Cost of Living Comparison Between Butterworth and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Butterworth and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $919 per month in Butterworth vs $1,232 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,372 per month in Butterworth vs $2,054 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,825 per month in Butterworth vs $2,876 in Phuket, rent included.

Butterworth is about 25% cheaper than Phuket, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Butterworth and Phuket are more affordable than the global median – Butterworth 33% lower, Phuket 10% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.59 MYR 14.70

$4.41 ฿147

-18.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$20.01 MYR 81.9

$32.26 ฿1,073

-37.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.59 MYR 18.79

$8.93 ฿297

-48.60%

Cappuccino

$2.97 MYR 12.16

$2.90 ฿96.3

2.41%

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

$0.78 MYR 3.21

$0.88 ฿29.27

-11.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 MYR 1.50

$0.48 ฿16.00

-22.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.26 MYR 17.43

$2.35 ฿78.2

81.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.30 MYR 17.59

$3.72 ฿124

15.59%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.20 MYR 9.01

$1.87 ฿62.0

17.65%

White Bread (500g)

$1.05 MYR 4.31

$1.47 ฿48.75

-28.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.69 MYR 6.91

$1.55 ฿51.6

9.03%

Eggs

$2.22 MYR 9.09

$2.10 ฿69.9

5.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.33 MYR 54.6

$19.59 ฿651

-31.96%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.44 MYR 18.16

$3.42 ฿114

29.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.72 MYR 35.69

$11.38 ฿378

-23.37%

Apples (1kg)

$2.80 MYR 11.45

$2.98 ฿99.2

-6.04%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 MYR 6.80

$1.68 ฿56.0

-1.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.36 MYR 9.65

$2.21 ฿73.5

6.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 MYR 5.79

$2.16 ฿71.9

-34.26%

Potato (1kg)

$1.11 MYR 4.54

$1.52 ฿50.7

-26.97%

Onion (1kg)

$1.14 MYR 4.68

$1.34 ฿44.49

-14.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.11 MYR 4.53

$1.13 ฿37.53

-1.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 MYR 2.21

$0.55 ฿18.17

-1.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.44 MYR 18.16

$4.26 ฿142

4.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.28 MYR 78.9

$19.09 ฿635

1.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.89 MYR 11.84

$1.78 ฿59.2

62.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.03 MYR 16.49

$2.78 ฿92.5

44.96%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.66 MYR 2.70

$2.23 ฿74.1

-70.40%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$13.82 MYR 56.6

$22.74 ฿756

-39.23%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.21 MYR 4.95

$3.03 ฿101

-60.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.38 MYR 1.55

$1.02 ฿34.02

-62.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.78 MYR 19.58

$3.89 ฿129

22.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.77 MYR 3.16

$1.49 ฿49.57

-48.32%

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

$41.6K MYR 170.4K

$26.6K ฿883.8K

56.58%

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

$35.2K MYR 144.2K

$27.0K ฿898.7K

30.36%

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

$37.38 MYR 153

$102 ฿3,407

-63.52%

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

$9.18 MYR 37.59

$11.33 ฿377

-18.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.57 MYR 105

$17.40 ฿578

46.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.34 MYR 145

$52.1 ฿1,732

-32.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.77 MYR 27.70

$11.07 ฿368

-38.84%

Cinema Ticket

$5.29 MYR 21.64

$7.69 ฿256

-31.21%

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

$299 MYR 1,222

$561 ฿18.6K

-46.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.8K MYR 44.2K

$11.5K ฿382.6K

-6.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.3 MYR 251

$63.0 ฿2,096

-2.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.44 MYR 145

$29.52 ฿982

20.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.7 MYR 339

$98.0 ฿3,259

-15.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.7 MYR 285

$88.5 ฿2,943

-21.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$418 MYR 1,712

$738 ฿24.5K

-43.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$352 MYR 1,440

$482 ฿16.0K

-27.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$738 MYR 3,020

$2,107 ฿70.0K

-64.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$494 MYR 2,021

$1,226 ฿40.8K

-59.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,040 MYR 8,351

$3,617 ฿120.3K

-43.59%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,102 MYR 4,510

$2,603 ฿86.5K

-57.66%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.2

5.57

-24.60%

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

Last update for Butterworth: September 14, 2026

Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $418 in Butterworth versus $738 in Phuket. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $20.00 in Butterworth versus $32.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $255 vs $274 – making Butterworth the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Butterworth vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $919 in Butterworth, $1,232 in Phuket – roughly 34% apart. Phuket costs more across the board, with Sport & Entertainment showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,378 per month in Butterworth and $1,847 in Phuket. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $919 in Butterworth and $1,232 in Phuket. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 65% less in Butterworth. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Butterworth, where all-in costs run around $919, than in Phuket at $1,232. In Butterworth it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Phuket has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $919 in Butterworth to $1,232 in Phuket. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Butterworth. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Phuket makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.