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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,265 per month in Phuket vs $1,143 in Cheras, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,089 per month in Phuket vs $1,558 in Cheras, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,913 per month in Phuket vs $1,973 in Cheras, rent included.

Phuket costs about 11% more than Cheras, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Phuket and Cheras are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 8% lower, Cheras 17% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.66 ฿154

$3.67 MYR 14.94

26.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.22 ฿1,065

$24.62 MYR 100

30.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.68 ฿287

$4.81 MYR 19.58

80.46%

Cappuccino

$2.90 ฿95.8

$3.11 MYR 12.66

-6.75%

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

$0.84 ฿27.89

$0.86 MYR 3.50

-2.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.16

$0.51 MYR 2.08

-3.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.48 ฿82.0

$4.43 MYR 18.02

-44.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿123

$6.35 MYR 25.83

-41.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 ฿62.3

$1.91 MYR 7.75

-1.05%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 ฿46.54

$1.04 MYR 4.22

35.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.6

$1.44 MYR 5.85

12.50%

Eggs

$2.24 ฿74.1

$1.85 MYR 7.52

21.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.84 ฿656

$18.02 MYR 73.3

10.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.48 ฿115

$4.52 MYR 18.40

-23.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.37 ฿376

$10.99 MYR 44.69

3.46%

Apples (1kg)

$2.90 ฿95.8

$3.56 MYR 14.47

-18.54%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 ฿57.0

$1.87 MYR 7.61

-8.02%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.27 ฿75.1

$2.66 MYR 10.82

-14.66%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.13 ฿70.4

$1.68 MYR 6.81

26.79%

Potato (1kg)

$1.47 ฿48.72

$2.11 MYR 8.60

-30.33%

Onion (1kg)

$1.42 ฿46.92

$1.70 MYR 6.91

-16.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 ฿36.25

$1.34 MYR 5.46

-17.91%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 ฿19.76

$0.51 MYR 2.08

17.65%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.31 ฿142

$4.33 MYR 17.60

-0.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.60 ฿615

$14.05 MYR 57.1

32.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿59.5

$2.80 MYR 11.38

-35.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 ฿98.0

$3.12 MYR 12.69

-4.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.25 ฿74.2

$0.73 MYR 2.96

208.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.49 ฿776

$12.42 MYR 50.5

89.13%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.10 ฿102

$1.27 MYR 5.17

144.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.08 ฿35.56

$0.35 MYR 1.44

208.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.87 ฿128

$9.50 MYR 38.63

-59.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 ฿47.16

$0.79 MYR 3.21

81.01%

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

$27.8K ฿918.0K

$42.9K MYR 174.7K

-35.30%

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

$27.0K ฿891.5K

$34.8K MYR 141.7K

-22.54%

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

$105 ฿3,462

$49.55 MYR 202

111.50%

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

$11.39 ฿376

$11.27 MYR 45.83

1.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.54 ฿580

$27.69 MYR 113

-36.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.3 ฿1,795

$51.2 MYR 208

6.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.44 ฿378

Cinema Ticket

$7.78 ฿257

$4.89 MYR 19.88

59.10%

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

$576 ฿19.0K

$163 MYR 662

254.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.6K ฿382.7K

$4,548 MYR 18.5K

154.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.6 ฿2,103

$65.2 MYR 265

-2.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.10 ฿961

$30.08 MYR 122

-3.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.2 ฿3,179

$81.5 MYR 331

18.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.0 ฿2,974

$85.1 MYR 346

5.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$733 ฿24.2K

$956 MYR 3,888

-23.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$501 ฿16.5K

$473 MYR 1,925

5.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,126 ฿70.2K

$747 MYR 3,040

184.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,252 ฿41.4K

$487 MYR 1,980

157.29%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,534 ฿116.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,622 ฿86.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.8K

$1,174 MYR 4,776

-56.77%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

4.06

37.19%

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

Last update for Phuket: September 6, 2026

Last update for Cheras: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $733 in Phuket versus $956 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 131% 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 $32.00 in Phuket versus $25.00 in Cheras. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $275 vs $270 – 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 11%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,898 per month in Phuket and $1,715 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 2% 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 $32.00 in Phuket and $25.00 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 $1,143, than in Phuket at $1,265. 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.