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 $1,265 per month in Phuket vs $680 in Alor Setar, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,297 per month in Phuket vs $1,049 in Alor Setar, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,329 per month in Phuket vs $1,417 in Alor Setar, rent included.

Phuket costs about 86% 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

$4.70 ฿154

$2.33 MYR 9.30

101.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.37 ฿1,483

$11.63 MYR 46.40

290.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.43 ฿276

$4.16 MYR 16.61

102.64%

Cappuccino

$2.93 ฿95.7

$1.62 MYR 6.48

80.86%

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

$0.69 ฿22.42

$0.51 MYR 2.04

35.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿12.00

$0.27 MYR 1.07

37.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 ฿78.7

$3.53 MYR 14.08

-31.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿122

$2.32 MYR 9.28

60.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 ฿73.0

$1.63 MYR 6.52

36.81%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 ฿59.9

$0.89 MYR 3.54

105.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 ฿70.9

$1.20 MYR 4.80

80.83%

Eggs

$2.21 ฿72.4

$1.50 MYR 6.00

47.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.74 ฿645

$11.76 MYR 46.91

67.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿119

$3.12 MYR 12.44

16.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.53 ฿442

$8.27 MYR 33.00

63.60%

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 ฿107

$2.89 MYR 11.55

13.49%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ฿52.7

$1.04 MYR 4.14

54.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿78.7

$1.38 MYR 5.51

74.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿68.1

$2.09 MYR 8.34

-0.48%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.97

$0.88 MYR 3.52

73.86%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.41

$0.54 MYR 2.14

174.07%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 ฿32.32

$0.68 MYR 2.72

45.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.68

$0.46 MYR 1.82

10.87%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 ฿144

$2.81 MYR 11.20

56.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.38 ฿634

$19.36 MYR 77.2

0.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

$1.16 MYR 4.64

53.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 ฿88.7

$2.10 MYR 8.38

29.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.37 ฿44.83

$0.69 MYR 2.77

98.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.39 ฿372

$11.76 MYR 46.93

-3.15%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ฿98.7

$0.74 MYR 2.96

308.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 ฿32.51

$0.55 MYR 2.18

80.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.10 ฿461

$7.23 MYR 28.86

95.02%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 ฿44.55

$0.46 MYR 1.85

195.65%

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

$28.2K ฿921.9K

$33.8K MYR 134.8K

-16.55%

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$27.9K MYR 111.5K

17.78%

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

$122 ฿3,978

$39.16 MYR 156

210.78%

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

$13.57 ฿444

$7.01 MYR 27.98

93.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.31 ฿599

$27.13 MYR 108

-32.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.2 ฿1,969

$36.34 MYR 145

65.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.14 ฿560

$9.33 MYR 37.23

83.71%

Cinema Ticket

$8.69 ฿284

$2.76 MYR 11.02

214.86%

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

$693 ฿22.7K

$83.4 MYR 333

731.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ฿512.8K

$5,240 MYR 20.9K

199.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,946

$46.55 MYR 186

27.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.77 ฿1,137

$28.70 MYR 115

21.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,746

$62.1 MYR 248

84.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.3 ฿2,723

$52.5 MYR 210

58.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$613 ฿20.0K

$299 MYR 1,193

105.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$437 ฿14.3K

$170 MYR 679

156.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,094 ฿68.5K

$442 MYR 1,763

373.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,509 ฿49.3K

$335 MYR 1,337

350.58%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,749 ฿122.6K

$1,912 MYR 7,629

96.08%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,616 ฿85.5K

$900 MYR 3,592

190.56%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.6K

$1,649 MYR 6,578

-69.18%

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: June 2, 2026

Last update for Alor Setar: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $613 in Phuket versus $299 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 $45.00 in Phuket versus $12.00 in Alor Setar. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $293 vs $209 – 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 86% 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 $1,898 per month in Phuket and $1,021 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 $693 per month in Phuket and $83.4 in Alor Setar. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 40% 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 $1,265. 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 $1,265 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.