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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,409 per month in Starkville, MS vs $1,608 in Tartu, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,006 per month in Starkville, MS vs $2,455 in Tartu, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,602 per month in Starkville, MS vs $3,302 in Tartu, rent included.

Starkville, MS costs about 50% more than Tartu, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Starkville, MS and Tartu sit above the global median – Starkville, MS by 79%, Tartu by 19%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.73 $16.73

$17.08 €14.54

-2.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$50.2 $50.2

$70.6 €60.1

-28.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.85 $6.85

$9.63 €8.20

-28.87%

Cappuccino

$4.55 $4.55

$3.81 €3.24

19.42%

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

$2.43 $2.43

$2.50 €2.13

-2.80%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.83 $1.83

$2.85 €2.42

-35.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.02 $4.02

$5.32 €4.53

-24.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.94 $6.94

$5.67 €4.82

22.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.95 $0.95

$1.31 €1.11

-27.48%

White Bread (500g)

$2.71 $2.71

$1.48 €1.26

83.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.76 $2.76

$2.29 €1.95

20.52%

Eggs

$4.16 $4.16

$2.88 €2.45

44.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.18 $8.18

$12.54 €10.68

-34.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.99 $8.99

$8.55 €7.27

5.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.34 $15.34

$11.21 €9.54

36.84%

Apples (1kg)

$3.64 $3.64

$1.98 €1.68

83.84%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 $1.62

$1.56 €1.33

3.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.85 $2.85

$2.39 €2.03

19.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.40 $4.40

$2.38 €2.03

84.87%

Potato (1kg)

$2.12 $2.12

$0.99 €0.84

114.14%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 $2.18

$1.13 €0.96

92.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.70 $1.70

$2.06 €1.76

-17.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.54 $1.54

$1.05 €0.89

46.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.13 $8.13

$6.54 €5.56

24.31%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.35 $12.35

$10.83 €9.21

14.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 $1.73

$1.96 €1.67

-11.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.19 $3.19

$2.14 €1.82

49.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.02 $2.02

$1.70 €1.45

18.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.45 €25.91

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.97 $4.97

$3.40 €2.89

46.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.72 $1.72

$0.74 €0.63

132.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.86 $17.86

$20.19 €17.18

-11.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.76 $0.76

$1.86 €1.58

-59.14%

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

$34.6K $34.6K

$29.1K €24.8K

18.81%

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

$26.4K $26.4K

$31.2K €26.5K

-15.44%

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

$182 $182

$270 €230

-32.75%

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

$30.02 $30.02

$22.38 €19.05

34.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$65.7 $65.7

$36.77 €31.29

78.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.01 $43.01

$47.48 €40.40

-9.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$31.39 €26.72

Cinema Ticket

$8.07 $8.07

$11.80 €10.04

-31.61%

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

$981 $981

$119 €101

726.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,275 $8,275

$8,315 €7,076

-0.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$43.49 $43.49

$122 €103

-64.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.47 $36.47

$39.78 €33.86

-8.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.1 $89.1

$98.2 €83.5

-9.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$130 $130

$110 €93.7

18.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$979 $979

$661 €563

48.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,333 $1,333

$445 €378

199.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,003 $2,003

$1,113 €947

79.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,277 $1,277

$780 €664

63.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,193 $2,193

$3,669 €3,122

-40.21%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,140 $2,140

$2,747 €2,338

-22.09%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,802 $2,802

$2,008 €1,708

39.55%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.55

4.3

52.33%

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

Last update for Starkville, MS: April 12, 2026

Last update for Tartu: April 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $979 in Starkville, MS versus $661 in Tartu. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 40% higher in Starkville, MS, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $50 in Starkville, MS versus $71 in Tartu. Groceries tell a different story – $317 in Starkville, MS vs $265 in Tartu – so Tartu wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Tartu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Starkville, MS is pricier by about 50%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,614 per month in Starkville, MS and $2,412 in Tartu. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Tartu, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $50.0 in Starkville, MS and $71.0 in Tartu. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 20% more in Starkville, MS, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Tartu, where all-in costs run around $1,608, than in Starkville, MS at $2,409. In Tartu it covers expenses comfortably, while in Starkville, MS it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Tartu – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Tartu. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Starkville, MS makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.