Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Kajang, Selangor Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Kajang, Selangor

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,232 per month in Phuket vs $939 in Kajang, Selangor, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,054 per month in Phuket vs $1,414 in Kajang, Selangor, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,876 per month in Phuket vs $1,889 in Kajang, Selangor, rent included.

Phuket costs about 31% more than Kajang, Selangor, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Phuket and Kajang, Selangor are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 10% lower, Kajang, Selangor 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.41 ฿147

$3.64 MYR 14.85

21.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.26 ฿1,077

$21.82 MYR 89.1

47.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.93 ฿298

$4.78 MYR 19.51

86.82%

Cappuccino

$2.90 ฿96.6

$2.88 MYR 11.75

0.69%

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

$0.88 ฿29.38

$0.80 MYR 3.25

10.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.06

$0.44 MYR 1.80

9.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.35 ฿78.5

$4.38 MYR 17.87

-46.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿124

$6.10 MYR 24.88

-39.02%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 ฿62.3

$1.67 MYR 6.80

11.98%

White Bread (500g)

$1.47 ฿48.94

$1.06 MYR 4.34

38.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.8

$1.43 MYR 5.82

8.39%

Eggs

$2.10 ฿70.1

$1.75 MYR 7.14

20.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.59 ฿654

$18.09 MYR 73.8

8.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.42 ฿114

$4.68 MYR 19.10

-26.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.38 ฿380

$10.00 MYR 40.83

13.80%

Apples (1kg)

$2.98 ฿99.6

$3.26 MYR 13.32

-8.59%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 ฿56.2

$1.67 MYR 6.84

0.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.21 ฿73.7

$2.42 MYR 9.89

-8.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.16 ฿72.1

$1.67 MYR 6.83

29.34%

Potato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿50.9

$1.32 MYR 5.41

15.15%

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 ฿44.67

$1.72 MYR 7.03

-22.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 ฿37.67

$1.15 MYR 4.71

-1.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ฿18.24

$0.55 MYR 2.23

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.26 ฿142

$4.21 MYR 17.17

1.19%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.09 ฿637

$13.96 MYR 57.0

36.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿59.4

$2.89 MYR 11.79

-38.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿92.9

$3.15 MYR 12.85

-11.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.23 ฿74.4

$0.78 MYR 3.17

185.90%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.74 ฿759

$12.11 MYR 49.42

87.78%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 ฿101

$1.21 MYR 4.95

150.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 ฿34.15

$0.76 MYR 3.11

34.21%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.89 ฿130

$5.05 MYR 20.60

-22.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿49.77

$0.76 MYR 3.10

96.05%

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

$26.6K ฿887.3K

$41.7K MYR 170.2K

-36.24%

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

$27.0K ฿902.2K

$34.6K MYR 141.4K

-21.94%

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

$102 ฿3,420

$53.6 MYR 219

91.35%

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

$11.33 ฿378

$10.09 MYR 41.19

12.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.40 ฿581

$25.82 MYR 105

-32.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.1 ฿1,738

$45.02 MYR 184

15.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.07 ฿370

$7.07 MYR 28.87

56.58%

Cinema Ticket

$7.69 ฿257

$4.78 MYR 19.51

60.88%

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

$561 ฿18.7K

$218 MYR 890

157.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.5K ฿384.1K

$4,492 MYR 18.3K

156.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.0 ฿2,104

$67.1 MYR 274

-6.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.52 ฿986

$16.55 MYR 67.6

78.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.0 ฿3,272

$81.0 MYR 331

20.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.5 ฿2,954

$40.77 MYR 166

117.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$738 ฿24.6K

$460 MYR 1,877

60.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.1K

$284 MYR 1,158

70.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,107 ฿70.3K

$642 MYR 2,622

228.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,226 ฿40.9K

$429 MYR 1,750

186.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,617 ฿120.7K

$2,207 MYR 9,012

63.85%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,603 ฿86.9K

$1,075 MYR 4,387

142.23%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.5K

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 15, 2026

Last update for Kajang, Selangor: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $738 in Phuket versus $460 in Kajang, Selangor. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $32.00 in Phuket versus $22.00 in Kajang, Selangor. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $274 vs $259 – making Kajang, Selangor 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 Kajang, Selangor: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,232 in Phuket, $939 in Kajang, Selangor – roughly 31% apart. Phuket costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,847 per month in Phuket and $1,409 in Kajang, Selangor. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $32.00 in Phuket and $22.00 in Kajang, Selangor. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,232 in Phuket and $939 in Kajang, Selangor. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Kajang, Selangor, where all-in costs run around $939, than in Phuket at $1,232. In Kajang, Selangor it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Phuket has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $939 in Kajang, Selangor to $1,232 in Phuket. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Kajang, Selangor. 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.