Cost of Living Comparison Between Rolla, MO and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Rolla, MO and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,335 in Rolla, MO versus $1,250 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,119 in Rolla, MO versus $2,284 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,903 in Rolla, MO versus $3,317 in Phuket.

Living in Rolla, MO is roughly 7% more expensive than in Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Rolla, MO is 0% above, Phuket is 6% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.12 $15.12

$4.55 ฿153

232.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.49 $45.49

$46.18 ฿1,553

-1.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.39 $8.39

$8.84 ฿297

-5.09%

Cappuccino

$3.88 $3.88

$3.06 ฿103

26.80%

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

$2.02 $2.02

$0.73 ฿24.40

176.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.22 $1.22

$0.40 ฿13.39

205.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.92 $3.92

$2.43 ฿81.8

61.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.53 $5.53

$3.78 ฿127

46.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.97 $0.97

$2.26 ฿76.0

-57.08%

White Bread (500g)

$2.99 $2.99

$1.81 ฿60.9

65.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.07 $2.07

$2.25 ฿75.8

-8.00%

Eggs

$1.42 $1.42

$2.25 ฿75.5

-36.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.36 $9.36

$19.51 ฿656

-52.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.02 $9.02

$3.65 ฿123

147.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.40 $11.40

$13.05 ฿439

-12.64%

Apples (1kg)

$4.60 $4.60

$3.23 ฿109

42.41%

Banana (1kg)

$1.28 $1.28

$1.62 ฿54.4

-20.99%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.17 $3.17

$2.38 ฿80.1

33.19%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.91 $3.91

$2.03 ฿68.1

92.61%

Potato (1kg)

$1.65 $1.65

$1.53 ฿51.6

7.84%

Onion (1kg)

$2.48 $2.48

$1.50 ฿50.5

65.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.00 $2.00

$0.98 ฿32.91

104.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 $1.78

$0.52 ฿17.39

242.31%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.12 $5.12

$4.44 ฿149

15.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.13 $5.13

$18.32 ฿616

-72.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 $1.72

$1.86 ฿62.7

-7.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.52 $3.52

$2.68 ฿90.1

31.34%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.95 $1.95

$1.41 ฿47.46

38.30%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.70 ฿393

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.06 $3.06

$3.11 ฿105

-1.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.52 $1.52

$1.04 ฿35.06

46.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.42 $35.42

$14.11 ฿474

151.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.70 $0.70

$1.31 ฿44.10

-46.56%

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

$30.4K $30.4K

$27.8K ฿935.4K

9.15%

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

$26.0K $26.0K

$33.2K ฿1.1M

-21.69%

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

$124 $124

$122 ฿4,118

1.33%

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

$68.4 $68.4

$13.59 ฿457

403.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$73.9 $73.9

$18.70 ฿629

295.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.93 $24.93

$60.5 ฿2,034

-58.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.88 $9.88

$16.98 ฿571

-41.81%

Cinema Ticket

$8.88 $8.88

$9.07 ฿305

-2.09%

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

$780 $780

$706 ฿23.8K

10.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.4K $23.4K

$15.8K ฿531.5K

48.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.3 $52.3

$58.6 ฿1,969

-10.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.71 $33.71

$35.36 ฿1,189

-4.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$68.2 $68.2

$115 ฿3,883

-40.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$101 $101

$83.7 ฿2,816

20.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$501 $501

$626 ฿21.0K

-19.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$351 $351

$445 ฿15.0K

-21.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$931 $931

$2,040 ฿68.6K

-54.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$789 $789

$1,492 ฿50.2K

-47.10%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,439 $2,439

$3,483 ฿117.1K

-29.97%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,567 $2,567

$2,577 ฿86.7K

-0.38%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,586 $4,586

$500 ฿16.8K

817.55%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.65

5.33

24.77%

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

Last update for Rolla, MO: July 12, 2026

Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $501 in Rolla, MO and $626 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Rolla, MO pays 818% 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 Rolla, MO vs $46.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $289 vs $289 per month, with Rolla, MO 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

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

Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 7% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 818% higher in Rolla, MO, 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: $501 in Rolla, MO versus $626 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $780 in Rolla, MO versus $706 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 $45.00 in Rolla, MO. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,250 in Phuket versus $1,335 in Rolla, MO, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Rolla, 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 Rolla, MO, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Rolla, MO 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 7% less than in Rolla, MO. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.