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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,250 per month in Phuket vs $759 in Kepong, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,284 per month in Phuket vs $1,251 in Kepong, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,317 per month in Phuket vs $1,742 in Kepong, rent included.

Phuket costs about 65% more than Kepong, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Phuket and Kepong are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 6% lower, Kepong 43% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.55 ฿153

$3.51 MYR 14.35

29.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.18 ฿1,553

$18.79 MYR 76.9

145.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 ฿297

$4.67 MYR 19.11

89.29%

Cappuccino

$3.06 ฿103

$2.80 MYR 11.46

9.29%

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

$0.73 ฿24.40

$0.85 MYR 3.49

-14.12%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 ฿13.39

$0.36 MYR 1.49

11.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 ฿81.8

$3.62 MYR 14.79

-32.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.78 ฿127

$5.18 MYR 21.18

-27.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ฿76.0

$1.79 MYR 7.34

26.26%

White Bread (500g)

$1.81 ฿60.9

$0.96 MYR 3.92

88.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.25 ฿75.8

$1.31 MYR 5.34

71.76%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.5

$2.23 MYR 9.13

0.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.51 ฿656

$15.55 MYR 63.6

25.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.65 ฿123

$5.11 MYR 20.91

-28.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.05 ฿439

$10.64 MYR 43.50

22.65%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿109

$2.75 MYR 11.23

17.45%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 ฿54.4

$1.73 MYR 7.07

-6.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.38 ฿80.1

$2.46 MYR 10.05

-3.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿68.1

$1.26 MYR 5.14

61.11%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿51.6

$1.45 MYR 5.93

5.52%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.5

$1.37 MYR 5.61

9.49%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.91

$0.90 MYR 3.68

8.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.39

$0.63 MYR 2.57

-17.46%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.44 ฿149

$4.25 MYR 17.39

4.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.32 ฿616

$14.29 MYR 58.4

28.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.7

$2.79 MYR 11.41

-33.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 ฿90.1

$3.00 MYR 12.27

-10.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.41 ฿47.46

$0.68 MYR 2.79

107.35%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.70 ฿393

$11.79 MYR 48.24

-0.76%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.11 ฿105

$0.98 MYR 4.00

217.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿35.06

$0.99 MYR 4.03

5.05%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.11 ฿474

$9.17 MYR 37.51

53.87%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 ฿44.10

$0.46 MYR 1.90

184.78%

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

$27.8K ฿935.4K

$31.0K MYR 126.7K

-10.24%

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

$33.2K ฿1.1M

$28.3K MYR 115.6K

17.51%

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

$122 ฿4,118

$44.92 MYR 184

172.57%

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

$13.59 ฿457

$9.03 MYR 36.95

50.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.70 ฿629

$23.55 MYR 96.3

-20.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.5 ฿2,034

$31.74 MYR 130

90.58%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.98 ฿571

$6.02 MYR 24.63

182.06%

Cinema Ticket

$9.07 ฿305

$4.82 MYR 19.73

88.17%

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

$706 ฿23.8K

$213 MYR 870

232.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿531.5K

$6,874 MYR 28.1K

129.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.6 ฿1,969

$48.81 MYR 200

19.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.36 ฿1,189

$23.01 MYR 94.1

53.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,883

$69.5 MYR 284

66.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.7 ฿2,816

$48.68 MYR 199

72.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$626 ฿21.0K

$251 MYR 1,026

149.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$445 ฿15.0K

$178 MYR 726

150.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,040 ฿68.6K

$599 MYR 2,449

240.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 ฿50.2K

$421 MYR 1,720

254.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,483 ฿117.1K

$2,038 MYR 8,336

70.87%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,577 ฿86.7K

$1,142 MYR 4,673

125.53%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$500 ฿16.8K

$666 MYR 2,722

-24.90%

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 12, 2026

Last update for Kepong: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $626 in Phuket versus $251 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 33% 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 $46.00 in Phuket versus $19.00 in Kepong. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $289 vs $253 – 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: $1,250 in Phuket, $759 in Kepong – roughly 65% apart. Phuket costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,875 per month in Phuket and $1,139 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 1% less in Kepong. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $706 per month in Phuket and $213 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 $759, than in Phuket at $1,250. 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 $759 in Kepong to $1,250 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.