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: $820 in Miri versus $1,232 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,253 in Miri versus $2,054 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,686 in Miri versus $2,876 in Phuket.

Living in Miri costs roughly 33% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Miri 40% lower, Phuket 10% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.59 MYR 14.66

$4.41 ฿147

-18.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$12.47 MYR 50.9

$32.26 ฿1,077

-61.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.65 MYR 18.99

$8.93 ฿298

-47.93%

Cappuccino

$2.38 MYR 9.73

$2.90 ฿96.6

-17.93%

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

$0.85 MYR 3.46

$0.88 ฿29.38

-3.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.28 MYR 1.13

$0.48 ฿16.06

-41.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.98 MYR 12.16

$2.35 ฿78.5

26.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.86 MYR 15.75

$3.72 ฿124

3.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MYR 5.83

$1.87 ฿62.3

-23.53%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MYR 7.73

$1.47 ฿48.94

28.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.01 MYR 4.14

$1.55 ฿51.8

-34.84%

Eggs

$3.55 MYR 14.48

$2.10 ฿70.1

69.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.59 ฿654

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.82 MYR 19.69

$3.42 ฿114

40.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.88 MYR 60.7

$11.38 ฿380

30.76%

Apples (1kg)

$2.98 ฿99.6

Banana (1kg)

$1.96 MYR 7.99

$1.68 ฿56.2

16.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.21 ฿73.7

Tomato (1kg)

$2.16 ฿72.1

Potato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿50.9

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 ฿44.67

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 ฿37.67

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.36 MYR 1.45

$0.55 ฿18.24

-34.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.47 MYR 18.26

$4.26 ฿142

4.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.69 MYR 80.4

$19.09 ฿637

3.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.04 MYR 12.40

$1.78 ฿59.4

70.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.32 MYR 9.49

$2.78 ฿92.9

-16.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.50 MYR 2.05

$2.23 ฿74.4

-77.58%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.52 MYR 59.3

$22.74 ฿759

-36.15%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.19 MYR 4.87

$3.03 ฿101

-60.73%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.60 MYR 2.44

$1.02 ฿34.15

-41.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.17 MYR 25.18

$3.89 ฿130

58.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.60 MYR 2.44

$1.49 ฿49.77

-59.73%

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

$50.2K MYR 204.8K

$26.6K ฿887.3K

88.75%

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

$33.6K MYR 137.0K

$27.0K ฿902.2K

24.15%

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

$50.2 MYR 205

$102 ฿3,420

-50.99%

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

$9.62 MYR 39.26

$11.33 ฿378

-15.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.89 MYR 134

$17.40 ฿581

89.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.83 MYR 122

$52.1 ฿1,738

-42.72%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.09 MYR 24.87

$11.07 ฿370

-44.99%

Cinema Ticket

$4.53 MYR 18.50

$7.69 ฿257

-41.09%

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

$102 MYR 415

$561 ฿18.7K

-81.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,506 MYR 26.6K

$11.5K ฿384.1K

-43.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.24 MYR 181

$63.0 ฿2,104

-29.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$22.85 MYR 93.3

$29.52 ฿986

-22.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$56.7 MYR 231

$98.0 ฿3,272

-42.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$42.85 MYR 175

$88.5 ฿2,954

-51.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$340 MYR 1,388

$738 ฿24.6K

-53.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$286 MYR 1,168

$482 ฿16.1K

-40.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$596 MYR 2,431

$2,107 ฿70.3K

-71.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$581 MYR 2,370

$1,226 ฿40.9K

-52.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,224 MYR 4,999

$3,617 ฿120.7K

-66.15%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$672 MYR 2,744

$2,603 ฿86.9K

-74.18%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$689 MYR 2,811

$494 ฿16.5K

39.51%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.12

5.57

-26.03%

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

Last update for Miri: September 15, 2026

Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $340 in Miri and $738 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Miri pays 40% 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 $32.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $195 vs $274 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 50% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 40% higher in Miri, 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: $340 in Miri versus $738 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 $32.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $820 per month in Miri versus $1,232 in Phuket – a 50% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $820 in Miri versus $1,232 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 50% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.