,440 in Missoula, MT versus $688 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Phuket – a meal for two runs $46.00 versus $76.0 in Missoula, MT. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,264 in Phuket versus $2,421 in Missoula, MT, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Missoula, MT. 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 Missoula, MT, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Missoula, MT 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 92% less than in Missoula, MT. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.