Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Alor Setar Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Alor Setar

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,250 per month in Phuket vs $680 in Alor Setar, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,284 per month in Phuket vs $1,040 in Alor Setar, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,317 per month in Phuket vs $1,401 in Alor Setar, rent included.

Phuket costs about 84% more than Alor Setar, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Phuket and Alor Setar are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 6% lower, Alor Setar 49% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.55 ฿153

$2.39 MYR 9.76

90.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.18 ฿1,553

$11.99 MYR 49.05

285.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 ฿297

$4.00 MYR 16.37

121.00%

Cappuccino

$3.06 ฿103

$1.62 MYR 6.62

88.89%

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

$0.73 ฿24.40

$0.55 MYR 2.26

32.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 ฿13.39

$0.29 MYR 1.19

37.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 ฿81.8

$3.58 MYR 14.63

-32.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.78 ฿127

$2.32 MYR 9.47

62.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ฿76.0

$1.61 MYR 6.57

40.37%

White Bread (500g)

$1.81 ฿60.9

$0.87 MYR 3.57

108.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.25 ฿75.8

$1.17 MYR 4.77

92.31%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.5

$1.47 MYR 6.00

53.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.51 ฿656

$12.08 MYR 49.43

61.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.65 ฿123

$3.02 MYR 12.37

20.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.05 ฿439

$8.46 MYR 34.59

54.26%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿109

$2.78 MYR 11.37

16.19%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 ฿54.4

$1.04 MYR 4.25

55.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.38 ฿80.1

$1.39 MYR 5.67

71.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿68.1

$2.08 MYR 8.49

-2.40%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿51.6

$0.89 MYR 3.62

71.91%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.5

$0.54 MYR 2.19

177.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.91

$0.69 MYR 2.84

42.03%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.39

$0.48 MYR 1.98

8.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.44 ฿149

$2.77 MYR 11.34

60.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.32 ฿616

$18.93 MYR 77.4

-3.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.7

$1.19 MYR 4.88

56.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 ฿90.1

$2.09 MYR 8.54

28.23%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.41 ฿47.46

$0.74 MYR 3.03

90.54%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.70 ฿393

$11.93 MYR 48.79

-1.93%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.11 ฿105

$0.69 MYR 2.82

350.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿35.06

$0.51 MYR 2.08

103.92%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.11 ฿474

$7.00 MYR 28.63

101.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 ฿44.10

$0.47 MYR 1.92

178.72%

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

$27.8K ฿935.4K

$34.0K MYR 139.1K

-18.21%

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

$33.2K ฿1.1M

$28.0K MYR 114.3K

18.84%

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

$122 ฿4,118

$39.42 MYR 161

210.60%

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

$13.59 ฿457

$7.26 MYR 29.69

87.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.70 ฿629

$26.83 MYR 110

-30.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.5 ฿2,034

$36.19 MYR 148

67.15%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.98 ฿571

$9.65 MYR 39.49

75.96%

Cinema Ticket

$9.07 ฿305

$2.91 MYR 11.90

211.68%

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

$706 ฿23.8K

$82.5 MYR 338

756.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿531.5K

$5,299 MYR 21.7K

198.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.6 ฿1,969

$47.53 MYR 194

23.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.36 ฿1,189

$29.19 MYR 119

21.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,883

$62.1 MYR 254

85.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.7 ฿2,816

$53.6 MYR 219

56.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$626 ฿21.0K

$298 MYR 1,219

109.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$445 ฿15.0K

$174 MYR 713

155.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,040 ฿68.6K

$454 MYR 1,857

349.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 ฿50.2K

$342 MYR 1,400

335.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,483 ฿117.1K

$2,225 MYR 9,100

56.52%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,577 ฿86.7K

$1,040 MYR 4,253

147.77%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$500 ฿16.8K

$1,620 MYR 6,625

-69.14%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

4.16

28.13%

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

Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026

Last update for Alor Setar: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $626 in Phuket versus $298 in Alor Setar. 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 224% higher in Alor Setar, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $46.00 in Phuket versus $12.00 in Alor Setar. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $289 vs $208 – making Alor Setar 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

Phuket vs Alor Setar: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket costs about 84% more than Alor Setar, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,875 per month in Phuket and $1,020 in Alor Setar. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Alor Setar, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $706 per month in Phuket and $82.5 in Alor Setar. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 39% more in Phuket, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Alor Setar, where all-in costs run around $680, than in Phuket at $1,250. In Alor Setar it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Alor Setar costs $680 versus $1,250 in Phuket. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Alor Setar. 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.