Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Bukit Mertajam Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Bukit Mertajam

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,232 in Phuket versus $583 in Bukit Mertajam.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,054 in Phuket versus $933 in Bukit Mertajam.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,876 in Phuket versus $1,283 in Bukit Mertajam.

Living in Phuket is roughly 111% more expensive than in Bukit Mertajam, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 10% lower, Bukit Mertajam 57% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.41 ฿147

$3.47 MYR 14.20

27.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.26 ฿1,073

$21.02 MYR 86.0

53.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.93 ฿297

$4.90 MYR 20.04

82.24%

Cappuccino

$2.90 ฿96.3

$2.67 MYR 10.91

8.61%

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

$0.88 ฿29.27

$0.82 MYR 3.36

7.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.00

$0.32 MYR 1.32

50.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.35 ฿78.2

$2.43 MYR 9.96

-3.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿124

$4.43 MYR 18.14

-16.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 ฿62.0

$2.16 MYR 8.83

-13.43%

White Bread (500g)

$1.47 ฿48.75

$1.07 MYR 4.40

37.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.6

$1.75 MYR 7.17

-11.43%

Eggs

$2.10 ฿69.9

$2.58 MYR 10.55

-18.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.59 ฿651

$15.63 MYR 64.0

25.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.42 ฿114

$4.86 MYR 19.89

-29.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.38 ฿378

$10.02 MYR 41.02

13.57%

Apples (1kg)

$2.98 ฿99.2

$2.33 MYR 9.55

27.90%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 ฿56.0

$1.49 MYR 6.10

12.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.21 ฿73.5

$2.25 MYR 9.20

-1.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.16 ฿71.9

$1.20 MYR 4.90

80.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿50.7

$0.86 MYR 3.54

76.74%

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 ฿44.49

$0.80 MYR 3.26

67.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 ฿37.53

$0.71 MYR 2.91

59.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ฿18.17

$0.63 MYR 2.57

-12.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.26 ฿142

$4.45 MYR 18.19

-4.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.09 ฿635

$18.98 MYR 77.7

0.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿59.2

$2.43 MYR 9.95

-26.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿92.5

$3.80 MYR 15.54

-26.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.23 ฿74.1

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.74 ฿756

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 ฿101

$1.22 MYR 4.98

148.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 ฿34.02

$0.50 MYR 2.05

104.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.89 ฿129

$4.99 MYR 20.40

-22.04%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿49.57

$0.82 MYR 3.34

81.71%

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

$26.6K ฿883.8K

$42.3K MYR 173.2K

-37.17%

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

$27.0K ฿898.7K

$35.2K MYR 144.0K

-23.17%

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

$102 ฿3,407

$50.8 MYR 208

101.63%

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

$11.33 ฿377

$8.67 MYR 35.49

30.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.40 ฿578

$31.31 MYR 128

-44.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.1 ฿1,732

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.07 ฿368

Cinema Ticket

$7.69 ฿256

$4.57 MYR 18.72

68.27%

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

$561 ฿18.6K

$242 MYR 989

131.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.5K ฿382.6K

$4,890 MYR 20.0K

135.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.0 ฿2,096

$53.7 MYR 220

17.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.52 ฿982

$34.48 MYR 141

-14.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.0 ฿3,259

$72.5 MYR 297

35.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.5 ฿2,943

$97.2 MYR 398

-8.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$738 ฿24.5K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,107 ฿70.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,226 ฿40.8K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,617 ฿120.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,603 ฿86.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.4K

$555 MYR 2,270

-11.01%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

4.2

32.62%

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

Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026

Last update for Bukit Mertajam: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Bukit Mertajam pays 12% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $32.00 in Phuket vs $21.00 in Bukit Mertajam for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $274 vs $259 per month, with Bukit Mertajam 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

Phuket vs Bukit Mertajam: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket and Bukit Mertajam differ by about 111% in total monthly costs ($1,232 vs $583 including rent). Bukit Mertajam is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 12% lower in Bukit Mertajam. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Supermarket bills run roughly 6% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,232 per month in Phuket versus $583 in Bukit Mertajam – a 111% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $583 in Bukit Mertajam versus $1,232 in Phuket, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Bukit Mertajam but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Bukit Mertajam the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Phuket and Bukit Mertajam 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 Bukit Mertajam gentler on the wallet – expenses run 111% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.