Cost of Living Comparison Between Lumut, Perak and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Lumut, Perak and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $947 in Lumut, Perak versus $1,265 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,416 in Lumut, Perak versus $2,297 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,884 in Lumut, Perak versus $3,329 in Phuket.

Living in Lumut, Perak costs roughly 25% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities sit below the global median: Lumut, Perak 29% lower, Phuket 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.60 MYR 14.35

$4.70 ฿154

-23.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$11.55 MYR 46.09

$45.37 ฿1,483

-74.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.69 MYR 18.72

$8.43 ฿276

-44.37%

Cappuccino

$2.75 MYR 10.97

$2.93 ฿95.7

-6.14%

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

$0.84 MYR 3.33

$0.69 ฿22.42

21.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 MYR 1.33

$0.37 ฿12.00

-10.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.71 MYR 14.80

$2.41 ฿78.7

53.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.00 MYR 23.92

$3.72 ฿122

61.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.08 MYR 8.28

$2.23 ฿73.0

-6.73%

White Bread (500g)

$1.00 MYR 3.99

$1.83 ฿59.9

-45.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.73 MYR 6.91

$2.17 ฿70.9

-20.28%

Eggs

$2.17 MYR 8.67

$2.21 ฿72.4

-1.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.75 MYR 58.9

$19.74 ฿645

-25.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.58 MYR 18.27

$3.63 ฿119

26.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.88 MYR 39.43

$13.53 ฿442

-26.98%

Apples (1kg)

$2.84 MYR 11.35

$3.28 ฿107

-13.41%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 MYR 6.24

$1.61 ฿52.7

-3.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.70 MYR 10.76

$2.41 ฿78.7

12.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.48 MYR 5.90

$2.08 ฿68.1

-28.85%

Potato (1kg)

$1.23 MYR 4.91

$1.53 ฿49.97

-19.61%

Onion (1kg)

$1.33 MYR 5.31

$1.48 ฿48.41

-10.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 MYR 4.80

$0.99 ฿32.32

21.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.67 MYR 2.65

$0.51 ฿16.68

31.37%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.18 MYR 16.69

$4.41 ฿144

-5.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.21 MYR 76.6

$19.38 ฿634

-0.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.33 MYR 13.30

$1.78 ฿58.1

87.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.26 MYR 16.98

$2.71 ฿88.7

57.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.74 MYR 2.96

$1.37 ฿44.83

-45.99%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.99 MYR 47.85

$11.39 ฿372

5.27%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.16 MYR 4.61

$3.02 ฿98.7

-61.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.15 MYR 4.59

$0.99 ฿32.51

16.16%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.78 MYR 19.09

$14.10 ฿461

-66.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.47 MYR 1.89

$1.36 ฿44.55

-65.44%

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

$40.3K MYR 160.9K

$28.2K ฿921.9K

43.00%

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

$32.2K MYR 128.5K

$32.9K ฿1.1M

-2.14%

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

$64.0 MYR 255

$122 ฿3,978

-47.42%

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

$11.61 MYR 46.33

$13.57 ฿444

-14.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.39 MYR 101

$18.31 ฿599

38.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.06 MYR 148

$60.2 ฿1,969

-38.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.77 MYR 23.01

$17.14 ฿560

-66.34%

Cinema Ticket

$5.22 MYR 20.84

$8.69 ฿284

-39.93%

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

$270 MYR 1,076

$693 ฿22.7K

-61.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,523 MYR 38.0K

$15.7K ฿512.8K

-39.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.2 MYR 244

$59.5 ฿1,946

2.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.04 MYR 148

$34.77 ฿1,137

6.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.7 MYR 342

$115 ฿3,746

-25.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$81.2 MYR 324

$83.3 ฿2,723

-2.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$390 MYR 1,555

$613 ฿20.0K

-36.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$269 MYR 1,073

$437 ฿14.3K

-38.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$636 MYR 2,537

$2,094 ฿68.5K

-69.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$471 MYR 1,880

$1,509 ฿49.3K

-68.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,899 MYR 7,575

$3,749 ฿122.6K

-49.36%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$958 MYR 3,822

$2,616 ฿85.5K

-63.38%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$389 MYR 1,554

$508 ฿16.6K

-23.36%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.47

5.33

-16.14%

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

Last update for Lumut, Perak: June 1, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $390 in Lumut, Perak and $613 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 30% 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: $12.00 in Lumut, Perak vs $45.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $268 vs $293 per month, with Lumut, Perak 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

Lumut, Perak vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lumut, Perak wins on cost – living expenses run 34% lower than in Phuket. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Lumut, Perak the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, Phuket earns 30% 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: $390 in Lumut, Perak versus $613 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Lumut, Perak – a meal for two runs $12.00 versus $45.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $947 per month in Lumut, Perak versus $1,265 in Phuket – a 34% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $947 in Lumut, Perak versus $1,265 in Phuket, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Lumut, Perak but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Lumut, Perak the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Lumut, Perak delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $947 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Lumut, Perak hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Lumut, Perak 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 Lumut, Perak gentler on the wallet – expenses run 34% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.