Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Cheras Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Cheras

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,264 per month in Phuket vs $859 in Cheras, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,256 per month in Phuket vs $1,289 in Cheras, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,248 per month in Phuket vs $1,719 in Cheras, rent included.

Phuket costs about 47% more than Cheras, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Phuket and Cheras are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 5% lower, Cheras 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.48 ฿150

$3.47 MYR 14.20

29.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.59 ฿1,525

$18.95 MYR 77.5

140.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.76 ฿293

$4.67 MYR 19.08

87.58%

Cappuccino

$2.97 ฿99.3

$2.92 MYR 11.92

1.71%

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

$0.69 ฿22.96

$0.79 MYR 3.21

-12.66%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 ฿13.07

$0.45 MYR 1.83

-13.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.53 ฿84.7

$4.73 MYR 19.32

-46.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.75 ฿125

$6.50 MYR 26.58

-42.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.15 ฿71.8

$1.87 MYR 7.64

14.97%

White Bread (500g)

$1.82 ฿60.7

$1.00 MYR 4.07

82.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.18 ฿73.1

$1.30 MYR 5.29

67.69%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.2

$2.10 MYR 8.57

7.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$20.00 ฿669

$15.64 MYR 63.9

27.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿121

$3.73 MYR 15.24

-2.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.56 ฿453

$7.73 MYR 31.58

75.42%

Apples (1kg)

$3.24 ฿109

$2.75 MYR 11.22

17.82%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ฿54.7

$1.75 MYR 7.16

-6.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.33 ฿78.0

$2.57 MYR 10.50

-9.34%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.07 ฿69.3

$1.26 MYR 5.14

64.29%

Potato (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.8

$1.46 MYR 5.97

6.16%

Onion (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.67

$1.40 MYR 5.72

4.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.94

$0.89 MYR 3.64

10.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.13

$0.55 MYR 2.26

-12.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 ฿146

$4.31 MYR 17.61

0.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.57 ฿621

$13.81 MYR 56.4

34.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.1

$2.73 MYR 11.16

-31.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.65 ฿88.8

$3.92 MYR 16.01

-32.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.42 ฿47.40

$0.46 MYR 1.88

208.70%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.57 ฿387

$11.99 MYR 49.02

-3.50%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 ฿106

$1.03 MYR 4.19

207.77%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.03 ฿34.51

$1.03 MYR 4.21

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.89 ฿465

$9.14 MYR 37.37

51.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ฿44.96

$0.46 MYR 1.90

191.30%

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

$27.8K ฿929.6K

$49.6K MYR 202.8K

-43.99%

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

$33.4K ฿1.1M

$31.7K MYR 129.5K

5.38%

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

$123 ฿4,116

$41.39 MYR 169

197.29%

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

$13.77 ฿461

$9.03 MYR 36.92

52.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.33 ฿613

$30.43 MYR 124

-39.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.7 ฿2,030

$41.27 MYR 169

47.06%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.16 ฿574

$5.94 MYR 24.27

188.89%

Cinema Ticket

$8.87 ฿297

$4.87 MYR 19.91

82.14%

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

$688 ฿23.0K

$185 MYR 757

271.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿527.8K

$7,008 MYR 28.6K

125.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.3 ฿1,984

$65.1 MYR 266

-8.91%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.69 ฿1,160

$34.18 MYR 140

1.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,853

$71.8 MYR 293

60.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.8 ฿2,802

$48.69 MYR 199

72.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$621 ฿20.8K

$382 MYR 1,562

62.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$446 ฿14.9K

$231 MYR 946

92.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,034 ฿68.0K

$655 MYR 2,675

210.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,496 ฿50.0K

$426 MYR 1,742

250.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,455 ฿115.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,531 ฿84.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.5K

$1,191 MYR 4,869

-58.57%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

4.07

30.96%

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

Last update for Phuket: July 27, 2026

Last update for Cheras: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $621 in Phuket versus $382 in Cheras. 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 141% higher in Cheras, 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 $19.00 in Cheras. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $291 vs $238 – making Cheras 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 Cheras: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Phuket is pricier by about 47%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,896 per month in Phuket and $1,288 in Cheras. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 22% 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 mid-range dinner for two costs $46.00 in Phuket and $19.00 in Cheras. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Cheras, where all-in costs run around $859, than in Phuket at $1,264. In Cheras it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Cheras – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Cheras. 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.