Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Kangar, Perlis

For one person, living is cheaper in Kangar, Perlis: $927 a month against $1,294 in Phuket, rent and utilities included – about $4,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Phuket, Thailand
Kangar, Perlis, Malaysia
Phuket
🇹🇭 Thailand
$1,294
/mo nomad
Kangar, Perlis
🇲🇾 Malaysia
$927
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Phuket and in Kangar, Perlis

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Phuket and in Kangar, Perlis actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,294 per month in Phuket vs $927 in Kangar, Perlis, rent included.

  • Phuket $1,294
  • Kangar, Perlis $927

A couple spends around $2,204 per month in Phuket vs $1,421 in Kangar, Perlis, rent included.

  • Phuket $2,204
  • Kangar, Perlis $1,421

A family of three spends $3,115 per month in Phuket vs $1,916 in Kangar, Perlis, rent included.

  • Phuket $3,115
  • Kangar, Perlis $1,916

Phuket costs about 40% more than Kangar, Perlis, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Phuket and Kangar, Perlis are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 4% lower, Kangar, Perlis 31% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Kangar, Perlis
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.39 ฿147
$3.70 MYR 14.96
18.65%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.31 ฿1,078
$19.24 MYR 77.8
67.93%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.70 ฿290
$4.71 MYR 19.06
84.71%
Cappuccino
$2.72 ฿90.9
$2.94 MYR 11.89
-7.48%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.93 ฿31.06
$0.74 MYR 2.99
25.68%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.50 ฿16.67
$0.39 MYR 1.58
28.21%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.53 ฿84.5
$3.88 MYR 15.70
-34.79%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.63 ฿121
$4.44 MYR 17.94
-18.24%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Kangar, Perlis
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.74 ฿58.1
$1.85 MYR 7.49
-5.95%
White Bread (500g)
$1.45 ฿48.42
$1.08 MYR 4.38
34.26%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.50 ฿50.1
$1.42 MYR 5.73
5.63%
Eggs
$2.17 ฿72.5
$2.23 MYR 9.01
-2.69%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$19.09 ฿637
$13.65 MYR 55.2
39.85%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.40 ฿113
$4.37 MYR 17.67
-22.20%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.90 ฿364
$9.63 MYR 38.95
13.19%
Apples (1kg)
$2.94 ฿98.2
$3.18 MYR 12.85
-7.55%
Banana (1kg)
$1.69 ฿56.5
$1.65 MYR 6.69
2.42%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.19 ฿73.2
$2.46 MYR 9.95
-10.98%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.12 ฿70.9
$1.58 MYR 6.40
34.18%
Potato (1kg)
$1.46 ฿48.68
$1.28 MYR 5.18
14.06%
Onion (1kg)
$1.37 ฿45.66
$1.38 MYR 5.57
-0.72%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.08 ฿35.91
$1.12 MYR 4.53
-3.57%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.55 ฿18.21
$0.56 MYR 2.27
-1.79%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.43 ฿148
$4.29 MYR 17.36
3.26%
Wine (Bottle)
$18.25 ฿609
$18.78 MYR 76.0
-2.82%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.77 ฿59.2
$2.93 MYR 11.84
-39.59%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.88 ฿96.2
$4.63 MYR 18.72
-37.80%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Kangar, Perlis
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.45 ฿48.32
$0.74 MYR 3.00
95.95%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$54.9 ฿1,832
$12.05 MYR 48.75
355.52%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.51 ฿50.5
$1.20 MYR 4.84
25.83%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.78 ฿25.90
$0.54 MYR 2.17
44.44%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$3.84 ฿128
$7.13 MYR 28.82
-46.14%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.49 ฿49.65
$0.78 MYR 3.17
91.03%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.9K ฿897.3K
$44.1K MYR 178.2K
-39.01%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.3K ฿879.4K
$35.4K MYR 143.4K
-25.68%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Kangar, Perlis
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$97.8 ฿3,265
$48.94 MYR 198
99.86%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.29 ฿377
$9.52 MYR 38.51
18.59%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$17.19 ฿574
$28.21 MYR 114
-39.06%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Kangar, Perlis
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$68.3 ฿2,281
$37.14 MYR 150
83.98%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$10.92 ฿365
$6.40 MYR 25.88
70.63%
Cinema Ticket
$7.43 ฿248
$4.76 MYR 19.25
56.09%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Kangar, Perlis
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$530 ฿17.7K
$239 MYR 966
122.01%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$18.8K ฿626.9K
$6,932 MYR 28.0K
170.93%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Kangar, Perlis
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$61.7 ฿2,059
$55.6 MYR 225
10.96%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$28.25 ฿943
$34.80 MYR 141
-18.82%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$96.0 ฿3,204
$80.9 MYR 327
18.62%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$86.8 ฿2,898
$75.2 MYR 304
15.39%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Kangar, Perlis
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$721 ฿24.1K
$417 MYR 1,685
73.06%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$509 ฿17.0K
$293 MYR 1,186
73.46%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,950 ฿65.1K
$712 MYR 2,879
173.90%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,397 ฿46.6K
$547 MYR 2,213
155.25%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,192 ฿139.9K
$1,995 MYR 8,068
110.13%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,298 ฿110.1K
$1,178 MYR 4,765
179.91%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Kangar, Perlis
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$492 ฿16.4K
-
-
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: November 2, 2026

Last update for Kangar, Perlis: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Phuket
$509
Kangar, Perlis
$293 42.3% $215
Groceries & Markets
Phuket
$267
Kangar, Perlis
$258 3.1% $8.4
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
$126
Kangar, Perlis
$87 31.4% $40
Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
$123
Kangar, Perlis
$111 9.6% $12
Eating Out
Phuket
$120
Kangar, Perlis
$112 6.5% $7.8
Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
$83
Kangar, Perlis
$47 43.9% $37
Getting Around
Phuket
$66
Kangar, Perlis
$19 71.4% $47

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $721 in Phuket versus $417 in Kangar, Perlis. 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 in Phuket versus $19 in Kangar, Perlis. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $267 vs $258 – making Kangar, Perlis the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇹🇭 Phuket
🇲🇾 Kangar, Perlis
🕒 Local time
05:26 5:26 AM
06:26 6:26 AM
1 h ahead of Phuket
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
79,308
284,853
💱 Currency
Thai Baht THB ฿
Exchange rates and currency converter

MYR, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

Thai Baht exchange rates as of November 5, 2026: 1 USD = 33.38 THB (100 THB = 3 USD). 1 EUR = 37.47 THB (100 THB = 2.67 EUR).

Malaysian Ringgit exchange rates as of November 5, 2026: 1 USD = 4.04 MYR (1 MYR = 0.247 USD). 1 EUR = 4.54 MYR (1 MYR = 0.22 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Phuket Kangar, Perlis 260 km
From you
  • Phuket
  • Kangar, Perlis

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Kangar, Perlis: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Phuket and in Kangar, Perlis compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $1,294 in Phuket, $927 in Kangar, Perlis – Kangar, Perlis comes out roughly 28% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in transport.
What salary covers living expenses in Phuket compared to Kangar, Perlis?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,940 per month in Phuket and $1,390 in Kangar, Perlis. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Phuket and Kangar, Perlis?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Kangar, Perlis, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $417 there versus $721 in Phuket.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $32 in Phuket and $19 in Kangar, Perlis. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Which city is more expensive overall: Phuket or Kangar, Perlis?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,294 in Phuket and $927 in Kangar, Perlis. That makes Kangar, Perlis about 28% cheaper.
Which city is more doable on $1,200 per month?
A $1,200 monthly budget goes further in Kangar, Perlis, where all-in costs run around $927, than in Phuket at $1,294. In Kangar, Perlis it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Where should families live: Phuket or Kangar, Perlis?
Families tend to lean toward Kangar, Perlis – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Is Phuket or Kangar, Perlis safer for residents?
Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.
Where should expats move: Phuket or Kangar, Perlis?
For expats, Kangar, Perlis is the easier option financially – housing and daily costs are lower, and overall it costs about 28% less, which matters a lot on a fixed budget or early-career salary.

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