Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Kepong Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Kepong

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,265 per month in Phuket vs $941 in Kepong, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,089 per month in Phuket vs $1,363 in Kepong, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,913 per month in Phuket vs $1,785 in Kepong, rent included.

Phuket costs about 35% more than Kepong, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Phuket and Kepong are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 8% lower, Kepong 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.66 ฿154

$3.78 MYR 15.37

23.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.22 ฿1,065

$24.88 MYR 101

29.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.68 ฿287

$4.93 MYR 20.05

76.06%

Cappuccino

$2.90 ฿95.8

$2.94 MYR 11.96

-1.36%

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

$0.84 ฿27.89

$0.87 MYR 3.55

-3.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.16

$0.45 MYR 1.83

8.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.48 ฿82.0

$3.43 MYR 13.95

-27.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿123

$5.96 MYR 24.24

-37.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 ฿62.3

$1.75 MYR 7.12

8.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 ฿46.54

$1.03 MYR 4.19

36.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.6

$1.45 MYR 5.91

11.72%

Eggs

$2.24 ฿74.1

$1.79 MYR 7.28

25.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.84 ฿656

$9.74 MYR 39.64

103.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.48 ฿115

$3.38 MYR 13.75

2.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.37 ฿376

$9.59 MYR 39.00

18.56%

Apples (1kg)

$2.90 ฿95.8

$3.29 MYR 13.37

-11.85%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 ฿57.0

$1.70 MYR 6.93

1.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.27 ฿75.1

$2.76 MYR 11.23

-17.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.13 ฿70.4

$1.63 MYR 6.62

30.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.47 ฿48.72

$1.44 MYR 5.84

2.08%

Onion (1kg)

$1.42 ฿46.92

$1.73 MYR 7.02

-17.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 ฿36.25

$1.38 MYR 5.59

-20.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 ฿19.76

$0.55 MYR 2.23

9.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.31 ฿142

$4.19 MYR 17.05

2.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.60 ฿615

$13.97 MYR 56.9

33.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿59.5

$2.69 MYR 10.94

-33.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 ฿98.0

$3.01 MYR 12.24

-1.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.25 ฿74.2

$0.68 MYR 2.77

230.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.49 ฿776

$12.20 MYR 49.63

92.54%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.10 ฿102

$1.26 MYR 5.12

146.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.08 ฿35.56

$0.38 MYR 1.55

184.21%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.87 ฿128

$9.27 MYR 37.70

-58.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 ฿47.16

$0.74 MYR 3.02

93.24%

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

$27.8K ฿918.0K

$42.9K MYR 174.3K

-35.16%

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

$27.0K ฿891.5K

$33.5K MYR 136.5K

-19.57%

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

$105 ฿3,462

$49.88 MYR 203

110.10%

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

$11.39 ฿376

$8.25 MYR 33.55

38.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.54 ฿580

$27.06 MYR 110

-35.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.3 ฿1,795

$44.12 MYR 179

23.16%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.44 ฿378

$6.08 MYR 24.74

88.16%

Cinema Ticket

$7.78 ฿257

$4.95 MYR 20.15

57.17%

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

$576 ฿19.0K

$167 MYR 680

244.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.6K ฿382.7K

$4,520 MYR 18.4K

156.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.6 ฿2,103

$61.4 MYR 250

3.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.10 ฿961

$24.57 MYR 100.0

18.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.2 ฿3,179

$81.7 MYR 332

17.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.0 ฿2,974

$49.99 MYR 203

80.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$733 ฿24.2K

$432 MYR 1,756

69.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$501 ฿16.5K

$334 MYR 1,357

50.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,126 ฿70.2K

$701 MYR 2,852

203.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,252 ฿41.4K

$497 MYR 2,023

151.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,534 ฿116.8K

$2,099 MYR 8,538

68.38%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,622 ฿86.6K

$1,117 MYR 4,543

134.80%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.8K

$669 MYR 2,720

-24.09%

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 6, 2026

Last update for Kepong: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $733 in Phuket versus $432 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 32% 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 $32.00 in Phuket versus $25.00 in Kepong. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $275 vs $229 – making Kepong 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 Kepong: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,265 in Phuket, $941 in Kepong – roughly 35% apart. Phuket costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,898 per month in Phuket and $1,411 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. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 93% less in Kepong. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $576 per month in Phuket and $167 in Kepong. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Kepong, where all-in costs run around $941, than in Phuket at $1,265. In Kepong 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 $941 in Kepong to $1,265 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 Kepong. 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.