Cost of Living Comparison Between Malang and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Malang and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $482 per month in Malang vs $1,265 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $736 per month in Malang vs $2,089 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $990 per month in Malang vs $2,913 in Phuket, rent included.

Malang is about 62% cheaper than Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Malang and Phuket are more affordable than the global median – Malang 65% lower, Phuket 8% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.10 Rp 19.3K

$4.66 ฿154

-76.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$11.41 Rp 200.8K

$32.22 ฿1,065

-64.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.85 Rp 50.2K

$8.68 ฿287

-67.17%

Cappuccino

$1.35 Rp 23.7K

$2.90 ฿95.8

-53.45%

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

$0.62 Rp 10.8K

$0.84 ฿27.89

-26.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.24 Rp 4,241

$0.49 ฿16.16

-51.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.19 Rp 38.6K

$2.48 ฿82.0

-11.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.13 Rp 72.8K

$3.73 ฿123

10.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.95 Rp 16.7K

$1.89 ฿62.3

-49.74%

White Bread (500g)

$1.10 Rp 19.4K

$1.41 ฿46.54

-21.99%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.78 Rp 13.8K

$1.62 ฿53.6

-51.85%

Eggs

$1.20 Rp 21.1K

$2.24 ฿74.1

-46.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.86 Rp 103.1K

$19.84 ฿656

-70.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.13 Rp 55.2K

$3.48 ฿115

-10.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.15 Rp 125.9K

$11.37 ฿376

-37.12%

Apples (1kg)

$2.04 Rp 36.0K

$2.90 ฿95.8

-29.66%

Banana (1kg)

$1.31 Rp 23.1K

$1.72 ฿57.0

-23.84%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.55 Rp 27.3K

$2.27 ฿75.1

-31.72%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 Rp 25.1K

$2.13 ฿70.4

-33.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.29 Rp 22.6K

$1.47 ฿48.72

-12.24%

Onion (1kg)

$1.94 Rp 34.1K

$1.42 ฿46.92

36.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.51 Rp 9,009

$1.10 ฿36.25

-53.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.41 Rp 7,178

$0.60 ฿19.76

-31.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.74 Rp 48.3K

$4.31 ฿142

-36.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.83 Rp 226.0K

$18.60 ฿615

-31.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.75 Rp 30.8K

$1.80 ฿59.5

-2.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.89 Rp 50.9K

$2.97 ฿98.0

-2.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 Rp 10.6K

$2.25 ฿74.2

-73.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$5.78 Rp 101.7K

$23.49 ฿776

-75.39%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.47 Rp 8,220

$3.10 ฿102

-84.84%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.41 Rp 7,222

$1.08 ฿35.56

-62.04%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.69 Rp 100.1K

$3.87 ฿128

47.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.63 Rp 11.2K

$1.43 ฿47.16

-55.94%

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

$26.0K Rp 457.1M

$27.8K ฿918.0K

-6.56%

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

$27.6K Rp 486.0M

$27.0K ฿891.5K

2.31%

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

$31.44 Rp 553.5K

$105 ฿3,462

-70.00%

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

$2.39 Rp 42.2K

$11.39 ฿376

-79.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.73 Rp 347.3K

$17.54 ฿580

12.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$14.60 Rp 257.0K

$54.3 ฿1,795

-73.13%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.50 Rp 79.2K

$11.44 ฿378

-60.66%

Cinema Ticket

$2.02 Rp 35.6K

$7.78 ฿257

-74.04%

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

$31.03 Rp 546.3K

$576 ฿19.0K

-94.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,700 Rp 170.8M

$11.6K ฿382.7K

-16.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.5 Rp 994.7K

$63.6 ฿2,103

-11.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$22.81 Rp 401.7K

$29.10 ฿961

-21.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$53.3 Rp 937.7K

$96.2 ฿3,179

-44.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$36.37 Rp 640.2K

$90.0 ฿2,974

-59.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$142 Rp 2.5M

$733 ฿24.2K

-80.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$95.0 Rp 1.7M

$501 ฿16.5K

-81.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$196 Rp 3.5M

$2,126 ฿70.2K

-90.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$154 Rp 2.7M

$1,252 ฿41.4K

-87.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,534 ฿116.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,622 ฿86.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$201 Rp 3.5M

$508 ฿16.8K

-60.49%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

-28.19%

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

Last update for Malang: September 6, 2026

Last update for Phuket: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $142 in Malang versus $733 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 153% higher in Phuket, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $11.00 in Malang versus $32.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $169 vs $275 – making Malang 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

Malang vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Phuket is pricier by about 163%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $723 per month in Malang 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 Malang, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 306% less in Malang. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $31.03 per month in Malang and $576 in Phuket. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Malang, where all-in costs run around $482, than in Phuket at $1,265. In Malang it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Malang – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Malang. 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.