Cost of Living Comparison Between Kajang, Selangor and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Kajang, Selangor and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $925 per month in Kajang, Selangor vs $1,264 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,407 per month in Kajang, Selangor vs $2,256 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,890 per month in Kajang, Selangor vs $3,248 in Phuket, rent included.

Kajang, Selangor is about 27% cheaper than Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Kajang, Selangor and Phuket are more affordable than the global median – Kajang, Selangor 31% lower, Phuket 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.62 MYR 14.76

$4.48 ฿150

-19.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.64 MYR 76.1

$45.59 ฿1,521

-59.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.79 MYR 19.57

$8.76 ฿292

-45.32%

Cappuccino

$3.13 MYR 12.77

$2.97 ฿99.0

5.39%

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

$0.80 MYR 3.27

$0.69 ฿22.90

15.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 MYR 2.01

$0.39 ฿13.04

25.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.68 MYR 19.10

$2.53 ฿84.4

84.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.04 MYR 24.65

$3.75 ฿125

61.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.81 MYR 7.38

$2.15 ฿71.6

-15.81%

White Bread (500g)

$1.02 MYR 4.16

$1.82 ฿60.6

-43.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MYR 6.71

$2.18 ฿72.9

-24.77%

Eggs

$1.90 MYR 7.74

$2.25 ฿75.0

-15.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.61 MYR 63.7

$20.00 ฿667

-21.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.12 MYR 20.92

$3.63 ฿121

41.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.49 MYR 38.73

$13.56 ฿452

-30.01%

Apples (1kg)

$2.90 MYR 11.82

$3.24 ฿108

-10.49%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 MYR 6.60

$1.64 ฿54.6

-1.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.87 MYR 11.74

$2.33 ฿77.8

23.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.86 MYR 7.60

$2.07 ฿69.1

-10.14%

Potato (1kg)

$1.52 MYR 6.19

$1.55 ฿51.6

-1.94%

Onion (1kg)

$1.74 MYR 7.08

$1.46 ฿48.54

19.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.22 MYR 4.98

$0.98 ฿32.86

24.49%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 MYR 2.12

$0.48 ฿16.09

8.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.17 MYR 17.04

$4.35 ฿145

-4.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.15 MYR 57.8

$18.57 ฿620

-23.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.76 MYR 11.25

$1.86 ฿61.9

48.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 MYR 12.27

$2.65 ฿88.6

13.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.72 MYR 2.96

$1.42 ฿47.28

-49.30%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.70 MYR 47.76

$11.57 ฿386

1.12%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.20 MYR 4.92

$3.17 ฿106

-62.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.03 MYR 4.20

$1.03 ฿34.41

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.69 MYR 19.15

$13.89 ฿463

-66.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.46 MYR 1.88

$1.34 ฿44.84

-65.67%

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

$35.6K MYR 145.4K

$27.8K ฿927.1K

28.10%

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

$33.1K MYR 135.2K

$33.4K ฿1.1M

-0.81%

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

$46.16 MYR 188

$123 ฿4,105

-62.49%

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

$9.60 MYR 39.19

$13.77 ฿459

-30.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.97 MYR 126

$18.33 ฿611

68.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.78 MYR 150

$60.7 ฿2,025

-39.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.97 MYR 24.39

$17.16 ฿573

-65.21%

Cinema Ticket

$5.08 MYR 20.74

$8.87 ฿296

-42.73%

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

$214 MYR 875

$688 ฿22.9K

-68.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,982 MYR 28.5K

$15.8K ฿526.4K

-55.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 MYR 245

$59.3 ฿1,978

1.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.70 MYR 154

$34.69 ฿1,157

8.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.4 MYR 349

$115 ฿3,843

-25.87%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.4 MYR 292

$83.8 ฿2,794

-14.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$393 MYR 1,605

$621 ฿20.7K

-36.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$269 MYR 1,100

$446 ฿14.9K

-39.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$639 MYR 2,608

$2,034 ฿67.8K

-68.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$464 MYR 1,896

$1,496 ฿49.9K

-68.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,029 MYR 8,284

$3,455 ฿115.3K

-41.28%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,213 MYR 4,951

$2,531 ฿84.4K

-52.09%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.5K

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 Kajang, Selangor: July 28, 2026

Last update for Phuket: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $393 in Kajang, Selangor versus $621 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 $19.00 in Kajang, Selangor versus $46.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $256 vs $291 – making Kajang, Selangor 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

Kajang, Selangor vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $925 in Kajang, Selangor, $1,264 in Phuket – roughly 37% apart. Phuket costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,387 per month in Kajang, Selangor and $1,896 in Phuket. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Kajang, Selangor and $46.00 in Phuket. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $925 in Kajang, Selangor and $1,264 in Phuket. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Kajang, Selangor, where all-in costs run around $925, than in Phuket at $1,264. In Kajang, Selangor 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 $925 in Kajang, Selangor to $1,264 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 Kajang, Selangor. 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.