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: $955 in Johor Bahru versus $1,264 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,366 in Johor Bahru versus $2,256 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,776 in Johor Bahru versus $3,248 in Phuket.

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

Both cities sit below the global median: Johor Bahru 28% lower, Phuket 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.51 MYR 14.32

$4.48 ฿150

-21.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.98 MYR 77.5

$45.59 ฿1,521

-58.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.82 MYR 19.67

$8.76 ฿292

-44.98%

Cappuccino

$2.92 MYR 11.93

$2.97 ฿99.0

-1.68%

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

$0.83 MYR 3.39

$0.69 ฿22.90

20.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 MYR 1.98

$0.39 ฿13.04

25.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.52 MYR 14.37

$2.53 ฿84.4

39.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.47 MYR 26.43

$3.75 ฿125

72.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.82 MYR 7.45

$2.15 ฿71.6

-15.35%

White Bread (500g)

$0.93 MYR 3.80

$1.82 ฿60.6

-48.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.26 MYR 5.14

$2.18 ฿72.9

-42.20%

Eggs

$1.88 MYR 7.67

$2.25 ฿75.0

-16.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.76 MYR 43.94

$20.00 ฿667

-46.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.40 MYR 13.89

$3.63 ฿121

-6.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.14 MYR 33.24

$13.56 ฿452

-39.97%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 MYR 11.25

$3.24 ฿108

-15.12%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MYR 6.14

$1.64 ฿54.6

-8.54%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.57 MYR 10.51

$2.33 ฿77.8

10.30%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.22 MYR 4.98

$2.07 ฿69.1

-41.06%

Potato (1kg)

$1.14 MYR 4.66

$1.55 ฿51.6

-26.45%

Onion (1kg)

$1.40 MYR 5.71

$1.46 ฿48.54

-4.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.96 MYR 3.93

$0.98 ฿32.86

-2.04%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 MYR 2.31

$0.48 ฿16.09

18.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.16 MYR 16.99

$4.35 ฿145

-4.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.34 MYR 58.5

$18.57 ฿620

-22.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.80 MYR 11.42

$1.86 ฿61.9

50.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MYR 11.77

$2.65 ฿88.6

8.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.72 MYR 2.95

$1.42 ฿47.28

-49.30%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.92 MYR 48.66

$11.57 ฿386

3.03%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.03 MYR 4.19

$3.17 ฿106

-67.51%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 MYR 4.17

$1.03 ฿34.41

-0.97%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.48 MYR 38.71

$13.89 ฿463

-31.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.50 MYR 2.05

$1.34 ฿44.84

-62.69%

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

$34.8K MYR 142.0K

$27.8K ฿927.1K

25.18%

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

$27.4K MYR 111.9K

$33.4K ฿1.1M

-17.92%

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

$40.42 MYR 165

$123 ฿4,105

-67.15%

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

$8.82 MYR 36.01

$13.77 ฿459

-35.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.58 MYR 125

$18.33 ฿611

66.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.12 MYR 143

$60.7 ฿2,025

-42.13%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.78 MYR 23.59

$17.16 ฿573

-66.32%

Cinema Ticket

$4.89 MYR 19.96

$8.87 ฿296

-44.87%

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

$184 MYR 752

$688 ฿22.9K

-73.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,005 MYR 28.6K

$15.8K ฿526.4K

-55.61%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.22 MYR 201

$59.3 ฿1,978

-17.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$18.59 MYR 75.9

$34.69 ฿1,157

-46.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$54.9 MYR 224

$115 ฿3,843

-52.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$39.53 MYR 161

$83.8 ฿2,794

-52.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$468 MYR 1,910

$621 ฿20.7K

-24.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$400 MYR 1,633

$446 ฿14.9K

-10.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$814 MYR 3,325

$2,034 ฿67.8K

-59.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$609 MYR 2,488

$1,496 ฿49.9K

-59.27%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,036 MYR 8,313

$3,455 ฿115.3K

-41.07%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,158 MYR 4,728

$2,531 ฿84.4K

-54.25%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,063 MYR 4,342

$494 ฿16.5K

115.43%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.07

5.33

-23.64%

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

Last update for Johor Bahru: July 26, 2026

Last update for Phuket: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $468 in Johor Bahru and $621 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Johor Bahru pays 115% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $19.00 in Johor Bahru vs $46.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $218 vs $291 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 32% in total monthly costs ($955 vs $1,264 including rent). Johor Bahru is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 115% 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: $468 in Johor Bahru versus $621 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 $19.00 versus $46.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $955 per month in Johor Bahru versus $1,264 in Phuket – a 32% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $955 in Johor Bahru versus $1,264 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 32% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.