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: $955 in George Town versus $1,261 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,606 in George Town versus $2,078 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,256 in George Town versus $2,896 in Phuket.

Living in George Town costs roughly 24% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: George Town 30% lower, Phuket 8% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.38 MYR 13.65

$4.43 ฿145

-23.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$15.10 MYR 61.0

$35.07 ฿1,151

-56.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.67 MYR 18.86

$8.96 ฿294

-47.88%

Cappuccino

$2.64 MYR 10.67

$3.00 ฿98.4

-12.00%

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

$0.72 MYR 2.92

$0.77 ฿25.33

-6.49%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 MYR 1.42

$0.47 ฿15.44

-25.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.49 MYR 10.07

$2.40 ฿78.6

3.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.48 MYR 18.09

$3.75 ฿123

19.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.90 MYR 7.67

$1.82 ฿59.8

4.40%

White Bread (500g)

$1.04 MYR 4.20

$1.42 ฿46.65

-26.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.67 MYR 6.75

$1.55 ฿50.8

7.74%

Eggs

$2.21 MYR 8.92

$2.13 ฿69.9

3.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.19 MYR 53.3

$19.76 ฿648

-33.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.50 MYR 18.16

$3.48 ฿114

29.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.55 MYR 34.54

$11.09 ฿364

-22.90%

Apples (1kg)

$2.44 MYR 9.88

$2.91 ฿95.5

-16.15%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 MYR 5.85

$1.66 ฿54.6

-12.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 MYR 9.11

$2.27 ฿74.5

-0.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.22 MYR 4.91

$2.10 ฿68.8

-41.90%

Potato (1kg)

$0.88 MYR 3.54

$1.47 ฿48.24

-40.14%

Onion (1kg)

$0.84 MYR 3.41

$1.41 ฿46.29

-40.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.77 MYR 3.09

$1.09 ฿35.78

-29.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 MYR 2.22

$0.54 ฿17.58

1.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.49 MYR 18.15

$4.48 ฿147

0.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.91 MYR 76.4

$18.72 ฿614

1.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.40 MYR 9.68

$1.84 ฿60.4

30.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.78 MYR 15.25

$2.95 ฿96.7

28.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.47 MYR 1.90

$2.26 ฿74.1

-79.20%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.27 MYR 45.52

$23.07 ฿757

-51.15%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.25 MYR 5.05

$3.04 ฿99.9

-58.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.51 MYR 2.05

$1.09 ฿35.82

-53.21%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.58 MYR 26.60

$3.82 ฿125

72.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.75 MYR 3.05

$1.49 ฿48.79

-49.66%

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

$42.3K MYR 171.0K

$27.4K ฿900.3K

54.24%

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

$28.8K MYR 116.2K

$27.5K ฿902.7K

4.58%

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

$37.21 MYR 150

$102 ฿3,340

-63.45%

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

$8.15 MYR 32.91

$11.28 ฿370

-27.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.31 MYR 118

$17.75 ฿582

65.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 MYR 166

$54.2 ฿1,777

-24.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.95 MYR 19.98

$10.96 ฿360

-54.84%

Cinema Ticket

$4.74 MYR 19.15

$7.85 ฿258

-39.62%

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

$169 MYR 683

$577 ฿18.9K

-70.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,038 MYR 20.4K

$11.6K ฿381.6K

-56.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.3 MYR 215

$65.4 ฿2,144

-18.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.35 MYR 143

$28.89 ฿948

22.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.5 MYR 301

$99.1 ฿3,250

-24.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$68.8 MYR 278

$90.3 ฿2,961

-23.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$505 MYR 2,041

$756 ฿24.8K

-33.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$365 MYR 1,475

$487 ฿16.0K

-25.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$928 MYR 3,749

$2,085 ฿68.4K

-55.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,004 MYR 4,055

$1,207 ฿39.6K

-16.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,591 ฿117.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,610 ฿85.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,091 MYR 4,407

$502 ฿16.5K

117.22%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.43

5.57

-20.47%

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

Last update for George Town: August 18, 2026

Last update for Phuket: August 18, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $505 in George Town and $756 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

George Town pays 117% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $15.00 in George Town vs $35.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $240 vs $272 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, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 32% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 117% higher in George Town, 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: $505 in George Town versus $756 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 105% less than in Phuket. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $169 in George Town versus $577 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $955 in George Town versus $1,261 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 32% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.