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 $941 per month in Kajang, Selangor vs $1,232 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,420 per month in Kajang, Selangor vs $2,255 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,899 per month in Kajang, Selangor vs $3,279 in Phuket, rent included.

Kajang, Selangor is about 24% cheaper than Phuket, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Kajang, Selangor and Phuket are more affordable than the global median – Kajang, Selangor 30% lower, Phuket 8% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.58 MYR 14.14

$4.63 ฿151

-22.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.21 MYR 75.9

$46.84 ฿1,532

-58.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.68 MYR 18.49

$8.84 ฿289

-47.06%

Cappuccino

$3.13 MYR 12.35

$3.00 ฿98.0

4.33%

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

$0.84 MYR 3.32

$0.74 ฿24.25

13.51%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 MYR 1.93

$0.37 ฿11.95

32.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.73 MYR 18.68

$2.44 ฿79.8

93.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.96 MYR 23.56

$3.61 ฿118

65.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.80 MYR 7.09

$2.26 ฿73.9

-20.35%

White Bread (500g)

$1.05 MYR 4.16

$1.84 ฿60.1

-42.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.68 MYR 6.62

$2.24 ฿73.4

-25.00%

Eggs

$1.83 MYR 7.21

$2.32 ฿75.7

-21.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.70 MYR 62.0

$19.67 ฿643

-20.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.05 MYR 19.93

$3.65 ฿119

38.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.91 MYR 39.15

$13.10 ฿428

-24.35%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MYR 11.65

$3.39 ฿111

-12.98%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 MYR 6.43

$1.64 ฿53.7

-0.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.76 MYR 10.92

$2.41 ฿79.0

14.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.88 MYR 7.42

$2.03 ฿66.4

-7.39%

Potato (1kg)

$1.52 MYR 6.02

$1.56 ฿50.9

-2.56%

Onion (1kg)

$1.79 MYR 7.09

$1.50 ฿48.94

19.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.22 MYR 4.82

$1.02 ฿33.50

19.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 MYR 2.19

$0.49 ฿16.00

12.24%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.31 MYR 17.03

$4.45 ฿145

-3.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.24 MYR 76.0

$18.88 ฿617

1.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.73 MYR 10.79

$1.78 ฿58.1

53.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.91 MYR 11.50

$2.75 ฿90.1

5.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.72 MYR 2.85

$1.40 ฿45.81

-48.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.95 MYR 47.19

$11.48 ฿376

4.09%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.20 MYR 4.75

$3.12 ฿102

-61.54%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 MYR 3.91

$1.00 ฿32.67

-1.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.58 MYR 18.09

$14.09 ฿461

-67.49%

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)

$34.7K MYR 137.2K

$27.2K ฿888.9K

27.79%

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

$32.6K MYR 128.7K

$32.9K ฿1.1M

-1.06%

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

$45.66 MYR 180

$125 ฿4,087

-63.47%

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

$9.57 MYR 37.79

$13.57 ฿444

-29.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.09 MYR 123

$18.52 ฿606

67.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.47 MYR 148

$61.5 ฿2,010

-39.05%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.80 MYR 22.92

$16.84 ฿551

-65.56%

Cinema Ticket

$5.02 MYR 19.82

$9.19 ฿300

-45.38%

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

$209 MYR 827

$698 ฿22.8K

-70.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,850 MYR 27.1K

$15.6K ฿509.9K

-56.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.7 MYR 244

$57.8 ฿1,889

6.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.64 MYR 149

$35.24 ฿1,152

6.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.9 MYR 343

$113 ฿3,699

-23.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.3 MYR 282

$86.4 ฿2,825

-17.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$388 MYR 1,532

$616 ฿20.1K

-37.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$273 MYR 1,077

$446 ฿14.6K

-38.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$645 MYR 2,548

$2,048 ฿67.0K

-68.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$464 MYR 1,834

$1,492 ฿48.8K

-68.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,716 MYR 6,777

$3,779 ฿123.6K

-54.59%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,022 MYR 4,038

$2,649 ฿86.6K

-61.41%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$630 MYR 2,490

$524 ฿17.1K

20.33%

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: April 25, 2026

Last update for Phuket: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $388 in Kajang, Selangor versus $616 in Phuket. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 20% higher in Kajang, Selangor, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Kajang, Selangor versus $47.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $267 vs $292 – 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: $941 in Kajang, Selangor, $1,232 in Phuket – roughly 31% apart. Phuket costs more across the board, with Sport & Entertainment showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,412 per month in Kajang, Selangor and $1,847 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 $47.00 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 $941 in Kajang, Selangor and $1,232 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 $941, than in Phuket at $1,232. 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 $941 in Kajang, Selangor to $1,232 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.