Cost of Living Comparison Between George Town and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between George Town and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $843 in George Town versus $1,232 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,306 in George Town versus $2,255 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,769 in George Town versus $3,279 in Phuket.

Living in George Town costs roughly 32% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: George Town 37% lower, Phuket 8% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.02 MYR 11.93

$4.63 ฿151

-34.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.35 MYR 84.3

$46.84 ฿1,532

-54.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.27 MYR 16.86

$8.84 ฿289

-51.70%

Cappuccino

$2.62 MYR 10.35

$3.00 ฿98.0

-12.67%

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

$0.77 MYR 3.03

$0.74 ฿24.25

4.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 MYR 1.44

$0.37 ฿11.95

-2.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.36 MYR 17.20

$2.44 ฿79.8

78.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.68 MYR 18.49

$3.61 ฿118

29.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.82 MYR 7.21

$2.26 ฿73.9

-19.47%

White Bread (500g)

$1.12 MYR 4.43

$1.84 ฿60.1

-39.13%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.67 MYR 6.60

$2.24 ฿73.4

-25.45%

Eggs

$2.10 MYR 8.31

$2.32 ฿75.7

-9.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.50 MYR 69.1

$19.67 ฿643

-11.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.97 MYR 19.65

$3.65 ฿119

36.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.47 MYR 41.35

$13.10 ฿428

-20.08%

Apples (1kg)

$2.86 MYR 11.30

$3.39 ฿111

-15.63%

Banana (1kg)

$1.40 MYR 5.53

$1.64 ฿53.7

-14.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 MYR 8.90

$2.41 ฿79.0

-6.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.28 MYR 5.04

$2.03 ฿66.4

-36.95%

Potato (1kg)

$0.87 MYR 3.44

$1.56 ฿50.9

-44.23%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 MYR 4.57

$1.50 ฿48.94

-22.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 MYR 2.76

$1.02 ฿33.50

-31.37%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 MYR 2.04

$0.49 ฿16.00

6.12%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.18 MYR 16.51

$4.45 ฿145

-6.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.70 MYR 50.2

$18.88 ฿617

-32.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.64 MYR 10.45

$1.78 ฿58.1

48.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.36 MYR 13.29

$2.75 ฿90.1

22.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.49 MYR 1.93

$1.40 ฿45.81

-65.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.80 MYR 46.62

$11.48 ฿376

2.79%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.16 MYR 4.59

$3.12 ฿102

-62.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.44 MYR 1.73

$1.00 ฿32.67

-56.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.39 MYR 25.26

$14.09 ฿461

-54.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.49 MYR 1.94

$1.35 ฿44.19

-63.70%

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

$34.1K MYR 134.6K

$27.2K ฿888.9K

25.32%

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

$25.0K MYR 98.7K

$32.9K ฿1.1M

-24.09%

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

$38.18 MYR 151

$125 ฿4,087

-69.45%

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

$9.68 MYR 38.23

$13.57 ฿444

-28.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.98 MYR 114

$18.52 ฿606

56.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.37 MYR 152

$61.5 ฿2,010

-37.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.78 MYR 14.94

$16.84 ฿551

-77.55%

Cinema Ticket

$4.13 MYR 16.30

$9.19 ฿300

-55.06%

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

$146 MYR 578

$698 ฿22.8K

-79.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,643 MYR 18.3K

$15.6K ฿509.9K

-70.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.5 MYR 207

$57.8 ฿1,889

-9.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.61 MYR 113

$35.24 ฿1,152

-18.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$62.5 MYR 247

$113 ฿3,699

-44.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$52.1 MYR 206

$86.4 ฿2,825

-39.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$371 MYR 1,465

$616 ฿20.1K

-39.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$253 MYR 999

$446 ฿14.6K

-43.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$709 MYR 2,799

$2,048 ฿67.0K

-65.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$498 MYR 1,969

$1,492 ฿48.8K

-66.60%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,779 ฿123.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,649 ฿86.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,112 MYR 4,393

$524 ฿17.1K

112.34%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.16

5.33

-21.95%

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

Last update for George Town: April 25, 2026

Last update for Phuket: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $371 in George Town and $616 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

George Town pays 112% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $21.00 in George Town vs $47.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $251 vs $292 per month, with George Town 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

George Town vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

George Town is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 46% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

George Town pays 112% more on average, 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: $371 in George Town versus $616 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in George Town runs roughly 3% less than in Phuket. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $146 in George Town versus $698 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $843 in George Town versus $1,232 in Phuket, a $1,500 budget is realistic in George Town but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes George Town the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, George Town is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Phuket, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, George Town 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 George Town gentler on the wallet – expenses run 46% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.