Cost of Living Comparison Between Labuan and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Labuan and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $897 in Labuan versus $1,265 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,368 in Labuan versus $2,297 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,838 in Labuan versus $3,329 in Phuket.

Living in Labuan costs roughly 29% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Labuan 33% lower, Phuket 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.15 MYR 20.43

$4.70 ฿153

9.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.23 MYR 92.1

$45.37 ฿1,482

-48.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.52 MYR 25.85

$8.43 ฿275

-22.66%

Cappuccino

$3.83 MYR 15.18

$2.93 ฿95.6

30.72%

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

$1.06 MYR 4.22

$0.69 ฿22.40

53.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.43 MYR 1.70

$0.37 ฿11.99

16.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.61 MYR 14.30

$2.41 ฿78.6

49.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.99 MYR 19.77

$3.72 ฿122

34.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.66 MYR 6.59

$2.23 ฿72.9

-25.56%

White Bread (500g)

$1.01 MYR 3.99

$1.83 ฿59.8

-44.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.25 MYR 4.95

$2.17 ฿70.8

-42.40%

Eggs

$2.06 MYR 8.16

$2.21 ฿72.3

-6.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.75 MYR 58.5

$19.74 ฿645

-25.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.23 MYR 16.79

$3.63 ฿119

16.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.67 MYR 38.33

$13.53 ฿442

-28.53%

Apples (1kg)

$2.85 MYR 11.30

$3.28 ฿107

-13.11%

Banana (1kg)

$1.52 MYR 6.04

$1.61 ฿52.6

-5.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.62 MYR 10.38

$2.41 ฿78.6

8.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 MYR 5.45

$2.08 ฿68.1

-34.13%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 MYR 4.93

$1.53 ฿49.93

-18.95%

Onion (1kg)

$1.32 MYR 5.25

$1.48 ฿48.36

-10.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MYR 4.10

$0.99 ฿32.29

4.04%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 MYR 2.23

$0.51 ฿16.67

9.80%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.34 MYR 17.22

$4.41 ฿144

-1.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.93 MYR 75.1

$19.38 ฿633

-2.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.81 MYR 11.15

$1.78 ฿58.1

57.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 MYR 11.57

$2.71 ฿88.6

7.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.69 MYR 2.75

$1.37 ฿44.79

-49.64%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.90 MYR 47.20

$11.39 ฿372

4.48%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.15 MYR 4.54

$3.02 ฿98.6

-61.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 MYR 4.10

$0.99 ฿32.48

5.05%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.95 MYR 23.60

$14.10 ฿461

-57.80%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.50 MYR 1.97

$1.36 ฿44.51

-63.24%

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

$34.8K MYR 138.1K

$28.2K ฿921.1K

23.48%

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

$31.9K MYR 126.3K

$32.9K ฿1.1M

-3.16%

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

$43.79 MYR 174

$122 ฿3,975

-64.02%

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

$9.31 MYR 36.93

$13.57 ฿443

-31.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.94 MYR 115

$18.31 ฿598

58.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.15 MYR 147

$60.2 ฿1,967

-38.31%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.80 MYR 22.99

$17.14 ฿560

-66.16%

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 MYR 19.69

$8.69 ฿284

-42.81%

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

$190 MYR 753

$693 ฿22.6K

-72.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,898 MYR 27.4K

$15.7K ฿512.3K

-56.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.9 MYR 245

$59.5 ฿1,944

3.91%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.83 MYR 110

$34.77 ฿1,136

-19.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$73.2 MYR 290

$115 ฿3,743

-36.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$50.8 MYR 201

$83.3 ฿2,720

-39.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$386 MYR 1,529

$613 ฿20.0K

-37.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$265 MYR 1,053

$437 ฿14.3K

-39.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$656 MYR 2,600

$2,094 ฿68.4K

-68.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MYR 1,854

$1,509 ฿49.3K

-69.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,705 MYR 6,761

$3,749 ฿122.5K

-54.52%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$891 MYR 3,532

$2,616 ฿85.4K

-65.94%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$382 MYR 1,514

$508 ฿16.6K

-24.87%

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 Labuan: June 2, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $386 in Labuan and $613 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 33% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $23.00 in Labuan vs $45.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $250 vs $293 per month, with Labuan cheaper across the board.

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

Labuan vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Labuan is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 41% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Phuket earns 33% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $386 in Labuan versus $613 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $190 in Labuan versus $693 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 17% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $897 in Labuan versus $1,265 in Phuket, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Labuan but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Labuan the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Labuan is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Phuket, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Labuan and Phuket are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Labuan gentler on the wallet – expenses run 41% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.