Cost of Living Comparison Between Kangar, Perlis and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Kangar, Perlis and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $859 per month in Kangar, Perlis vs $1,264 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,310 per month in Kangar, Perlis vs $2,256 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,762 per month in Kangar, Perlis vs $3,248 in Phuket, rent included.

Kangar, Perlis is about 32% cheaper than Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Kangar, Perlis and Phuket are more affordable than the global median – Kangar, Perlis 35% lower, Phuket 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.52 MYR 14.36

$4.48 ฿150

-21.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.01 MYR 77.6

$45.59 ฿1,521

-58.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.83 MYR 19.72

$8.76 ฿292

-44.86%

Cappuccino

$2.77 MYR 11.30

$2.97 ฿99.0

-6.73%

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

$0.72 MYR 2.95

$0.69 ฿22.90

4.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 MYR 1.62

$0.39 ฿13.04

2.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.44 MYR 14.06

$2.53 ฿84.4

35.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.84 MYR 19.75

$3.75 ฿125

29.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.79 MYR 7.29

$2.15 ฿71.6

-16.74%

White Bread (500g)

$0.94 MYR 3.86

$1.82 ฿60.6

-48.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.29 MYR 5.26

$2.18 ฿72.9

-40.83%

Eggs

$2.13 MYR 8.68

$2.25 ฿75.0

-5.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.14 MYR 61.8

$20.00 ฿667

-24.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.29 MYR 17.51

$3.63 ฿121

18.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.41 MYR 38.43

$13.56 ฿452

-30.60%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MYR 11.81

$3.24 ฿108

-10.80%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 MYR 5.91

$1.64 ฿54.6

-11.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.61 MYR 10.67

$2.33 ฿77.8

12.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.45 MYR 5.92

$2.07 ฿69.1

-29.95%

Potato (1kg)

$1.18 MYR 4.83

$1.55 ฿51.6

-23.87%

Onion (1kg)

$1.32 MYR 5.40

$1.46 ฿48.54

-9.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MYR 4.23

$0.98 ฿32.86

6.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 MYR 2.27

$0.48 ฿16.09

14.58%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.33 MYR 17.69

$4.35 ฿145

-0.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.63 MYR 67.9

$18.57 ฿620

-10.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.82 MYR 11.51

$1.86 ฿61.9

51.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.01 MYR 12.30

$2.65 ฿88.6

13.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.70 MYR 2.84

$1.42 ฿47.28

-50.70%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.69 MYR 47.73

$11.57 ฿386

1.04%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.16 MYR 4.73

$3.17 ฿106

-63.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 MYR 4.17

$1.03 ฿34.41

-0.97%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.80 MYR 23.67

$13.89 ฿463

-58.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.46 MYR 1.89

$1.34 ฿44.84

-65.67%

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

$35.6K MYR 145.2K

$27.8K ฿927.1K

27.93%

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

$31.8K MYR 130.0K

$33.4K ฿1.1M

-4.63%

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

$42.93 MYR 175

$123 ฿4,105

-65.11%

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

$9.33 MYR 38.10

$13.77 ฿459

-32.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.91 MYR 118

$18.33 ฿611

57.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.62 MYR 150

$60.7 ฿2,025

-39.66%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.00 MYR 24.49

$17.16 ฿573

-65.03%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MYR 19.86

$8.87 ฿296

-45.21%

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

$187 MYR 763

$688 ฿22.9K

-72.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,800 MYR 27.8K

$15.8K ฿526.4K

-56.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.5 MYR 251

$59.3 ฿1,978

3.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.36 MYR 112

$34.69 ฿1,157

-21.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.0 MYR 294

$115 ฿3,843

-37.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$51.3 MYR 210

$83.8 ฿2,794

-38.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$394 MYR 1,609

$621 ฿20.7K

-36.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$268 MYR 1,096

$446 ฿14.9K

-39.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$646 MYR 2,639

$2,034 ฿67.8K

-68.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$469 MYR 1,914

$1,496 ฿49.9K

-68.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,332 MYR 9,522

$3,455 ฿115.3K

-32.50%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,271 MYR 5,191

$2,531 ฿84.4K

-49.77%

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 Kangar, Perlis: July 27, 2026

Last update for Phuket: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $394 in Kangar, Perlis 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 Kangar, Perlis versus $46.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $247 vs $291 – making Kangar, Perlis 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

Kangar, Perlis vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $859 in Kangar, Perlis, $1,264 in Phuket – roughly 47% apart. Phuket costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,288 per month in Kangar, Perlis 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 Kangar, Perlis, 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 Kangar, Perlis 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 $859 in Kangar, Perlis 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 Kangar, Perlis, where all-in costs run around $859, than in Phuket at $1,264. In Kangar, Perlis 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 $859 in Kangar, Perlis 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 Kangar, Perlis. 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.