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 $2,370 per month in Murfreesboro, TN vs $1,250 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,464 per month in Murfreesboro, TN vs $2,284 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,557 per month in Murfreesboro, TN vs $3,317 in Phuket, rent included.

Murfreesboro, TN costs about 90% more than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Murfreesboro, TN sits 77% above the global median, while Phuket is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.81 $17.81

$4.55 ฿153

291.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$59.9 $59.9

$46.18 ฿1,554

29.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.90 $9.90

$8.84 ฿298

11.99%

Cappuccino

$5.03 $5.03

$3.06 ฿103

64.38%

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

$1.94 $1.94

$0.73 ฿24.42

165.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 $1.98

$0.40 ฿13.40

395.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.95 $3.95

$2.43 ฿81.8

62.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.93 $5.93

$3.78 ฿127

56.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.89 $0.89

$2.26 ฿76.0

-60.62%

White Bread (500g)

$1.68 $1.68

$1.81 ฿60.9

-7.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.26 $2.26

$2.25 ฿75.8

0.44%

Eggs

$3.89 $3.89

$2.25 ฿75.6

72.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.88 $9.88

$19.51 ฿656

-49.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.57 $8.57

$3.65 ฿123

134.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.61 $15.61

$13.05 ฿439

19.62%

Apples (1kg)

$5.42 $5.42

$3.23 ฿109

67.80%

Banana (1kg)

$1.10 $1.10

$1.62 ฿54.4

-32.10%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.56 $2.56

$2.38 ฿80.2

7.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.88 $4.88

$2.03 ฿68.2

140.39%

Potato (1kg)

$1.72 $1.72

$1.53 ฿51.6

12.42%

Onion (1kg)

$2.69 $2.69

$1.50 ฿50.5

79.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.08 $2.08

$0.98 ฿32.93

112.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.64 $1.64

$0.52 ฿17.40

215.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.78 $8.78

$4.44 ฿149

97.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.21 $15.21

$18.32 ฿616

-16.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 $1.74

$1.86 ฿62.7

-6.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.85 $2.85

$2.68 ฿90.2

6.34%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.85 $1.85

$1.41 ฿47.49

31.21%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$38.36 $38.36

$11.70 ฿394

227.86%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.94 $4.94

$3.11 ฿105

58.84%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.62 $1.62

$1.04 ฿35.08

55.77%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.38 $30.38

$14.11 ฿475

115.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.80 $0.80

$1.31 ฿44.13

-38.93%

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

$30.5K $30.5K

$27.8K ฿936.0K

9.66%

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

$26.0K $26.0K

$33.2K ฿1.1M

-21.59%

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

$237 $237

$122 ฿4,120

93.74%

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

$42.80 $42.80

$13.59 ฿457

214.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$67.5 $67.5

$18.70 ฿629

261.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.73 $24.73

$60.5 ฿2,035

-59.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$30.19 $30.19

$16.98 ฿572

77.80%

Cinema Ticket

$14.53 $14.53

$9.07 ฿305

60.20%

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

$1,131 $1,131

$706 ฿23.8K

60.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.2K $21.2K

$15.8K ฿531.8K

34.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.0 $55.0

$58.6 ฿1,970

-6.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.8 $58.8

$35.36 ฿1,190

66.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$107 $107

$115 ฿3,885

-6.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 $121

$83.7 ฿2,818

44.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,386 $1,386

$626 ฿21.1K

121.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,132 $1,132

$445 ฿15.0K

154.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,800 $4,800

$2,040 ฿68.7K

135.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,890 $1,890

$1,492 ฿50.2K

26.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,834 $2,834

$3,483 ฿117.2K

-18.61%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,843 $2,843

$2,577 ฿86.7K

10.34%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,157 $4,157

$500 ฿16.8K

731.60%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.59

5.33

23.64%

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

Last update for Murfreesboro, TN: July 13, 2026

Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,386 in Murfreesboro, TN versus $626 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 732% 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 $60.0 in Murfreesboro, TN versus $46.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $321 vs $289 – 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 90% 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 $3,555 per month in Murfreesboro, TN and $1,875 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 11% 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 $60.0 in Murfreesboro, TN and $46.00 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 $1,250, than in Murfreesboro, TN at $2,370. 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 $1,250 versus $2,370 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.