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: $684 in Miri versus $1,264 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,094 in Miri versus $2,256 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,504 in Miri versus $3,248 in Phuket.

Living in Miri costs roughly 46% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Miri 49% lower, Phuket 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.23 MYR 13.20

$4.48 ฿150

-27.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$11.75 MYR 47.99

$45.59 ฿1,521

-74.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.02 MYR 16.43

$8.76 ฿292

-54.11%

Cappuccino

$2.63 MYR 10.72

$2.97 ฿99.0

-11.45%

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

$0.70 MYR 2.87

$0.69 ฿22.90

1.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 MYR 1.48

$0.39 ฿13.04

-7.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.86 MYR 11.66

$2.53 ฿84.4

13.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.87 MYR 15.78

$3.75 ฿125

3.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.36 MYR 5.56

$2.15 ฿71.6

-36.74%

White Bread (500g)

$1.45 MYR 5.92

$1.82 ฿60.6

-20.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.83 MYR 3.40

$2.18 ฿72.9

-61.93%

Eggs

$3.28 MYR 13.41

$2.25 ฿75.0

45.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.99 MYR 44.88

$20.00 ฿667

-45.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.74 MYR 19.35

$3.63 ฿121

30.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.03 MYR 49.11

$13.56 ฿452

-11.28%

Apples (1kg)

$3.06 MYR 12.48

$3.24 ฿108

-5.56%

Banana (1kg)

$1.14 MYR 4.66

$1.64 ฿54.6

-30.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.31 MYR 9.44

$2.33 ฿77.8

-0.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.44 MYR 5.88

$2.07 ฿69.1

-30.43%

Potato (1kg)

$0.59 MYR 2.39

$1.55 ฿51.6

-61.94%

Onion (1kg)

$0.91 MYR 3.71

$1.46 ฿48.54

-37.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.91 MYR 3.72

$0.98 ฿32.86

-7.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.33 MYR 1.36

$0.48 ฿16.09

-31.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.28 MYR 17.46

$4.35 ฿145

-1.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.89 MYR 81.2

$18.57 ฿620

7.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.99 MYR 12.20

$1.86 ฿61.9

60.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 MYR 9.25

$2.65 ฿88.6

-14.72%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.36 MYR 5.55

$1.42 ฿47.28

-4.23%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.41 MYR 34.35

$11.57 ฿386

-27.31%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.20 MYR 4.91

$3.17 ฿106

-62.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.71 MYR 2.90

$1.03 ฿34.41

-31.07%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.80 MYR 23.66

$13.89 ฿463

-58.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.46 MYR 1.88

$1.34 ฿44.84

-65.67%

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

$59.1K MYR 241.4K

$27.8K ฿927.1K

112.77%

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

$28.5K MYR 116.5K

$33.4K ฿1.1M

-14.53%

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

$31.15 MYR 127

$123 ฿4,105

-74.69%

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

$9.30 MYR 37.98

$13.77 ฿459

-32.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.50 MYR 137

$18.33 ฿611

82.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$27.91 MYR 114

$60.7 ฿2,025

-54.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.03 MYR 24.62

$17.16 ฿573

-64.86%

Cinema Ticket

$4.34 MYR 17.72

$8.87 ฿296

-51.07%

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

$97.9 MYR 400

$688 ฿22.9K

-85.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,254 MYR 21.5K

$15.8K ฿526.4K

-66.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.74 MYR 146

$59.3 ฿1,978

-39.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$18.81 MYR 76.8

$34.69 ฿1,157

-45.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$44.44 MYR 181

$115 ฿3,843

-61.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$31.50 MYR 129

$83.8 ฿2,794

-62.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$321 MYR 1,309

$621 ฿20.7K

-48.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$164 MYR 669

$446 ฿14.9K

-63.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$496 MYR 2,027

$2,034 ฿67.8K

-75.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 MYR 1,548

$1,496 ฿49.9K

-74.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,233 MYR 5,034

$3,455 ฿115.3K

-64.32%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$678 MYR 2,769

$2,531 ฿84.4K

-73.20%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$667 MYR 2,722

$494 ฿16.5K

35.08%

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: July 26, 2026

Last update for Phuket: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $321 in Miri and $621 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Miri pays 35% 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 $46.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $246 vs $291 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 85% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 35% 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: $321 in Miri versus $621 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 $46.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $684 per month in Miri versus $1,264 in Phuket – a 85% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $684 in Miri versus $1,264 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 85% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.