Cost of Living Comparison Between Kemaman and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Kemaman and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $958 per month in Kemaman vs $1,265 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,419 per month in Kemaman vs $2,297 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,881 per month in Kemaman vs $3,329 in Phuket, rent included.

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

Both Kemaman and Phuket are more affordable than the global median – Kemaman 29% lower, Phuket 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.62 MYR 10.38

$4.70 ฿153

-44.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$13.92 MYR 55.2

$45.37 ฿1,482

-69.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.80 MYR 15.07

$8.43 ฿275

-54.92%

Cappuccino

$2.23 MYR 8.84

$2.93 ฿95.6

-23.89%

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

$0.45 MYR 1.80

$0.69 ฿22.40

-34.78%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 MYR 1.44

$0.37 ฿11.99

-2.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.23 MYR 16.77

$2.41 ฿78.6

75.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.50 MYR 21.81

$3.72 ฿122

47.85%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.88 MYR 7.45

$2.23 ฿72.9

-15.70%

White Bread (500g)

$0.94 MYR 3.74

$1.83 ฿59.8

-48.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.93 MYR 3.68

$2.17 ฿70.8

-57.14%

Eggs

$1.11 MYR 4.38

$2.21 ฿72.3

-49.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.42 MYR 57.2

$19.74 ฿645

-26.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.67 MYR 14.56

$3.63 ฿119

1.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.31 MYR 36.93

$13.53 ฿442

-31.19%

Apples (1kg)

$3.91 MYR 15.49

$3.28 ฿107

19.21%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 MYR 6.74

$1.61 ฿52.6

5.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.39 MYR 13.45

$2.41 ฿78.6

40.66%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.57 MYR 10.18

$2.08 ฿68.1

23.56%

Potato (1kg)

$1.69 MYR 6.70

$1.53 ฿49.93

10.46%

Onion (1kg)

$1.05 MYR 4.15

$1.48 ฿48.36

-29.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MYR 4.28

$0.99 ฿32.29

9.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 MYR 1.94

$0.51 ฿16.67

-3.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.12 MYR 16.33

$4.41 ฿144

-6.58%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.99 MYR 79.3

$19.38 ฿633

3.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.21 MYR 16.68

$1.78 ฿58.1

136.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.46 MYR 21.65

$2.71 ฿88.6

101.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.72 MYR 2.86

$1.37 ฿44.79

-47.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.92 MYR 47.27

$11.39 ฿372

4.65%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.20 MYR 4.75

$3.02 ฿98.6

-60.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.09 MYR 4.32

$0.99 ฿32.48

10.10%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.35 MYR 17.26

$14.10 ฿461

-69.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.49 MYR 1.96

$1.36 ฿44.51

-63.97%

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

$43.4K MYR 172.0K

$28.2K ฿921.1K

53.82%

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

$31.3K MYR 124.1K

$32.9K ฿1.1M

-4.87%

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

$74.3 MYR 295

$122 ฿3,975

-38.92%

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

$9.73 MYR 38.59

$13.57 ฿443

-28.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.93 MYR 115

$18.31 ฿598

58.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.23 MYR 144

$60.2 ฿1,967

-39.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.71 MYR 22.65

$17.14 ฿560

-66.69%

Cinema Ticket

$5.54 MYR 21.98

$8.69 ฿284

-36.25%

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

$116 MYR 460

$693 ฿22.6K

-83.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,285 MYR 17.0K

$15.7K ฿512.3K

-72.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$109 MYR 433

$59.5 ฿1,944

83.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.83 MYR 106

$34.77 ฿1,136

-22.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.5 MYR 295

$115 ฿3,743

-34.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.4 MYR 311

$83.3 ฿2,720

-5.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$379 MYR 1,504

$613 ฿20.0K

-38.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$272 MYR 1,079

$437 ฿14.3K

-37.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$657 MYR 2,606

$2,094 ฿68.4K

-68.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$467 MYR 1,853

$1,509 ฿49.3K

-69.04%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,796 MYR 7,120

$3,749 ฿122.5K

-52.10%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$873 MYR 3,462

$2,616 ฿85.4K

-66.62%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.96

5.33

-25.70%

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

Last update for Kemaman: June 2, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $379 in Kemaman versus $613 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 $14.00 in Kemaman versus $45.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $271 vs $293 – making Kemaman 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

Kemaman vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Phuket is pricier by about 32%, and the gap shows up most in Sport & Entertainment. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,436 per month in Kemaman and $1,898 in Phuket. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Kemaman, 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 $14.00 in Kemaman and $45.00 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 $958 in Kemaman and $1,265 in Phuket. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Kemaman, where all-in costs run around $958, than in Phuket at $1,265. In Kemaman it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Kemaman – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Kemaman. 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.