Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Jefferson City, MO Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Jefferson City, MO

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,265 in Phuket versus $2,519 in Jefferson City, MO.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,297 in Phuket versus $3,561 in Jefferson City, MO.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,329 in Phuket versus $4,603 in Jefferson City, MO.

Living in Phuket costs roughly 50% less than in Jefferson City, MO, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Phuket is 6% below, Jefferson City, MO is 88% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.70 ฿154

$15.22 $15.22

-69.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.37 ฿1,483

$40.18 $40.18

12.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.43 ฿276

$9.82 $9.82

-14.15%

Cappuccino

$2.93 ฿95.7

$4.87 $4.87

-39.84%

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

$0.69 ฿22.42

$1.98 $1.98

-65.15%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿12.00

$1.53 $1.53

-75.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 ฿78.7

$4.94 $4.94

-51.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿122

$5.97 $5.97

-37.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 ฿73.0

$0.68 $0.68

227.94%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 ฿59.9

$2.22 $2.22

-17.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 ฿70.9

$4.29 $4.29

-49.42%

Eggs

$2.21 ฿72.4

$3.58 $3.58

-38.27%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.74 ฿645

$4.50 $4.50

338.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿119

$10.55 $10.55

-65.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.53 ฿442

$12.81 $12.81

5.62%

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 ฿107

$4.44 $4.44

-26.13%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ฿52.7

$1.44 $1.44

11.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿78.7

$6.58 $6.58

-63.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿68.1

$4.44 $4.44

-53.15%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.97

$3.60 $3.60

-57.50%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.41

$3.70 $3.70

-60.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 ฿32.32

$2.22 $2.22

-55.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.68

$2.02 $2.02

-74.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 ฿144

$7.03 $7.03

-37.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.38 ฿634

$12.48 $12.48

55.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

$1.91 $1.91

-6.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 ฿88.7

$5.41 $5.41

-49.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.37 ฿44.83

$1.94 $1.94

-29.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.39 ฿372

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ฿98.7

$2.46 $2.46

22.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 ฿32.51

$2.19 $2.19

-54.79%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.10 ฿461

$20.94 $20.94

-32.66%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 ฿44.55

$0.76 $0.76

78.95%

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

$28.2K ฿921.9K

$36.4K $36.4K

-22.62%

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$25.7K $25.7K

28.23%

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

$122 ฿3,978

$215 $215

-43.27%

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

$13.57 ฿444

$61.8 $61.8

-78.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.31 ฿599

$53.2 $53.2

-65.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.2 ฿1,969

$42.94 $42.94

40.24%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.14 ฿560

Cinema Ticket

$8.69 ฿284

$15.09 $15.09

-42.41%

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

$693 ฿22.7K

$1,383 $1,383

-49.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ฿512.8K

$29.0K $29.0K

-45.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,946

$52.2 $52.2

14.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.77 ฿1,137

$42.76 $42.76

-18.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,746

$103 $103

10.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.3 ฿2,723

$128 $128

-34.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$613 ฿20.0K

$1,633 $1,633

-62.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$437 ฿14.3K

$1,328 $1,328

-67.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,094 ฿68.5K

$2,617 $2,617

-19.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,509 ฿49.3K

$2,206 $2,206

-31.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,749 ฿122.6K

$1,584 $1,584

136.71%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,616 ฿85.5K

$1,731 $1,731

51.12%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.6K

$1,890 $1,890

-73.11%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

6.5

-18.00%

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

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Last update for Jefferson City, MO: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $613 in Phuket and $1,633 in Jefferson City, MO. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Jefferson City, MO pays 272% 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: $45.00 in Phuket vs $40.00 in Jefferson City, MO. Groceries flip the comparison at $293 vs $341, with Phuket cheaper for home cooking.

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

Phuket vs Jefferson City, MO: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 99% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Jefferson City, MO earns 272% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $613 in Phuket versus $1,633 in Jefferson City, MO. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $693 in Phuket versus $1,383 in Jefferson City, MO. 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 $45.00 versus $40.00 in Jefferson City, MO. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,265 in Phuket versus $2,519 in Jefferson City, MO, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Jefferson City, MO. 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 Jefferson City, MO, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Phuket and Jefferson City, MO 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 99% less than in Jefferson City, MO. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.