Cost of Living Comparison Between Kulim and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Kulim and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $944 per month in Kulim vs $1,190 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,405 per month in Kulim vs $2,006 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,866 per month in Kulim vs $2,822 in Phuket, rent included.

Kulim is about 21% cheaper than Phuket, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Kulim and Phuket are more affordable than the global median – Kulim 30% lower, Phuket 11% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.40 MYR 13.88

$4.35 ฿146

-21.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$14.93 MYR 61.0

$32.45 ฿1,093

-53.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.77 MYR 19.49

$8.42 ฿283

-43.35%

Cappuccino

$2.62 MYR 10.71

$2.81 ฿94.5

-6.76%

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

$0.97 MYR 3.95

$0.87 ฿29.46

11.49%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 MYR 1.45

$0.46 ฿15.48

-23.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.48 MYR 10.15

$2.59 ฿87.0

-4.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.31 MYR 17.59

$3.64 ฿123

18.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.47 MYR 10.08

$1.71 ฿57.5

44.44%

White Bread (500g)

$1.32 MYR 5.41

$1.45 ฿48.69

-8.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 MYR 7.17

$1.56 ฿52.5

12.82%

Eggs

$2.47 MYR 10.09

$2.10 ฿70.7

17.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.68 MYR 64.1

$19.53 ฿657

-19.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.87 MYR 19.91

$3.40 ฿114

43.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.69 MYR 39.58

$11.14 ฿375

-13.02%

Apples (1kg)

$2.41 MYR 9.83

$2.83 ฿95.4

-14.84%

Banana (1kg)

$1.48 MYR 6.06

$1.62 ฿54.6

-8.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 MYR 9.20

$2.22 ฿74.9

1.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.25 MYR 5.09

$2.15 ฿72.3

-41.86%

Potato (1kg)

$0.94 MYR 3.86

$1.49 ฿50.2

-36.91%

Onion (1kg)

$0.85 MYR 3.48

$1.33 ฿44.65

-36.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 MYR 2.95

$1.07 ฿35.92

-32.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.68 MYR 2.77

$0.51 ฿17.10

33.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.52 MYR 18.45

$4.38 ฿148

3.20%

Wine (Bottle)

$21.34 MYR 87.2

$18.77 ฿632

13.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.50 MYR 10.22

$1.74 ฿58.6

43.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.75 MYR 15.31

$2.78 ฿93.5

34.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.78 MYR 3.17

$2.17 ฿73.0

-64.06%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.41 MYR 50.7

$22.28 ฿750

-44.30%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.27 MYR 5.17

$3.02 ฿102

-57.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.47 MYR 1.94

$1.06 ฿35.63

-55.66%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.78 MYR 27.68

$3.71 ฿125

82.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 MYR 3.30

$1.43 ฿48.16

-43.36%

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

$41.6K MYR 169.8K

$26.3K ฿887.1K

57.75%

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

$28.5K MYR 116.6K

$26.2K ฿882.3K

8.95%

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

$49.63 MYR 203

$96.7 ฿3,254

-48.66%

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

$8.34 MYR 34.06

$11.41 ฿384

-26.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.95 MYR 126

$17.11 ฿576

80.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.79 MYR 167

$52.8 ฿1,778

-22.75%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.09 MYR 28.97

$11.07 ฿373

-35.95%

Cinema Ticket

$4.70 MYR 19.20

$7.65 ฿258

-38.56%

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

$169 MYR 689

$555 ฿18.7K

-69.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,851 MYR 19.8K

$11.3K ฿379.9K

-57.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.4 MYR 218

$63.4 ฿2,135

-15.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.35 MYR 144

$28.61 ฿963

23.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$73.8 MYR 302

$96.7 ฿3,256

-23.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$115 MYR 468

$88.6 ฿2,983

29.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$405 MYR 1,653

$735 ฿24.7K

-44.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$306 MYR 1,249

$458 ฿15.4K

-33.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$666 MYR 2,723

$2,102 ฿70.8K

-68.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$480 MYR 1,961

$1,187 ฿40.0K

-59.55%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,008 MYR 8,201

$3,493 ฿117.6K

-42.52%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,071 MYR 4,375

$2,491 ฿83.9K

-57.01%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$501 ฿16.9K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.43

5.57

-20.47%

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

Last update for Kulim: October 4, 2026

Last update for Phuket: October 4, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $405 in Kulim versus $735 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 $15.00 in Kulim versus $32.00 in Phuket. Groceries tell a different story – $270 in Kulim vs $268 in Phuket – so Phuket wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Kulim vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket costs about 26% more than Kulim, with the gap driven mainly by Getting Around. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,415 per month in Kulim and $1,785 in Phuket. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Interestingly, groceries are about 1% cheaper in Phuket – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $15.00 in Kulim and $32.00 in Phuket. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Kulim, where all-in costs run around $944, than in Phuket at $1,190. In Kulim it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Kulim costs $944 versus $1,190 in Phuket. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Kulim. 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.