Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Kepong

For one person, living is cheaper in Kepong: $896 a month against $1,278 in Phuket, rent and utilities included – about $4,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

62

Cost of Living Index in Phuket
Learn more

Phuket Living Index
43

Cost of Living Index in Kepong
Learn more

Kepong Living Index

Jump to prices

Phuket

🇹🇭 Thailand

$1,278

/mo nomad

Kepong

🇲🇾 Malaysia

$896

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Phuket and in Kepong

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 Kepong actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,278 per month in Phuket vs $896 in Kepong, rent included.

Phuket $1,278
Kepong $896

A couple spends around $2,216 per month in Phuket vs $1,392 in Kepong, rent included.

Phuket $2,216
Kepong $1,392

A family of three spends $3,154 per month in Phuket vs $1,888 in Kepong, rent included.

Phuket $3,154
Kepong $1,888

Phuket costs about 43% more than Kepong, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Phuket and Kepong are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 6% lower, Kepong 34% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.47 ฿151

$3.74 MYR 15.23

19.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.41 ฿1,094

$24.13 MYR 98.3

34.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.81 ฿297

$4.99 MYR 20.31

76.55%

Cappuccino

$2.83 ฿95.5

$2.98 MYR 12.13

-5.03%

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

$0.87 ฿29.43

$0.86 MYR 3.49

1.16%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.67

$0.41 MYR 1.69

19.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.56 ฿86.4

$3.28 MYR 13.35

-21.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.68 ฿124

$5.59 MYR 22.78

-34.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.66 ฿56.0

$1.74 MYR 7.09

-4.60%

White Bread (500g)

$1.46 ฿49.35

$1.03 MYR 4.20

41.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.6

$1.42 MYR 5.77

5.63%

Eggs

$2.09 ฿70.5

$1.82 MYR 7.43

14.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.07 ฿644

$9.82 MYR 40.02

94.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.30 ฿111

$3.32 MYR 13.52

-0.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.91 ฿368

$9.29 MYR 37.84

17.44%

Apples (1kg)

$2.93 ฿99.0

$3.40 MYR 13.85

-13.82%

Banana (1kg)

$1.69 ฿57.1

$1.74 MYR 7.07

-2.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 ฿75.8

$2.62 MYR 10.69

-14.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿70.1

$1.66 MYR 6.77

25.30%

Potato (1kg)

$1.51 ฿51.0

$1.46 MYR 5.93

3.42%

Onion (1kg)

$1.38 ฿46.56

$1.72 MYR 7.02

-19.77%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 ฿35.99

$1.32 MYR 5.38

-18.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.52

$0.51 MYR 2.08

1.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.20 ฿142

$4.37 MYR 17.82

-3.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.79 ฿634

$13.83 MYR 56.4

35.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.82 ฿61.5

$2.64 MYR 10.77

-31.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 ฿95.9

$3.02 MYR 12.30

-5.96%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.45 ฿49.03

$0.82 MYR 3.34

76.83%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$56.7 ฿1,913

$12.44 MYR 50.7

355.47%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ฿102

$0.95 MYR 3.86

217.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 ฿34.36

$0.35 MYR 1.44

191.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.69 ฿125

$8.86 MYR 36.10

-58.35%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 ฿49.81

$0.88 MYR 3.59

67.05%

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

$26.8K ฿904.3K

$43.6K MYR 177.6K

-38.57%

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

$26.7K ฿901.3K

$34.8K MYR 141.9K

-23.37%

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

$96.4 ฿3,254

$49.67 MYR 202

93.98%

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

$11.26 ฿380

$8.29 MYR 33.78

35.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.85 ฿569

$27.18 MYR 111

-38.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 ฿2,270

$40.69 MYR 166

65.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.73 ฿362

$6.25 MYR 25.47

71.68%

Cinema Ticket

$7.50 ฿253

$4.85 MYR 19.75

54.64%

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

$476 ฿16.1K

$238 MYR 968

100.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.3K ฿380.4K

$4,440 MYR 18.1K

153.67%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.4 ฿2,106

$53.3 MYR 217

17.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.41 ฿959

$24.40 MYR 99.4

16.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.3 ฿3,184

$82.9 MYR 338

13.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.8 ฿2,898

$87.0 MYR 354

-1.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$716 ฿24.2K

$406 MYR 1,654

76.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$491 ฿16.6K

$291 MYR 1,184

68.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,927 ฿65.1K

$713 MYR 2,906

170.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,431 ฿48.3K

$550 MYR 2,242

160.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,175 ฿141.0K

$1,993 MYR 8,122

109.46%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,045 ฿102.8K

$1,166 MYR 4,751

161.10%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$502 ฿17.0K

$650 MYR 2,647

-22.68%

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: October 26, 2026

Last update for Kepong: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Phuket

$491 38.4%

Kepong

$291 32.4% 40.8% $200

Groceries & Markets

Phuket

$266 20.8%

Kepong

$227 25.3% 14.8% $39

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Phuket

$124 9.7%

Kepong

$85 9.5% 31.6% $39

Clothing & Footwear

Phuket

$122 9.5%

Kepong

$111 12.4% 8.6% $11

Eating Out

Phuket

$122 9.5%

Kepong

$113 12.6% 7% $8.5

Sport & Entertainment

Phuket

$82 6.4%

Kepong

$50 5.6% 38.7% $32

Getting Around

Phuket

$71 5.5%

Kepong

$18 2.1% 73.9% $52

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $716 in Phuket versus $406 in Kepong. 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 29% higher in Kepong, 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 $32 in Phuket versus $24 in Kepong. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $266 vs $227 – making Kepong the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Phuket

🇲🇾 Kepong

🕒 Local time

05:05 5:05 AM

06:05 6:05 AM

1 h ahead of Phuket

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

79,308

85,960

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

Malaysian Ringgit MYR RM

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.96 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

1 MYR = 0.245 USD

1 MYR = 0.22 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

MYR, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇭 Thai Baht (฿)

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 33.77 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.59 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

Malaysian Ringgit exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 4.07 MYR (1 MYR = 0.245 USD). 1 EUR = 4.54 MYR (1 MYR = 0.22 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Phuket Kepong 630 km ≈ 1 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Phuket
Kepong

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 Kepong: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,278 in Phuket, $896 in Kepong – Kepong comes out roughly 30% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in transport.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,917 per month in Phuket and $1,344 in Kepong. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Kepong, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $406 there versus $716 in Phuket.

Public transport costs about 78% less in Kepong. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $476 per month in Phuket and $238 in Kepong. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,200 monthly budget goes further in Kepong, where all-in costs run around $896, than in Phuket at $1,278. In Kepong it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Kepong – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.

For expats, Kepong is the easier option financially – housing and daily costs are lower, and overall it costs about 30% less, which matters a lot on a fixed budget or early-career salary.