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: $2,461 in Starkville, MS versus $1,265 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,039 in Starkville, MS versus $2,297 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,617 in Starkville, MS versus $3,329 in Phuket.

Living in Starkville, MS is roughly 94% more expensive than 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

$16.37 $16.37

$4.70 ฿153

248.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$49.71 $49.71

$45.37 ฿1,482

9.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.95 $6.95

$8.43 ฿275

-17.56%

Cappuccino

$4.47 $4.47

$2.93 ฿95.6

52.56%

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

$2.42 $2.42

$0.69 ฿22.40

250.72%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.84 $1.84

$0.37 ฿11.99

397.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.12 $4.12

$2.41 ฿78.6

70.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.17 $7.17

$3.72 ฿122

92.74%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.96 $0.96

$2.23 ฿72.9

-56.95%

White Bread (500g)

$2.66 $2.66

$1.83 ฿59.8

45.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.65 $2.65

$2.17 ฿70.8

22.12%

Eggs

$4.29 $4.29

$2.21 ฿72.3

94.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.98 $7.98

$19.74 ฿645

-59.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.98 $8.98

$3.63 ฿119

147.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.14 $15.14

$13.53 ฿442

11.90%

Apples (1kg)

$3.78 $3.78

$3.28 ฿107

15.24%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 $1.66

$1.61 ฿52.6

3.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.87 $2.87

$2.41 ฿78.6

19.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.48 $4.48

$2.08 ฿68.1

115.38%

Potato (1kg)

$2.21 $2.21

$1.53 ฿49.93

44.44%

Onion (1kg)

$2.29 $2.29

$1.48 ฿48.36

54.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.69 $1.69

$0.99 ฿32.29

70.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.51 $1.51

$0.51 ฿16.67

196.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.93 $7.93

$4.41 ฿144

79.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.40 $12.40

$19.38 ฿633

-36.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 $1.72

$1.78 ฿58.1

-3.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.25 $3.25

$2.71 ฿88.6

19.93%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.03 $2.03

$1.37 ฿44.79

48.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.39 ฿372

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.87 $4.87

$3.02 ฿98.6

61.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.69 $1.69

$0.99 ฿32.48

70.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.19 $18.19

$14.10 ฿461

29.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.80 $0.80

$1.36 ฿44.51

-41.18%

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

$35.7K $35.7K

$28.2K ฿921.1K

26.56%

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

$26.4K $26.4K

$32.9K ฿1.1M

-19.82%

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

$177 $177

$122 ฿3,975

45.18%

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

$30.31 $30.31

$13.57 ฿443

123.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$64.4 $64.4

$18.31 ฿598

251.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.22 $42.22

$60.2 ฿1,967

-29.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.14 ฿560

Cinema Ticket

$7.77 $7.77

$8.69 ฿284

-10.59%

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

$987 $987

$693 ฿22.6K

42.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,390 $8,390

$15.7K ฿512.3K

-46.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$42.31 $42.31

$59.5 ฿1,944

-28.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.87 $36.87

$34.77 ฿1,136

6.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.1 $88.1

$115 ฿3,743

-23.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$129 $129

$83.3 ฿2,720

54.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$960 $960

$613 ฿20.0K

56.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,367 $1,367

$437 ฿14.3K

212.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,031 $2,031

$2,094 ฿68.4K

-3.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,297 $1,297

$1,509 ฿49.3K

-14.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,188 $2,188

$3,749 ฿122.5K

-41.63%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,185 $2,185

$2,616 ฿85.4K

-16.46%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,201 $4,201

$508 ฿16.6K

726.80%

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: June 2, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $960 in Starkville, MS and $613 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Starkville, MS pays 727% 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: $50.0 in Starkville, MS vs $45.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $317 vs $293 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 94% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Starkville, MS pays 727% more on average, 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: $960 in Starkville, MS versus $613 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $987 in Starkville, MS versus $693 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 $45.00 versus $50.0 in Starkville, MS. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,265 in Phuket versus $2,461 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 94% less than in Starkville, MS. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.