Cost of Living Comparison Between Miri and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Miri and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $686 in Miri versus $1,223 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,083 in Miri versus $2,237 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,480 in Miri versus $3,251 in Phuket.

Living in Miri costs roughly 44% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Miri 49% lower, Phuket 8% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.15 MYR 12.79

$4.51 ฿147

-30.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$11.82 MYR 48.06

$46.62 ฿1,515

-74.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.02 MYR 16.35

$8.49 ฿276

-52.65%

Cappuccino

$2.64 MYR 10.72

$3.08 ฿100

-14.29%

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

$0.75 MYR 3.03

$0.68 ฿22.07

10.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 MYR 1.49

$0.36 ฿11.75

2.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.82 MYR 11.46

$2.43 ฿78.8

16.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 MYR 15.39

$3.63 ฿118

4.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MYR 5.82

$2.19 ฿71.1

-34.70%

White Bread (500g)

$1.39 MYR 5.65

$1.81 ฿59.0

-23.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.84 MYR 3.43

$2.23 ฿72.5

-62.33%

Eggs

$3.33 MYR 13.55

$2.24 ฿72.7

48.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.08 MYR 45.04

$19.60 ฿637

-43.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.75 MYR 19.32

$3.72 ฿121

27.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.88 MYR 48.31

$13.47 ฿438

-11.80%

Apples (1kg)

$3.08 MYR 12.52

$3.36 ฿109

-8.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.15 MYR 4.66

$1.62 ฿52.5

-29.01%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.26 MYR 9.20

$2.41 ฿78.3

-6.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 MYR 5.78

$1.99 ฿64.6

-28.64%

Potato (1kg)

$0.59 MYR 2.41

$1.53 ฿49.76

-61.44%

Onion (1kg)

$0.92 MYR 3.73

$1.45 ฿47.19

-36.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.96 MYR 3.91

$1.01 ฿32.96

-4.95%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.33 MYR 1.36

$0.48 ฿15.73

-31.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MYR 16.57

$4.27 ฿139

-4.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.61 MYR 79.7

$19.12 ฿621

2.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.87 MYR 11.67

$1.84 ฿59.7

55.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 MYR 9.26

$2.74 ฿89.1

-16.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.43 MYR 5.81

$1.42 ฿46.06

0.70%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.34 MYR 33.89

$11.72 ฿381

-28.84%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.17 MYR 4.74

$3.00 ฿97.6

-61.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.72 MYR 2.91

$1.05 ฿34.00

-31.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.95 MYR 24.20

$13.90 ฿452

-57.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.49 MYR 2.00

$1.29 ฿41.94

-62.02%

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

$57.9K MYR 235.3K

$28.0K ฿911.1K

106.46%

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

$28.3K MYR 115.2K

$33.5K ฿1.1M

-15.39%

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

$31.15 MYR 127

$122 ฿3,964

-74.46%

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

$9.19 MYR 37.37

$13.93 ฿453

-34.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.33 MYR 131

$18.87 ฿613

71.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$28.10 MYR 114

$61.3 ฿1,992

-54.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.07 MYR 24.66

$16.84 ฿547

-63.95%

Cinema Ticket

$4.34 MYR 17.66

$8.89 ฿289

-51.18%

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

$98.0 MYR 398

$691 ฿22.5K

-85.83%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,275 MYR 21.4K

$16.2K ฿525.2K

-67.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.01 MYR 142

$57.8 ฿1,878

-39.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$18.61 MYR 75.7

$35.39 ฿1,150

-47.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$44.82 MYR 182

$113 ฿3,685

-60.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$31.32 MYR 127

$83.0 ฿2,698

-62.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$309 MYR 1,257

$607 ฿19.7K

-49.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$166 MYR 673

$448 ฿14.6K

-63.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$484 MYR 1,967

$2,029 ฿66.0K

-76.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$382 MYR 1,554

$1,493 ฿48.5K

-74.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,219 MYR 4,956

$3,585 ฿116.5K

-65.99%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$673 MYR 2,736

$2,585 ฿84.0K

-73.96%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$746 MYR 3,032

$505 ฿16.4K

47.76%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.63

5.33

-31.89%

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

Last update for Miri: June 14, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $309 in Miri and $607 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Miri pays 48% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $12.00 in Miri vs $47.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $246 vs $292 per month, with Miri 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

Miri vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Miri is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 78% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Miri pays 48% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $309 in Miri versus $607 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Miri – a meal for two runs $12.00 versus $47.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $686 per month in Miri versus $1,223 in Phuket – a 78% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $686 in Miri versus $1,223 in Phuket, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Miri but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Miri the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Miri 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, Miri 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 Miri gentler on the wallet – expenses run 78% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.