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 $769 in Kepong, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,297 per month in Phuket vs $1,235 in Kepong, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,329 per month in Phuket vs $1,701 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

$4.70 ฿153

$3.44 MYR 13.65

36.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.37 ฿1,482

$19.11 MYR 75.8

137.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.43 ฿275

$4.79 MYR 18.99

75.99%

Cappuccino

$2.93 ฿95.6

$2.83 MYR 11.22

3.53%

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

$0.69 ฿22.40

$0.79 MYR 3.13

-12.66%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.99

$0.40 MYR 1.58

-7.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 ฿78.6

$3.56 MYR 14.11

-32.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿122

$5.12 MYR 20.31

-27.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 ฿72.9

$1.83 MYR 7.24

21.86%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 ฿59.8

$1.00 MYR 3.97

83.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 ฿70.8

$1.26 MYR 4.98

72.22%

Eggs

$2.21 ฿72.3

$2.27 MYR 9.02

-2.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.74 ฿645

$15.20 MYR 60.3

29.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿119

$5.18 MYR 20.55

-29.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.53 ฿442

$10.54 MYR 41.80

28.37%

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 ฿107

$2.73 MYR 10.83

20.15%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ฿52.6

$1.68 MYR 6.67

-4.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿78.6

$2.44 MYR 9.69

-1.23%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿68.1

$1.19 MYR 4.73

74.79%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.93

$1.37 MYR 5.44

11.68%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.36

$1.38 MYR 5.48

7.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 ฿32.29

$0.95 MYR 3.76

4.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.67

$0.62 MYR 2.46

-17.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 ฿144

$4.36 MYR 17.29

1.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.38 ฿633

$14.79 MYR 58.6

31.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

$2.64 MYR 10.47

-32.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 ฿88.6

$2.86 MYR 11.35

-5.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.37 ฿44.79

$0.73 MYR 2.88

87.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.39 ฿372

$11.77 MYR 46.67

-3.23%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ฿98.6

$0.98 MYR 3.87

208.16%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 ฿32.48

$0.98 MYR 3.89

1.02%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.10 ฿461

$9.39 MYR 37.23

50.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 ฿44.51

$0.47 MYR 1.85

189.36%

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

$28.2K ฿921.1K

$31.1K MYR 123.4K

-9.39%

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$28.4K MYR 112.5K

15.92%

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

$122 ฿3,975

$45.45 MYR 180

167.77%

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

$13.57 ฿443

$8.90 MYR 35.27

52.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.31 ฿598

$23.85 MYR 94.6

-23.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.2 ฿1,967

$31.97 MYR 127

88.36%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.14 ฿560

$5.83 MYR 23.13

194.00%

Cinema Ticket

$8.69 ฿284

$5.08 MYR 20.14

71.06%

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

$693 ฿22.6K

$212 MYR 842

226.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ฿512.3K

$6,999 MYR 27.7K

124.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,944

$49.11 MYR 195

21.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.77 ฿1,136

$23.80 MYR 94.4

46.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,743

$70.7 MYR 280

62.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.3 ฿2,720

$47.90 MYR 190

73.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$613 ฿20.0K

$246 MYR 975

149.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$437 ฿14.3K

$174 MYR 691

150.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,094 ฿68.4K

$611 MYR 2,424

242.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,509 ฿49.3K

$423 MYR 1,678

256.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,749 ฿122.5K

$1,913 MYR 7,585

96.01%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,616 ฿85.4K

$959 MYR 3,803

172.70%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.6K

$660 MYR 2,617

-23.00%

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: June 2, 2026

Last update for Kepong: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $613 in Phuket versus $246 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 30% 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 $45.00 in Phuket versus $19.00 in Kepong. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $293 vs $252 – 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, $769 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 $1,898 per month in Phuket and $1,153 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 3% less in Kepong. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $693 per month in Phuket and $212 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 $769, 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 $769 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.