Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Butterworth Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Butterworth

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,232 per month in Phuket vs $919 in Butterworth, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,054 per month in Phuket vs $1,372 in Butterworth, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,876 per month in Phuket vs $1,825 in Butterworth, rent included.

Phuket costs about 34% more than Butterworth, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Phuket and Butterworth are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 10% lower, Butterworth 33% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.41 ฿147

$3.59 MYR 14.70

22.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.26 ฿1,073

$20.01 MYR 81.9

61.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.93 ฿297

$4.59 MYR 18.79

94.55%

Cappuccino

$2.90 ฿96.3

$2.97 MYR 12.16

-2.36%

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

$0.88 ฿29.27

$0.78 MYR 3.21

12.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.00

$0.37 MYR 1.50

29.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.35 ฿78.2

$4.26 MYR 17.43

-44.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿124

$4.30 MYR 17.59

-13.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 ฿62.0

$2.20 MYR 9.01

-15.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.47 ฿48.75

$1.05 MYR 4.31

40.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.6

$1.69 MYR 6.91

-8.28%

Eggs

$2.10 ฿69.9

$2.22 MYR 9.09

-5.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.59 ฿651

$13.33 MYR 54.6

46.96%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.42 ฿114

$4.44 MYR 18.16

-22.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.38 ฿378

$8.72 MYR 35.69

30.50%

Apples (1kg)

$2.98 ฿99.2

$2.80 MYR 11.45

6.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 ฿56.0

$1.66 MYR 6.80

1.20%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.21 ฿73.5

$2.36 MYR 9.65

-6.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.16 ฿71.9

$1.42 MYR 5.79

52.11%

Potato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿50.7

$1.11 MYR 4.54

36.94%

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 ฿44.49

$1.14 MYR 4.68

17.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 ฿37.53

$1.11 MYR 4.53

1.80%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ฿18.17

$0.54 MYR 2.21

1.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.26 ฿142

$4.44 MYR 18.16

-4.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.09 ฿635

$19.28 MYR 78.9

-0.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿59.2

$2.89 MYR 11.84

-38.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿92.5

$4.03 MYR 16.49

-31.02%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.23 ฿74.1

$0.66 MYR 2.70

237.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.74 ฿756

$13.82 MYR 56.6

64.54%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 ฿101

$1.21 MYR 4.95

150.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 ฿34.02

$0.38 MYR 1.55

168.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.89 ฿129

$4.78 MYR 19.58

-18.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿49.57

$0.77 MYR 3.16

93.51%

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

$26.6K ฿883.8K

$41.6K MYR 170.4K

-36.13%

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

$27.0K ฿898.7K

$35.2K MYR 144.2K

-23.29%

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

$102 ฿3,407

$37.38 MYR 153

174.13%

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

$11.33 ฿377

$9.18 MYR 37.59

23.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.40 ฿578

$25.57 MYR 105

-31.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.1 ฿1,732

$35.34 MYR 145

47.37%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.07 ฿368

$6.77 MYR 27.70

63.52%

Cinema Ticket

$7.69 ฿256

$5.29 MYR 21.64

45.37%

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

$561 ฿18.6K

$299 MYR 1,222

87.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.5K ฿382.6K

$10.8K MYR 44.2K

6.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.0 ฿2,096

$61.3 MYR 251

2.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.52 ฿982

$35.44 MYR 145

-16.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.0 ฿3,259

$82.7 MYR 339

18.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.5 ฿2,943

$69.7 MYR 285

26.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$738 ฿24.5K

$418 MYR 1,712

76.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.0K

$352 MYR 1,440

37.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,107 ฿70.0K

$738 MYR 3,020

185.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,226 ฿40.8K

$494 MYR 2,021

148.20%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,617 ฿120.3K

$2,040 MYR 8,351

77.27%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,603 ฿86.5K

$1,102 MYR 4,510

136.21%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.4K

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 Butterworth: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $738 in Phuket versus $418 in Butterworth. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $32.00 in Phuket versus $20.00 in Butterworth. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $274 vs $255 – making Butterworth 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 Butterworth: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,232 in Phuket, $919 in Butterworth – roughly 34% apart. Phuket costs more across the board, with Sport & Entertainment showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,847 per month in Phuket and $1,378 in Butterworth. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,232 in Phuket and $919 in Butterworth. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 65% less in Butterworth. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Butterworth, where all-in costs run around $919, than in Phuket at $1,232. In Butterworth it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Phuket has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $919 in Butterworth to $1,232 in Phuket. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Butterworth. 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.