Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Johor Bahru Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Johor Bahru

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,261 in Phuket versus $943 in Johor Bahru.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,286 in Phuket versus $1,385 in Johor Bahru.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,310 in Phuket versus $1,826 in Johor Bahru.

Living in Phuket is roughly 34% more expensive than Johor Bahru, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 6% lower, Johor Bahru 30% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.56 ฿149

$3.59 MYR 14.56

27.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.63 ฿1,519

$18.77 MYR 76.1

148.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.47 ฿276

$4.69 MYR 19.02

80.60%

Cappuccino

$3.03 ฿98.6

$3.02 MYR 12.23

0.33%

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

$0.69 ฿22.45

$0.79 MYR 3.22

-12.66%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.92

$0.45 MYR 1.84

-17.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.49 ฿81.0

$3.64 MYR 14.78

-31.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

$6.63 MYR 26.90

-44.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.18 ฿71.0

$1.82 MYR 7.37

19.78%

White Bread (500g)

$1.90 ฿62.0

$0.93 MYR 3.76

104.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.20 ฿71.6

$1.29 MYR 5.25

70.54%

Eggs

$2.22 ฿72.4

$1.87 MYR 7.59

18.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.99 ฿651

$10.72 MYR 43.49

86.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.66 ฿119

$3.49 MYR 14.17

4.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.25 ฿432

$8.21 MYR 33.29

61.39%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿105

$2.77 MYR 11.21

16.61%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.3

$1.48 MYR 6.00

14.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.39 ฿78.0

$2.48 MYR 10.04

-3.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿67.7

$1.26 MYR 5.10

65.08%

Potato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$1.14 MYR 4.61

39.47%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.31

$1.33 MYR 5.38

11.28%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 ฿33.54

$0.94 MYR 3.82

9.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿16.83

$0.57 MYR 2.30

-8.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.25 ฿138

$4.19 MYR 16.98

1.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.79 ฿612

$14.08 MYR 57.1

33.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 ฿57.2

$2.64 MYR 10.72

-33.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 ฿89.8

$2.93 MYR 11.90

-5.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.36 ฿44.32

$0.74 MYR 3.02

83.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.36 ฿370

$11.67 MYR 47.34

-2.66%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 ฿102

$1.02 MYR 4.13

207.84%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿33.74

$0.99 MYR 4.03

5.05%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.77 ฿448

$9.41 MYR 38.15

46.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ฿43.79

$0.46 MYR 1.85

191.30%

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

$27.7K ฿901.4K

$35.8K MYR 145.2K

-22.71%

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

$33.9K ฿1.1M

$27.4K MYR 111.1K

23.62%

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

$124 ฿4,025

$41.08 MYR 167

200.85%

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

$13.52 ฿440

$9.14 MYR 37.06

47.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.69 ฿609

$30.22 MYR 123

-38.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.8 ฿2,013

$34.97 MYR 142

76.78%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.25 ฿562

$6.01 MYR 24.37

187.02%

Cinema Ticket

$9.14 ฿298

$5.04 MYR 20.42

81.35%

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

$703 ฿22.9K

$184 MYR 746

282.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.9K ฿517.0K

$6,934 MYR 28.1K

128.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,937

$49.20 MYR 200

20.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.07 ฿1,142

$19.06 MYR 77.3

84.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,754

$54.1 MYR 219

113.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.1 ฿2,737

$40.69 MYR 165

106.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$619 ฿20.1K

$469 MYR 1,901

31.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$433 ฿14.1K

$397 MYR 1,611

8.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,062 ฿67.2K

$816 MYR 3,311

152.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,511 ฿49.2K

$611 MYR 2,478

147.24%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,646 ฿118.7K

$2,079 MYR 8,432

75.33%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,626 ฿85.5K

$1,163 MYR 4,714

125.83%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$507 ฿16.5K

$1,108 MYR 4,492

-54.24%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Johor Bahru: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $619 in Phuket and $469 in Johor Bahru. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Johor Bahru pays 119% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $47.00 in Phuket vs $19.00 in Johor Bahru for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $217 per month, with Johor Bahru cheaper across the board.

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 Johor Bahru: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket and Johor Bahru differ by about 34% in total monthly costs ($1,261 vs $943 including rent). Johor Bahru is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Johor Bahru earns 119% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $619 in Phuket versus $469 in Johor Bahru. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Johor Bahru – a meal for two runs $19.00 versus $47.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,261 per month in Phuket versus $943 in Johor Bahru – a 34% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $943 in Johor Bahru versus $1,261 in Phuket, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Johor Bahru but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Johor Bahru the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Phuket and Johor Bahru are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Johor Bahru gentler on the wallet – expenses run 34% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.