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: $925 in Lumut, Perak versus $1,250 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,374 in Lumut, Perak versus $2,284 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,823 in Lumut, Perak versus $3,317 in Phuket.

Living in Lumut, Perak costs roughly 26% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities sit below the global median: Lumut, Perak 31% lower, Phuket 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.63 MYR 14.86

$4.55 ฿153

-20.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$11.56 MYR 47.27

$46.18 ฿1,554

-74.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.75 MYR 19.44

$8.84 ฿298

-46.27%

Cappuccino

$2.86 MYR 11.69

$3.06 ฿103

-6.54%

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

$0.84 MYR 3.45

$0.73 ฿24.42

15.07%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 MYR 1.49

$0.40 ฿13.40

-10.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.63 MYR 14.87

$2.43 ฿81.8

49.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.91 MYR 24.17

$3.78 ฿127

56.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.99 MYR 8.13

$2.26 ฿76.0

-11.95%

White Bread (500g)

$1.05 MYR 4.31

$1.81 ฿60.9

-41.99%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 MYR 6.97

$2.25 ฿75.8

-24.44%

Eggs

$2.19 MYR 8.94

$2.25 ฿75.6

-2.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.49 MYR 59.3

$19.51 ฿656

-25.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.69 MYR 19.16

$3.65 ฿123

28.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.43 MYR 38.57

$13.05 ฿439

-27.74%

Apples (1kg)

$2.91 MYR 11.88

$3.23 ฿109

-9.91%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 MYR 6.65

$1.62 ฿54.4

0.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.60 MYR 10.64

$2.38 ฿80.2

9.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.48 MYR 6.05

$2.03 ฿68.2

-27.09%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 MYR 5.25

$1.53 ฿51.6

-16.34%

Onion (1kg)

$1.39 MYR 5.70

$1.50 ฿50.5

-7.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.21 MYR 4.95

$0.98 ฿32.93

23.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.63 MYR 2.57

$0.52 ฿17.40

21.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 MYR 17.79

$4.44 ฿149

-2.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.76 MYR 76.7

$18.32 ฿616

2.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.21 MYR 13.13

$1.86 ฿62.7

72.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.26 MYR 17.42

$2.68 ฿90.2

58.96%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.68 MYR 2.78

$1.41 ฿47.49

-51.77%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.99 MYR 49.03

$11.70 ฿394

2.48%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.21 MYR 4.93

$3.11 ฿105

-61.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.10 MYR 4.51

$1.04 ฿35.08

5.77%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.58 MYR 18.74

$14.11 ฿475

-67.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.48 MYR 1.96

$1.31 ฿44.13

-63.36%

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

$40.2K MYR 164.2K

$27.8K ฿936.0K

44.37%

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

$32.1K MYR 131.2K

$33.2K ฿1.1M

-3.41%

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

$63.3 MYR 259

$122 ฿4,120

-48.33%

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

$11.42 MYR 46.70

$13.59 ฿457

-15.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.41 MYR 104

$18.70 ฿629

35.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.39 MYR 153

$60.5 ฿2,035

-38.19%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.77 MYR 23.59

$16.98 ฿572

-66.02%

Cinema Ticket

$5.31 MYR 21.72

$9.07 ฿305

-41.46%

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

$267 MYR 1,092

$706 ฿23.8K

-62.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,479 MYR 38.8K

$15.8K ฿531.8K

-40.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.8 MYR 253

$58.6 ฿1,970

5.53%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.08 MYR 156

$35.36 ฿1,190

7.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.4 MYR 358

$115 ฿3,885

-24.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$81.1 MYR 332

$83.7 ฿2,818

-3.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$394 MYR 1,610

$626 ฿21.1K

-37.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$267 MYR 1,094

$445 ฿15.0K

-39.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$635 MYR 2,595

$2,040 ฿68.7K

-68.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$462 MYR 1,890

$1,492 ฿50.2K

-69.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,060 MYR 8,424

$3,483 ฿117.2K

-40.86%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,147 MYR 4,692

$2,577 ฿86.7K

-55.48%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$382 MYR 1,564

$500 ฿16.8K

-23.50%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $394 in Lumut, Perak and $626 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 31% 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 $46.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $264 vs $289 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 35% 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, salaries run 31% lower in Phuket. 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: $394 in Lumut, Perak versus $626 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 $46.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $925 per month in Lumut, Perak versus $1,250 in Phuket – a 35% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $925 in Lumut, Perak versus $1,250 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 $925 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 35% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.