Cost of Living Comparison Between Kepong and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Kepong and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $769 per month in Kepong vs $1,265 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,235 per month in Kepong vs $2,297 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,701 per month in Kepong vs $3,329 in Phuket, rent included.

Kepong is about 39% cheaper than Phuket, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Kepong and Phuket are more affordable than the global median – Kepong 43% lower, Phuket 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.44 MYR 13.65

$4.70 ฿153

-26.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.11 MYR 75.8

$45.37 ฿1,482

-57.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.79 MYR 18.99

$8.43 ฿275

-43.18%

Cappuccino

$2.83 MYR 11.22

$2.93 ฿95.6

-3.41%

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

$0.79 MYR 3.13

$0.69 ฿22.40

14.49%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 MYR 1.58

$0.37 ฿11.99

8.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.56 MYR 14.11

$2.41 ฿78.6

47.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.12 MYR 20.31

$3.72 ฿122

37.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.83 MYR 7.24

$2.23 ฿72.9

-17.94%

White Bread (500g)

$1.00 MYR 3.97

$1.83 ฿59.8

-45.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.26 MYR 4.98

$2.17 ฿70.8

-41.94%

Eggs

$2.27 MYR 9.02

$2.21 ฿72.3

2.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.20 MYR 60.3

$19.74 ฿645

-23.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.18 MYR 20.55

$3.63 ฿119

42.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.54 MYR 41.80

$13.53 ฿442

-22.10%

Apples (1kg)

$2.73 MYR 10.83

$3.28 ฿107

-16.77%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 MYR 6.67

$1.61 ฿52.6

4.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.44 MYR 9.69

$2.41 ฿78.6

1.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.19 MYR 4.73

$2.08 ฿68.1

-42.79%

Potato (1kg)

$1.37 MYR 5.44

$1.53 ฿49.93

-10.46%

Onion (1kg)

$1.38 MYR 5.48

$1.48 ฿48.36

-6.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.95 MYR 3.76

$0.99 ฿32.29

-4.04%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.62 MYR 2.46

$0.51 ฿16.67

21.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.36 MYR 17.29

$4.41 ฿144

-1.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.79 MYR 58.6

$19.38 ฿633

-23.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.64 MYR 10.47

$1.78 ฿58.1

48.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.86 MYR 11.35

$2.71 ฿88.6

5.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.73 MYR 2.88

$1.37 ฿44.79

-46.72%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.77 MYR 46.67

$11.39 ฿372

3.34%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.98 MYR 3.87

$3.02 ฿98.6

-67.55%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.98 MYR 3.89

$0.99 ฿32.48

-1.01%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.39 MYR 37.23

$14.10 ฿461

-33.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.47 MYR 1.85

$1.36 ฿44.51

-65.44%

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

$31.1K MYR 123.4K

$28.2K ฿921.1K

10.37%

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

$28.4K MYR 112.5K

$32.9K ฿1.1M

-13.73%

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

$45.45 MYR 180

$122 ฿3,975

-62.65%

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

$8.90 MYR 35.27

$13.57 ฿443

-34.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.85 MYR 94.6

$18.31 ฿598

30.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.97 MYR 127

$60.2 ฿1,967

-46.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.83 MYR 23.13

$17.14 ฿560

-65.99%

Cinema Ticket

$5.08 MYR 20.14

$8.69 ฿284

-41.54%

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

$212 MYR 842

$693 ฿22.6K

-69.39%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,999 MYR 27.7K

$15.7K ฿512.3K

-55.39%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.11 MYR 195

$59.5 ฿1,944

-17.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$23.80 MYR 94.4

$34.77 ฿1,136

-31.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.7 MYR 280

$115 ฿3,743

-38.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$47.90 MYR 190

$83.3 ฿2,720

-42.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$246 MYR 975

$613 ฿20.0K

-59.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$174 MYR 691

$437 ฿14.3K

-60.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$611 MYR 2,424

$2,094 ฿68.4K

-70.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$423 MYR 1,678

$1,509 ฿49.3K

-71.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,913 MYR 7,585

$3,749 ฿122.5K

-48.98%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$959 MYR 3,803

$2,616 ฿85.4K

-63.33%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$660 MYR 2,617

$508 ฿16.6K

29.88%

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 Kepong: June 1, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $246 in Kepong 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.

Salaries run about 30% higher in Kepong, 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 Kepong versus $45.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $252 vs $293 – making Kepong 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

Kepong vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $769 in Kepong, $1,265 in Phuket – roughly 65% apart. Phuket costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,153 per month in Kepong 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 Kepong, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 3% less in Kepong. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $212 per month in Kepong and $693 in Phuket. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Kepong, where all-in costs run around $769, than in Phuket at $1,265. In Kepong 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 $769 in Kepong to $1,265 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 Kepong. 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.