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 $1,264 per month in Phuket vs $925 in Kajang, Selangor, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,256 per month in Phuket vs $1,407 in Kajang, Selangor, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,248 per month in Phuket vs $1,890 in Kajang, Selangor, rent included.

Phuket costs about 37% more than Kajang, Selangor, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Phuket and Kajang, Selangor are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 5% lower, Kajang, Selangor 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.48 ฿150

$3.62 MYR 14.76

23.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.59 ฿1,521

$18.64 MYR 76.1

144.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.76 ฿292

$4.79 MYR 19.57

82.88%

Cappuccino

$2.97 ฿99.0

$3.13 MYR 12.77

-5.11%

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

$0.69 ฿22.90

$0.80 MYR 3.27

-13.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 ฿13.04

$0.49 MYR 2.01

-20.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.53 ฿84.4

$4.68 MYR 19.10

-45.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.75 ฿125

$6.04 MYR 24.65

-37.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.15 ฿71.6

$1.81 MYR 7.38

18.78%

White Bread (500g)

$1.82 ฿60.6

$1.02 MYR 4.16

78.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.18 ฿72.9

$1.64 MYR 6.71

32.93%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.0

$1.90 MYR 7.74

18.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$20.00 ฿667

$15.61 MYR 63.7

28.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿121

$5.12 MYR 20.92

-29.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.56 ฿452

$9.49 MYR 38.73

42.89%

Apples (1kg)

$3.24 ฿108

$2.90 MYR 11.82

11.72%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ฿54.6

$1.62 MYR 6.60

1.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.33 ฿77.8

$2.87 MYR 11.74

-18.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.07 ฿69.1

$1.86 MYR 7.60

11.29%

Potato (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.6

$1.52 MYR 6.19

1.97%

Onion (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.54

$1.74 MYR 7.08

-16.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.86

$1.22 MYR 4.98

-19.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.09

$0.52 MYR 2.12

-7.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 ฿145

$4.17 MYR 17.04

4.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.57 ฿620

$14.15 MYR 57.8

31.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿61.9

$2.76 MYR 11.25

-32.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.65 ฿88.6

$3.00 MYR 12.27

-11.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.42 ฿47.28

$0.72 MYR 2.96

97.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.57 ฿386

$11.70 MYR 47.76

-1.11%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 ฿106

$1.20 MYR 4.92

164.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.03 ฿34.41

$1.03 MYR 4.20

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.89 ฿463

$4.69 MYR 19.15

196.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ฿44.84

$0.46 MYR 1.88

191.30%

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

$27.8K ฿927.1K

$35.6K MYR 145.4K

-21.94%

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

$33.4K ฿1.1M

$33.1K MYR 135.2K

0.82%

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

$123 ฿4,105

$46.16 MYR 188

166.57%

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

$13.77 ฿459

$9.60 MYR 39.19

43.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.33 ฿611

$30.97 MYR 126

-40.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.7 ฿2,025

$36.78 MYR 150

65.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.16 ฿573

$5.97 MYR 24.39

187.44%

Cinema Ticket

$8.87 ฿296

$5.08 MYR 20.74

74.61%

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

$688 ฿22.9K

$214 MYR 875

221.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿526.4K

$6,982 MYR 28.5K

126.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.3 ฿1,978

$60.0 MYR 245

-1.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.69 ฿1,157

$37.70 MYR 154

-7.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,843

$85.4 MYR 349

34.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.8 ฿2,794

$71.4 MYR 292

17.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$621 ฿20.7K

$393 MYR 1,605

58.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$446 ฿14.9K

$269 MYR 1,100

65.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,034 ฿67.8K

$639 MYR 2,608

218.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,496 ฿49.9K

$464 MYR 1,896

222.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,455 ฿115.3K

$2,029 MYR 8,284

70.29%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,531 ฿84.4K

$1,213 MYR 4,951

108.74%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.5K

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Kajang, Selangor: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $621 in Phuket versus $393 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 $46.00 in Phuket versus $19.00 in Kajang, Selangor. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $291 vs $256 – 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: $1,264 in Phuket, $925 in Kajang, Selangor – roughly 37% apart. Phuket costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,896 per month in Phuket and $1,387 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 $46.00 in Phuket and $19.00 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 $1,264 in Phuket and $925 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 $925, than in Phuket at $1,264. 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 $925 in Kajang, Selangor to $1,264 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.