Cost of Living Comparison Between Murfreesboro, TN and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Murfreesboro, TN and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,358 per month in Murfreesboro, TN vs $1,232 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,470 per month in Murfreesboro, TN vs $2,054 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,582 per month in Murfreesboro, TN vs $2,876 in Phuket, rent included.

Murfreesboro, TN costs about 91% more than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Murfreesboro, TN sits 72% above the global median, while Phuket is 10% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.26 $17.26

$4.41 ฿146

291.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$75.7 $75.7

$32.26 ฿1,071

134.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.11 $10.11

$8.93 ฿297

13.21%

Cappuccino

$5.28 $5.28

$2.90 ฿96.1

82.07%

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

$2.60 $2.60

$0.88 ฿29.22

195.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.54 $2.54

$0.48 ฿15.97

429.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.89 $3.89

$2.35 ฿78.1

65.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.03 $6.03

$3.72 ฿124

62.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 $1.06

$1.87 ฿61.9

-43.32%

White Bread (500g)

$3.00 $3.00

$1.47 ฿48.68

104.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.41 $3.41

$1.55 ฿51.5

120.00%

Eggs

$4.27 $4.27

$2.10 ฿69.8

103.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.92 $9.92

$19.59 ฿650

-49.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.40 $9.40

$3.42 ฿114

174.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.26 $15.26

$11.38 ฿378

34.09%

Apples (1kg)

$6.20 $6.20

$2.98 ฿99.1

108.05%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 $1.17

$1.68 ฿55.9

-30.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.73 $2.73

$2.21 ฿73.3

23.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.48 $4.48

$2.16 ฿71.8

107.41%

Potato (1kg)

$1.92 $1.92

$1.52 ฿50.6

26.32%

Onion (1kg)

$2.69 $2.69

$1.34 ฿44.43

100.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.05 $2.05

$1.13 ฿37.47

81.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.64 $1.64

$0.55 ฿18.14

198.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.66 $9.66

$4.26 ฿142

126.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.91 $14.91

$19.09 ฿634

-21.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 $1.77

$1.78 ฿59.1

-0.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.04 $3.04

$2.78 ฿92.4

9.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.85 $1.85

$2.23 ฿74.0

-17.04%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$38.73 $38.73

$22.74 ฿755

70.32%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.09 $5.09

$3.03 ฿101

67.99%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.54 $1.54

$1.02 ฿33.96

50.98%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.11 $30.11

$3.89 ฿129

674.04%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.84 $0.84

$1.49 ฿49.50

-43.62%

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

$32.9K $32.9K

$26.6K ฿882.5K

23.90%

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

$23.4K $23.4K

$27.0K ฿897.4K

-13.50%

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

$223 $223

$102 ฿3,402

117.38%

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

$54.4 $54.4

$11.33 ฿376

380.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$52.8 $52.8

$17.40 ฿578

203.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.79 $24.79

$52.1 ฿1,729

-52.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.65 $29.65

$11.07 ฿368

167.84%

Cinema Ticket

$15.09 $15.09

$7.69 ฿255

96.23%

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

$1,216 $1,216

$561 ฿18.6K

116.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.8K $23.8K

$11.5K ฿382.0K

107.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.7 $50.7

$63.0 ฿2,093

-19.53%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.05 $44.05

$29.52 ฿980

49.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.9 $89.9

$98.0 ฿3,254

-8.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 $122

$88.5 ฿2,938

38.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,378 $1,378

$738 ฿24.5K

86.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,101 $1,101

$482 ฿16.0K

128.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,144 $2,144

$2,107 ฿69.9K

1.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,934 $1,934

$1,226 ฿40.7K

57.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,758 $2,758

$3,617 ฿120.1K

-23.76%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,812 $2,812

$2,603 ฿86.4K

8.02%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,151 $4,151

$494 ฿16.4K

740.92%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.08

5.57

9.16%

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

Last update for Murfreesboro, TN: September 14, 2026

Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,378 in Murfreesboro, TN versus $738 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 run about 741% higher in Murfreesboro, TN, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $76.0 in Murfreesboro, TN versus $32.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $349 vs $274 – 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

Murfreesboro, TN vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Murfreesboro, TN costs about 91% more than Phuket, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,537 per month in Murfreesboro, TN and $1,847 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.

Groceries cost about 28% more in Murfreesboro, TN, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $76.0 in Murfreesboro, TN and $32.00 in Phuket. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Phuket, where all-in costs run around $1,232, than in Murfreesboro, TN at $2,358. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Murfreesboro, TN it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Phuket costs $1,232 versus $2,358 in Murfreesboro, TN. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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, Murfreesboro, TN makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.