Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Malang and Phuket

For one person, living is cheaper in Malang: $464 a month against $1,278 in Phuket, rent and utilities included – about $9,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

22

Cost of Living Index in Malang
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Malang Living Index
62

Cost of Living Index in Phuket
Learn more

Phuket Living Index

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Malang

🇮🇩 Indonesia

$464

/mo nomad

Phuket

🇹🇭 Thailand

$1,278

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Malang and in Phuket

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Malang and in Phuket actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $464 per month in Malang vs $1,278 in Phuket, rent included.

Malang $464
Phuket $1,278

A couple spends around $713 per month in Malang vs $2,216 in Phuket, rent included.

Malang $713
Phuket $2,216

A family of three spends $963 per month in Malang vs $3,154 in Phuket, rent included.

Malang $963
Phuket $3,154

Malang is about 64% cheaper than Phuket, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Malang and Phuket are more affordable than the global median – Malang 66% lower, Phuket 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.13 Rp 20.3K

$4.47 ฿151

-74.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$11.09 Rp 199.9K

$32.41 ฿1,094

-65.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.80 Rp 50.5K

$8.81 ฿297

-68.22%

Cappuccino

$1.25 Rp 22.6K

$2.83 ฿95.5

-55.83%

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

$0.56 Rp 10.1K

$0.87 ฿29.43

-35.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.21 Rp 3,782

$0.49 ฿16.67

-57.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.24 Rp 40.4K

$2.56 ฿86.4

-12.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.17 Rp 75.1K

$3.68 ฿124

13.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.94 Rp 16.9K

$1.66 ฿56.0

-43.37%

White Bread (500g)

$1.07 Rp 19.3K

$1.46 ฿49.35

-26.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.77 Rp 13.9K

$1.50 ฿50.6

-48.67%

Eggs

$1.17 Rp 21.1K

$2.09 ฿70.5

-44.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.60 Rp 101.0K

$19.07 ฿644

-70.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.00 Rp 54.1K

$3.30 ฿111

-9.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.89 Rp 124.1K

$10.91 ฿368

-36.85%

Apples (1kg)

$1.98 Rp 35.7K

$2.93 ฿99.0

-32.42%

Banana (1kg)

$1.29 Rp 23.3K

$1.69 ฿57.1

-23.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.51 Rp 27.3K

$2.25 ฿75.8

-32.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.39 Rp 25.1K

$2.08 ฿70.1

-33.17%

Potato (1kg)

$1.30 Rp 23.4K

$1.51 ฿51.0

-13.91%

Onion (1kg)

$1.92 Rp 34.7K

$1.38 ฿46.56

39.13%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.50 Rp 8,931

$1.07 ฿35.99

-53.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.42 Rp 7,608

$0.52 ฿17.52

-19.23%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.57 Rp 46.4K

$4.20 ฿142

-38.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.41 Rp 223.7K

$18.79 ฿634

-33.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.65 Rp 29.7K

$1.82 ฿61.5

-9.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.86 Rp 51.6K

$2.84 ฿95.9

0.70%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.58 Rp 10.5K

$1.45 ฿49.03

-60.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$5.39 Rp 97.1K

$56.7 ฿1,913

-90.49%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.49 Rp 8,861

$3.02 ฿102

-83.77%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.38 Rp 6,824

$1.02 ฿34.36

-62.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.61 Rp 101.1K

$3.69 ฿125

52.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.73 Rp 13.1K

$1.47 ฿49.81

-50.34%

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

$25.1K Rp 452.3M

$26.8K ฿904.3K

-6.28%

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

$27.4K Rp 494.1M

$26.7K ฿901.3K

2.71%

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

$30.88 Rp 556.6K

$96.4 ฿3,254

-67.95%

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

$2.30 Rp 41.5K

$11.26 ฿380

-79.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.26 Rp 347.2K

$16.85 ฿569

14.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$14.37 Rp 259.0K

$67.2 ฿2,270

-78.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.58 Rp 82.5K

$10.73 ฿362

-57.32%

Cinema Ticket

$1.88 Rp 33.9K

$7.50 ฿253

-74.93%

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

$30.06 Rp 541.8K

$476 ฿16.1K

-93.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,230 Rp 166.4M

$11.3K ฿380.4K

-18.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.7 Rp 1.0M

$62.4 ฿2,106

-10.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$22.42 Rp 404.1K

$28.41 ฿959

-21.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$50.8 Rp 916.0K

$94.3 ฿3,184

-46.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$35.21 Rp 634.6K

$85.8 ฿2,898

-58.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$136 Rp 2.5M

$716 ฿24.2K

-80.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$89.5 Rp 1.6M

$491 ฿16.6K

-81.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$196 Rp 3.5M

$1,927 ฿65.1K

-89.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$154 Rp 2.8M

$1,431 ฿48.3K

-89.24%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,175 ฿141.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,045 ฿102.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$201 Rp 3.6M

$502 ฿17.0K

-60.04%

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: October 26, 2026

Last update for Phuket: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Groceries & Markets

Malang

$165 35.5%

Phuket

$266 20.8% 61.8% $102

Accommodation & Living

Malang

$89 19.3%

Phuket

$491 38.4% 449% $401

Clothing & Footwear

Malang

$74 15.9%

Phuket

$122 9.5% 65% $48

Eating Out

Malang

$55 11.9%

Phuket

$122 9.5% 121% $67

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Malang

$52 11.3%

Phuket

$124 9.7% 137% $72

Sport & Entertainment

Malang

$18 3.9%

Phuket

$82 6.4% 354% $64

Getting Around

Malang

$10 2.2%

Phuket

$71 5.5% 599% $60

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $136 in Malang versus $716 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 in Phuket are about 2.5 times higher, 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 in Malang versus $32 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $165 vs $266 – making Malang the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇮🇩 Malang

🇹🇭 Phuket

🕒 Local time

18:56 6:56 PM

Same time as Malang

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

857,891

79,308

💱 Currency

Indonesian Rupiah IDR Rp

Thai Baht THB ฿

📈 Exchange rate

100,000 IDR = 5.55 USD

100,000 IDR = 4.98 EUR

100 THB = 2.96 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

THB, USD, EUR to IDR – Indonesian Rupiah Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇮🇩 Indonesian Rupiah (Rp)

Indonesian Rupiah exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 18,025 IDR (100,000 IDR = 5.55 USD). 1 EUR = 20,061 IDR (100,000 IDR = 4.98 EUR).

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 33.77 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.58 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

USD to IDR in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Malang Phuket 2,370 km ≈ 3 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Malang
Phuket

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 176%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $695 per month in Malang and $1,917 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: a one-bedroom in the center costs $136 there versus $716 in Phuket.

Public transport costs about 90% less in Malang. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $30 per month in Malang and $476 in Phuket. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Malang, where all-in costs run around $464, than in Phuket at $1,278. 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.