Cost of Living Comparison Between Johor Bahru and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Johor Bahru and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,048 in Johor Bahru versus $1,232 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,549 in Johor Bahru versus $2,054 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,050 in Johor Bahru versus $2,876 in Phuket.

Living in Johor Bahru costs roughly 15% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Johor Bahru 23% lower, Phuket 10% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.68 MYR 15.05

$4.41 ฿147

-16.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.22 MYR 86.9

$32.26 ฿1,073

-34.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.89 MYR 20.01

$8.93 ฿297

-45.24%

Cappuccino

$2.93 MYR 12.01

$2.90 ฿96.3

1.03%

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

$0.84 MYR 3.44

$0.88 ฿29.27

-4.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.52 MYR 2.11

$0.48 ฿16.00

8.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.39 MYR 17.97

$2.35 ฿78.2

86.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.32 MYR 25.88

$3.72 ฿124

69.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.67 MYR 6.83

$1.87 ฿62.0

-10.70%

White Bread (500g)

$1.11 MYR 4.53

$1.47 ฿48.75

-24.49%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.43 MYR 5.86

$1.55 ฿51.6

-7.74%

Eggs

$1.68 MYR 6.89

$2.10 ฿69.9

-20.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.49 MYR 75.7

$19.59 ฿651

-5.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.67 MYR 19.13

$3.42 ฿114

36.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MYR 43.91

$11.38 ฿378

-5.71%

Apples (1kg)

$3.29 MYR 13.48

$2.98 ฿99.2

10.40%

Banana (1kg)

$1.76 MYR 7.21

$1.68 ฿56.0

4.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.75 MYR 15.34

$2.21 ฿73.5

69.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.68 MYR 6.86

$2.16 ฿71.9

-22.22%

Potato (1kg)

$1.41 MYR 5.79

$1.52 ฿50.7

-7.24%

Onion (1kg)

$1.67 MYR 6.82

$1.34 ฿44.49

24.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.38 MYR 5.64

$1.13 ฿37.53

22.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 MYR 2.22

$0.55 ฿18.17

-1.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.23 MYR 17.32

$4.26 ฿142

-0.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.40 MYR 58.9

$19.09 ฿635

-24.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.96 MYR 12.11

$1.78 ฿59.2

66.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.08 MYR 12.63

$2.78 ฿92.5

10.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.72 MYR 2.93

$2.23 ฿74.1

-67.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.16 MYR 49.79

$22.74 ฿756

-46.53%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.43 MYR 5.84

$3.03 ฿101

-52.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.75 MYR 3.09

$1.02 ฿34.02

-26.47%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.99 MYR 40.88

$3.89 ฿129

156.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.82 MYR 3.36

$1.49 ฿49.57

-44.97%

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

$42.6K MYR 174.3K

$26.6K ฿883.8K

60.17%

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

$35.7K MYR 146.2K

$27.0K ฿898.7K

32.12%

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

$53.6 MYR 219

$102 ฿3,407

-47.73%

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

$11.39 MYR 46.60

$11.33 ฿377

0.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.27 MYR 116

$17.40 ฿578

62.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.40 MYR 165

$52.1 ฿1,732

-22.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.79 MYR 23.72

$11.07 ฿368

-47.70%

Cinema Ticket

$4.79 MYR 19.61

$7.69 ฿256

-37.71%

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

$161 MYR 658

$561 ฿18.6K

-71.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,523 MYR 18.5K

$11.5K ฿382.6K

-60.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.7 MYR 220

$63.0 ฿2,096

-14.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$16.30 MYR 66.7

$29.52 ฿982

-44.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.2 MYR 340

$98.0 ฿3,259

-15.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$98.1 MYR 401

$88.5 ฿2,943

10.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$515 MYR 2,108

$738 ฿24.5K

-30.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$397 MYR 1,625

$482 ฿16.0K

-17.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$905 MYR 3,702

$2,107 ฿70.0K

-57.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$639 MYR 2,615

$1,226 ฿40.8K

-47.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,058 MYR 8,423

$3,617 ฿120.3K

-43.10%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,177 MYR 4,818

$2,603 ฿86.5K

-54.78%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,090 MYR 4,460

$494 ฿16.4K

120.74%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.06

5.57

-27.11%

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

Last update for Johor Bahru: September 14, 2026

Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $515 in Johor Bahru and $738 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Johor Bahru pays 121% 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 Johor Bahru vs $32.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $271 vs $274 per month, with Johor Bahru 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

Johor Bahru vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Johor Bahru and Phuket differ by about 18% in total monthly costs ($1,048 vs $1,232 including rent). Johor Bahru is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 121% higher in Johor Bahru, 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: $515 in Johor Bahru versus $738 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Johor Bahru – a meal for two runs $21.00 versus $32.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,048 per month in Johor Bahru versus $1,232 in Phuket – a 18% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,048 in Johor Bahru versus $1,232 in Phuket, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Johor Bahru but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Johor Bahru the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Johor Bahru 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 Johor Bahru gentler on the wallet – expenses run 18% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.