Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Ipoh Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Ipoh

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,250 per month in Phuket vs $877 in Ipoh, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,284 per month in Phuket vs $1,293 in Ipoh, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,317 per month in Phuket vs $1,708 in Ipoh, rent included.

Phuket costs about 43% more than Ipoh, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Phuket and Ipoh are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 6% lower, Ipoh 34% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.55 ฿153

$2.66 MYR 10.90

71.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.18 ฿1,553

$18.86 MYR 77.2

144.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 ฿297

$3.67 MYR 15.02

140.87%

Cappuccino

$3.06 ฿103

$2.25 MYR 9.21

36.00%

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

$0.73 ฿24.40

$0.77 MYR 3.15

-5.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 ฿13.39

$0.34 MYR 1.37

17.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 ฿81.8

$3.49 MYR 14.26

-30.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.78 ฿127

$4.58 MYR 18.74

-17.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ฿76.0

$1.85 MYR 7.55

22.16%

White Bread (500g)

$1.81 ฿60.9

$1.02 MYR 4.18

77.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.25 ฿75.8

$1.31 MYR 5.36

71.76%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.5

$1.85 MYR 7.57

21.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.51 ฿656

$12.78 MYR 52.3

52.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.65 ฿123

$5.16 MYR 21.12

-29.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.05 ฿439

$7.69 MYR 31.47

69.70%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿109

$3.00 MYR 12.27

7.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 ฿54.4

$1.77 MYR 7.24

-8.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.38 ฿80.1

$3.00 MYR 12.26

-20.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿68.1

$2.10 MYR 8.60

-3.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿51.6

$1.44 MYR 5.90

6.25%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.5

$1.34 MYR 5.48

11.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.91

$1.60 MYR 6.54

-38.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.39

$0.42 MYR 1.71

23.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.44 ฿149

$4.26 MYR 17.41

4.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.32 ฿616

$16.92 MYR 69.2

8.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.7

$3.47 MYR 14.17

-46.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 ฿90.1

$4.36 MYR 17.84

-38.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.41 ฿47.46

$0.73 MYR 3.00

93.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.70 ฿393

$11.95 MYR 48.89

-2.09%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.11 ฿105

$1.16 MYR 4.74

168.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿35.06

$1.09 MYR 4.47

-4.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.11 ฿474

$4.39 MYR 17.97

221.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 ฿44.10

$0.49 MYR 2.02

167.35%

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

$27.8K ฿935.4K

$44.2K MYR 180.8K

-37.07%

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

$33.2K ฿1.1M

$31.9K MYR 130.5K

4.10%

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

$122 ฿4,118

$64.4 MYR 264

90.01%

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

$13.59 ฿457

$9.55 MYR 39.08

42.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.70 ฿629

$27.95 MYR 114

-33.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.5 ฿2,034

$23.18 MYR 94.8

160.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.98 ฿571

$5.97 MYR 24.43

184.42%

Cinema Ticket

$9.07 ฿305

$3.02 MYR 12.34

200.33%

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

$706 ฿23.8K

$116 MYR 476

507.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿531.5K

$2,398 MYR 9,806

559.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.6 ฿1,969

$58.9 MYR 241

-0.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.36 ฿1,189

$27.75 MYR 114

27.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,883

$76.3 MYR 312

51.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.7 ฿2,816

$52.7 MYR 216

58.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$626 ฿21.0K

$392 MYR 1,602

59.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$445 ฿15.0K

$269 MYR 1,102

65.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,040 ฿68.6K

$638 MYR 2,609

219.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 ฿50.2K

$470 MYR 1,921

217.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,483 ฿117.1K

$2,126 MYR 8,694

63.83%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,577 ฿86.7K

$993 MYR 4,060

159.55%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$500 ฿16.8K

$943 MYR 3,857

-47.00%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

3.96

34.60%

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

Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026

Last update for Ipoh: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $626 in Phuket versus $392 in Ipoh. 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 89% higher in Ipoh, 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 Ipoh. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $289 vs $255 – making Ipoh 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 Ipoh: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket costs about 43% more than Ipoh, with the gap driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,875 per month in Phuket and $1,315 in Ipoh. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 2% less in Ipoh. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $706 per month in Phuket and $116 in Ipoh. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Ipoh, where all-in costs run around $877, than in Phuket at $1,250. In Ipoh it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Ipoh costs $877 versus $1,250 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 Ipoh. 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.