Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Alor Setar and Phuket

Name: Phuket
Address: Phuket, TH

For one person, living is cheaper in Alor Setar: $868 a month against $1,278 in Phuket, rent and utilities included – about $4,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

42

Cost of Living Index in Alor Setar
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Alor Setar Living Index
62

Cost of Living Index in Phuket
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Phuket Living Index

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Alor Setar

🇲🇾 Malaysia

$868

/mo nomad

Phuket

🇹🇭 Thailand

$1,278

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Alor Setar and in Phuket

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Alor Setar and in Phuket actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $868 per month in Alor Setar vs $1,278 in Phuket, rent included.

Alor Setar $868
Phuket $1,278

A couple spends around $1,310 per month in Alor Setar vs $2,216 in Phuket, rent included.

Alor Setar $1,310
Phuket $2,216

A family of three spends $1,752 per month in Alor Setar vs $3,154 in Phuket, rent included.

Alor Setar $1,752
Phuket $3,154

Alor Setar is about 32% cheaper than Phuket, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Alor Setar and Phuket are more affordable than the global median – Alor Setar 36% lower, Phuket 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.06 MYR 8.38

$4.47 ฿151

-53.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$12.28 MYR 50.0

$32.41 ฿1,094

-62.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.09 MYR 16.65

$8.81 ฿297

-53.58%

Cappuccino

$1.92 MYR 7.84

$2.83 ฿95.5

-32.16%

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

$0.54 MYR 2.18

$0.87 ฿29.43

-37.93%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 MYR 1.23

$0.49 ฿16.67

-38.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.10 MYR 16.71

$2.56 ฿86.4

60.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.52 MYR 18.42

$3.68 ฿124

22.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.61 MYR 6.56

$1.66 ฿56.0

-3.01%

White Bread (500g)

$0.85 MYR 3.47

$1.46 ฿49.35

-41.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.75 MYR 7.11

$1.50 ฿50.6

16.67%

Eggs

$1.53 MYR 6.22

$2.09 ฿70.5

-26.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.63 MYR 55.5

$19.07 ฿644

-28.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.32 MYR 17.62

$3.30 ฿111

30.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.47 MYR 34.51

$10.91 ฿368

-22.36%

Apples (1kg)

$3.07 MYR 12.50

$2.93 ฿99.0

4.78%

Banana (1kg)

$1.19 MYR 4.84

$1.69 ฿57.1

-29.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.60 MYR 10.61

$2.25 ฿75.8

15.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.47 MYR 5.98

$2.08 ฿70.1

-29.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.06 MYR 4.32

$1.51 ฿51.0

-29.80%

Onion (1kg)

$1.08 MYR 4.38

$1.38 ฿46.56

-21.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.09 MYR 4.45

$1.07 ฿35.99

1.87%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 MYR 2.33

$0.52 ฿17.52

9.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.45 MYR 18.13

$4.20 ฿142

5.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.90 MYR 77.0

$18.79 ฿634

0.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.98 MYR 12.15

$1.82 ฿61.5

63.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.18 MYR 21.11

$2.84 ฿95.9

82.39%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.70 MYR 2.84

$1.45 ฿49.03

-51.72%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.69 MYR 51.7

$56.7 ฿1,913

-77.60%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.73 MYR 7.03

$3.02 ฿102

-42.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.41 MYR 1.66

$1.02 ฿34.36

-59.80%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.38 MYR 30.09

$3.69 ฿125

100.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.49 MYR 1.99

$1.47 ฿49.81

-66.67%

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

$45.3K MYR 184.5K

$26.8K ฿904.3K

69.11%

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

$35.8K MYR 146.1K

$26.7K ฿901.3K

34.30%

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

$37.81 MYR 154

$96.4 ฿3,254

-60.76%

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

$7.47 MYR 30.44

$11.26 ฿380

-33.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.90 MYR 89.3

$16.85 ฿569

29.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.64 MYR 153

$67.2 ฿2,270

-44.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.37 MYR 25.95

$10.73 ฿362

-40.63%

Cinema Ticket

$4.83 MYR 19.68

$7.50 ฿253

-35.60%

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

$396 MYR 1,615

$476 ฿16.1K

-16.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K MYR 43.6K

$11.3K ฿380.4K

-5.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.6 MYR 243

$62.4 ฿2,106

-4.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.76 MYR 146

$28.41 ฿959

25.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$81.7 MYR 333

$94.3 ฿3,184

-13.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$68.9 MYR 281

$85.8 ฿2,898

-19.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$421 MYR 1,713

$716 ฿24.2K

-41.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$294 MYR 1,197

$491 ฿16.6K

-40.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$653 MYR 2,660

$1,927 ฿65.1K

-66.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$532 MYR 2,167

$1,431 ฿48.3K

-62.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,256 MYR 9,193

$4,175 ฿141.0K

-45.97%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,157 MYR 4,712

$3,045 ฿102.8K

-62.01%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,600 MYR 6,519

$502 ฿17.0K

218.55%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.04

5.57

-27.47%

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

Last update for Alor Setar: October 25, 2026

Last update for Phuket: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Alor Setar

$294 33.8%

Phuket

$491 38.4% 67.1% $197

Groceries & Markets

Alor Setar

$245 28.3%

Phuket

$266 20.8% 8.5% $21

Clothing & Footwear

Alor Setar

$111 12.8%

Phuket

$122 9.5% 10.1% $11

Eating Out

Alor Setar

$85 9.8%

Phuket

$122 9.5% 43.7% $37

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Alor Setar

$67 7.7%

Phuket

$124 9.7% 85.3% $57

Sport & Entertainment

Alor Setar

$47 5.5%

Phuket

$82 6.4% 73.8% $35

Getting Around

Alor Setar

$19 2.2%

Phuket

$71 5.5% 267% $51

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $421 in Alor Setar versus $716 in Phuket. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries in Alor Setar are about 3.2 times higher, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $12 in Alor Setar versus $32 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $245 vs $266 – making Alor Setar the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇲🇾 Alor Setar

🇹🇭 Phuket

🕒 Local time

04:22 4:22 AM

03:22 3:22 AM

1 h behind Alor Setar

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

423,868

79,308

💱 Currency

Malaysian Ringgit MYR RM

Thai Baht THB ฿

📈 Exchange rate

1 MYR = 0.245 USD

1 MYR = 0.22 EUR

100 THB = 2.96 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

THB, USD, EUR to MYR – Malaysian Ringgit Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇲🇾 Malaysian Ringgit (RM)

Malaysian Ringgit exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 4.07 MYR (1 MYR = 0.245 USD). 1 EUR = 4.54 MYR (1 MYR = 0.22 EUR).

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 33.77 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.59 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

USD to MYR in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Alor Setar Phuket 290 km

From you

Alor Setar
Phuket

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

Alor Setar vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket costs about 47% more than Alor Setar, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from transport. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,303 per month in Alor Setar and $1,917 in Phuket. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Alor Setar, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $421 there versus $716 in Phuket.

Kindergarten costs $396 per month in Alor Setar and $476 in Phuket. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 8% more in Phuket, though the gap depends on what you buy.

$800 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $868 in Alor Setar and $1,278 in Phuket. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

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

Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.

For expats, Alor Setar is the easier option financially – housing and daily costs are lower, and overall it costs about 32% less, which matters a lot on a fixed budget or early-career salary.