Cost of Living Comparison Between Starkville, MS and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Starkville, MS and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,458 in Starkville, MS versus $1,261 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,050 in Starkville, MS versus $2,276 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,642 in Starkville, MS versus $3,291 in Phuket.

Living in Starkville, MS is roughly 95% more expensive than in Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Starkville, MS is 84% above, Phuket is 6% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.72 $16.72

$4.53 ฿153

269.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$50.8 $50.8

$46.36 ฿1,563

9.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.81 $6.81

$8.65 ฿292

-21.27%

Cappuccino

$4.57 $4.57

$3.09 ฿104

47.90%

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

$2.33 $2.33

$0.68 ฿22.86

242.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.91 $1.91

$0.37 ฿12.42

416.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.11 $4.11

$2.42 ฿81.5

69.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.87 $6.87

$3.81 ฿128

80.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.91 $0.91

$2.18 ฿73.4

-58.26%

White Bread (500g)

$2.69 $2.69

$1.82 ฿61.3

47.80%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.77 $2.77

$2.18 ฿73.4

27.06%

Eggs

$4.34 $4.34

$2.24 ฿75.4

93.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.26 $8.26

$19.93 ฿672

-58.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.02 $9.02

$3.64 ฿123

147.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.70 $15.70

$13.56 ฿457

15.78%

Apples (1kg)

$3.71 $3.71

$3.29 ฿111

12.77%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 $1.59

$1.69 ฿56.8

-5.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.85 $2.85

$2.33 ฿78.7

22.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.44 $4.44

$2.03 ฿68.3

118.72%

Potato (1kg)

$2.21 $2.21

$1.60 ฿53.9

38.12%

Onion (1kg)

$2.30 $2.30

$1.49 ฿50.4

54.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.63 $1.63

$1.01 ฿34.13

61.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 $1.58

$0.48 ฿16.07

229.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.85 $7.85

$4.45 ฿150

76.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.27 $12.27

$18.63 ฿628

-34.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 $1.72

$1.79 ฿60.2

-3.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.19 $3.19

$2.80 ฿94.3

13.93%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.95 $1.95

$1.42 ฿47.84

37.32%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.33 ฿382

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.08 $5.08

$3.09 ฿104

64.40%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.66 $1.66

$1.04 ฿35.15

59.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.80 $17.80

$13.63 ฿459

30.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.73 $0.73

$1.31 ฿44.18

-44.27%

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

$34.9K $34.9K

$27.3K ฿919.6K

27.76%

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

$26.8K $26.8K

$33.2K ฿1.1M

-19.26%

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

$177 $177

$123 ฿4,152

43.41%

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

$29.46 $29.46

$13.81 ฿465

113.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$64.1 $64.1

$18.52 ฿624

245.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.23 $42.23

$60.4 ฿2,035

-30.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.80 ฿566

Cinema Ticket

$7.88 $7.88

$8.89 ฿300

-11.36%

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

$989 $989

$687 ฿23.1K

43.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,454 $8,454

$15.6K ฿524.2K

-45.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$43.21 $43.21

$57.6 ฿1,943

-25.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.30 $37.30

$34.66 ฿1,168

7.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.5 $87.5

$115 ฿3,874

-23.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$129 $129

$84.9 ฿2,862

51.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$967 $967

$618 ฿20.8K

56.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,334 $1,334

$443 ฿14.9K

201.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,006 $2,006

$2,047 ฿69.0K

-1.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,298 $1,298

$1,506 ฿50.8K

-13.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,194 $2,194

$3,568 ฿120.3K

-38.51%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,169 $2,169

$2,511 ฿84.6K

-13.60%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,181 $4,181

$503 ฿16.9K

731.61%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.55

5.33

22.89%

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

Last update for Starkville, MS: July 20, 2026

Last update for Phuket: July 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $967 in Starkville, MS and $618 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Starkville, MS pays 732% 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: $51.0 in Starkville, MS vs $46.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $319 vs $292 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

Starkville, MS vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 95% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 732% higher in Starkville, MS, 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: $967 in Starkville, MS versus $618 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $989 in Starkville, MS versus $687 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 $51.0 in Starkville, MS. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,261 in Phuket versus $2,458 in Starkville, MS, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Starkville, MS. 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 Starkville, MS, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Starkville, MS 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 95% less than in Starkville, MS. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.