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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,265 per month in Phuket vs $883 in Ipoh, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,297 per month in Phuket vs $1,310 in Ipoh, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,329 per month in Phuket vs $1,737 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

$4.70 ฿153

$2.56 MYR 10.15

83.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.37 ฿1,482

$18.70 MYR 74.2

142.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.43 ฿275

$3.79 MYR 15.01

122.43%

Cappuccino

$2.93 ฿95.6

$2.26 MYR 8.97

29.65%

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

$0.69 ฿22.40

$0.72 MYR 2.87

-4.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.99

$0.34 MYR 1.34

8.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 ฿78.6

$3.51 MYR 13.91

-31.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿122

$4.43 MYR 17.58

-16.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 ฿72.9

$1.85 MYR 7.32

20.54%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 ฿59.8

$0.98 MYR 3.89

86.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 ฿70.8

$1.31 MYR 5.20

65.65%

Eggs

$2.21 ฿72.3

$1.83 MYR 7.26

20.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.74 ฿645

$13.13 MYR 52.1

50.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿119

$5.24 MYR 20.76

-30.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.53 ฿442

$7.48 MYR 29.65

80.88%

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 ฿107

$2.96 MYR 11.75

10.81%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ฿52.6

$1.81 MYR 7.18

-11.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿78.6

$2.98 MYR 11.83

-19.13%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿68.1

$2.10 MYR 8.31

-0.95%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.93

$1.44 MYR 5.72

6.25%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.36

$1.41 MYR 5.59

4.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 ฿32.29

$1.66 MYR 6.57

-40.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.67

$0.43 MYR 1.70

18.60%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 ฿144

$4.16 MYR 16.50

6.01%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.38 ฿633

$17.57 MYR 69.7

10.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

$3.46 MYR 13.70

-48.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 ฿88.6

$4.20 MYR 16.66

-35.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.37 ฿44.79

$0.68 MYR 2.68

101.47%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.39 ฿372

$11.76 MYR 46.63

-3.15%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ฿98.6

$1.15 MYR 4.57

162.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 ฿32.48

$1.14 MYR 4.54

-13.16%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.10 ฿461

$4.23 MYR 16.76

233.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 ฿44.51

$0.46 MYR 1.84

195.65%

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

$28.2K ฿921.1K

$43.5K MYR 172.3K

-35.12%

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$30.8K MYR 122.1K

6.84%

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

$122 ฿3,975

$64.2 MYR 255

89.56%

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

$13.57 ฿443

$9.34 MYR 37.02

45.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.31 ฿598

$28.35 MYR 112

-35.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.2 ฿1,967

$23.45 MYR 93.0

156.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.14 ฿560

$5.96 MYR 23.63

187.58%

Cinema Ticket

$8.69 ฿284

$3.12 MYR 12.39

178.53%

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

$693 ฿22.6K

$118 MYR 469

485.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ฿512.3K

$2,365 MYR 9,378

563.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,944

$59.2 MYR 235

0.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.77 ฿1,136

$27.86 MYR 110

24.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,743

$74.0 MYR 293

54.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.3 ฿2,720

$53.3 MYR 211

56.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$613 ฿20.0K

$387 MYR 1,536

58.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$437 ฿14.3K

$269 MYR 1,067

62.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,094 ฿68.4K

$634 MYR 2,515

230.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,509 ฿49.3K

$462 MYR 1,833

226.55%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,749 ฿122.5K

$2,186 MYR 8,669

71.49%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,616 ฿85.4K

$1,106 MYR 4,387

136.43%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.6K

$977 MYR 3,875

-48.01%

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: June 2, 2026

Last update for Ipoh: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $613 in Phuket versus $387 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 92% 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 $45.00 in Phuket versus $19.00 in Ipoh. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $293 vs $257 – 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 $1,898 per month in Phuket and $1,325 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 3% less in Ipoh. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $693 per month in Phuket and $118 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 $883, than in Phuket at $1,265. 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 $883 versus $1,265 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.