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: $1,773 in Starkville, MS versus $1,265 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,677 in Starkville, MS versus $2,089 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,581 in Starkville, MS versus $2,913 in Phuket.

Living in Starkville, MS is roughly 40% more expensive than in Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Starkville, MS is 29% above, Phuket is 8% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.21 $15.21

$4.66 ฿154

226.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.3 $60.3

$32.22 ฿1,065

87.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.08 $8.08

$8.68 ฿287

-6.91%

Cappuccino

$4.27 $4.27

$2.90 ฿95.8

47.24%

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

$2.46 $2.46

$0.84 ฿27.89

192.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.92 $1.92

$0.49 ฿16.16

291.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.11 $4.11

$2.48 ฿82.0

65.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.02 $7.02

$3.73 ฿123

88.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.82 $0.82

$1.89 ฿62.3

-56.61%

White Bread (500g)

$2.89 $2.89

$1.41 ฿46.54

104.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.71 $2.71

$1.62 ฿53.6

67.28%

Eggs

$4.53 $4.53

$2.24 ฿74.1

102.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.72 $9.72

$19.84 ฿656

-51.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.83 $9.83

$3.48 ฿115

182.47%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.84 $14.84

$11.37 ฿376

30.52%

Apples (1kg)

$3.89 $3.89

$2.90 ฿95.8

34.14%

Banana (1kg)

$1.38 $1.38

$1.72 ฿57.0

-19.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.77 $3.77

$2.27 ฿75.1

66.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.96 $2.96

$2.13 ฿70.4

38.97%

Potato (1kg)

$2.16 $2.16

$1.47 ฿48.72

46.94%

Onion (1kg)

$2.20 $2.20

$1.42 ฿46.92

54.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.23 $2.23

$1.10 ฿36.25

102.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.87 $1.87

$0.60 ฿19.76

211.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.56 $8.56

$4.31 ฿142

98.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.09 $10.09

$18.60 ฿615

-45.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 $1.70

$1.80 ฿59.5

-5.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.31 $3.31

$2.97 ฿98.0

11.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.25 ฿74.2

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.49 ฿776

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.22 $4.22

$3.10 ฿102

36.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 $1.92

$1.08 ฿35.56

77.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$31.92 $31.92

$3.87 ฿128

724.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.82 $0.82

$1.43 ฿47.16

-42.66%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$27.8K ฿918.0K

25.80%

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

$25.2K $25.2K

$27.0K ฿891.5K

-6.55%

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

$169 $169

$105 ฿3,462

61.05%

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

$29.47 $29.47

$11.39 ฿376

158.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$52.6 $52.6

$17.54 ฿580

200.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$17.48 $17.48

$54.3 ฿1,795

-67.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.44 ฿378

Cinema Ticket

$8.17 $8.17

$7.78 ฿257

5.01%

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

$1,568 $1,568

$576 ฿19.0K

171.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,383 $8,383

$11.6K ฿382.7K

-27.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.1 $75.1

$63.6 ฿2,103

18.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.7 $52.7

$29.10 ฿961

81.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.1 $87.1

$96.2 ฿3,179

-9.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$171 $171

$90.0 ฿2,974

90.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$917 $917

$733 ฿24.2K

25.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$732 $732

$501 ฿16.5K

46.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,582 $1,582

$2,126 ฿70.2K

-25.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,346 $1,346

$1,252 ฿41.4K

7.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,208 $2,208

$3,534 ฿116.8K

-37.53%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,206 $2,206

$2,622 ฿86.6K

-15.86%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,154 $4,154

$508 ฿16.8K

718.47%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.23

5.57

11.85%

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

Last update for Starkville, MS: September 8, 2026

Last update for Phuket: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $917 in Starkville, MS and $733 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Starkville, MS pays 718% 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: $60.0 in Starkville, MS vs $32.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $324 vs $275 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 40% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 718% 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: $917 in Starkville, MS versus $733 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,568 in Starkville, MS versus $576 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 $32.00 versus $60.0 in Starkville, MS. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,265 in Phuket versus $1,773 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 40% less than in Starkville, MS. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.