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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,856 in Tupelo, MS versus $1,253 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,695 in Tupelo, MS versus $2,043 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,535 in Tupelo, MS versus $2,833 in Phuket.

Living in Tupelo, MS is roughly 48% more expensive than in Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Tupelo, MS is 35% above, Phuket is 9% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.79 $16.79

$4.56 ฿150

268.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.9 $73.9

$32.62 ฿1,073

126.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.99 $10.99

$8.90 ฿293

23.48%

Cappuccino

$4.88 $4.88

$2.80 ฿92.3

74.29%

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

$2.39 $2.39

$0.88 ฿28.96

171.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.91 $1.91

$0.49 ฿16.09

289.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.88 $5.88

$2.39 ฿78.6

146.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.38 $7.38

$3.71 ฿122

98.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.86 $0.86

$1.79 ฿58.8

-51.96%

White Bread (500g)

$2.96 $2.96

$1.44 ฿47.43

105.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.50 $1.50

$1.58 ฿52.1

-5.06%

Eggs

$4.33 $4.33

$2.13 ฿70.0

103.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.70 $9.70

$19.92 ฿655

-51.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.43 $7.43

$3.43 ฿113

116.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.13 $15.13

$11.33 ฿373

33.54%

Apples (1kg)

$2.94 $2.94

$2.95 ฿97.0

-0.34%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 $1.07

$1.72 ฿56.6

-37.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.85 $3.85

$2.32 ฿76.5

65.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.21 $2.21

$2.08 ฿68.5

6.25%

Potato (1kg)

$2.53 $2.53

$1.47 ฿48.37

72.11%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 $2.19

$1.36 ฿44.68

61.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.89 $1.89

$1.10 ฿36.15

71.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.87 $1.87

$0.57 ฿18.90

228.07%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.88 $7.88

$4.27 ฿140

84.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.02 $14.02

$18.42 ฿606

-23.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.65 $1.65

$1.87 ฿61.6

-11.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.28 $3.28

$2.92 ฿96.1

12.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.03 $2.03

$2.22 ฿73.0

-8.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.90 ฿753

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.27 $4.27

$3.03 ฿99.7

40.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.93 $1.93

$1.07 ฿35.34

80.37%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$32.97 $32.97

$3.93 ฿129

738.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.73 $0.73

$1.49 ฿49.09

-51.01%

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

$34.0K $34.0K

$27.1K ฿892.5K

25.35%

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

$25.7K $25.7K

$27.5K ฿903.2K

-6.37%

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

$166 $166

$103 ฿3,382

61.67%

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

$66.3 $66.3

$10.99 ฿362

503.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.5 $70.5

$17.51 ฿576

302.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.22 $39.22

$53.5 ฿1,761

-26.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.20 ฿368

Cinema Ticket

$11.89 $11.89

$7.48 ฿246

58.96%

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

$1,575 $1,575

$557 ฿18.3K

182.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,320 $8,320

$11.9K ฿390.0K

-29.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$73.3 $73.3

$64.1 ฿2,108

14.44%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.8 $51.8

$29.07 ฿957

78.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.9 $86.9

$96.0 ฿3,157

-9.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$150 $150

$90.3 ฿2,972

66.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$680 $680

$730 ฿24.0K

-6.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$696 $696

$500 ฿16.4K

39.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,374 $1,374

$2,090 ฿68.8K

-34.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,016 $1,016

$1,209 ฿39.8K

-15.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,466 $1,466

$3,596 ฿118.3K

-59.22%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,480 $1,480

$2,512 ฿82.7K

-41.11%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,701 $2,701

$503 ฿16.6K

436.57%

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 Tupelo, MS: August 29, 2026

Last update for Phuket: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $680 in Tupelo, MS and $730 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Tupelo, MS pays 437% 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: $74.0 in Tupelo, MS vs $33.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $306 vs $273 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

Tupelo, 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 48% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 437% higher in Tupelo, 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: $680 in Tupelo, MS versus $730 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,575 in Tupelo, MS versus $557 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 $33.00 versus $74.0 in Tupelo, MS. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,253 in Phuket versus $1,856 in Tupelo, MS, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Tupelo, 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 Tupelo, MS, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Tupelo, 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 48% less than in Tupelo, MS. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.