Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Kota Bharu Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Kota Bharu

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,232 per month in Phuket vs $643 in Kota Bharu, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,255 per month in Phuket vs $1,124 in Kota Bharu, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,279 per month in Phuket vs $1,605 in Kota Bharu, rent included.

Phuket costs about 92% more than Kota Bharu, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Phuket and Kota Bharu are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 8% lower, Kota Bharu 52% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.63 ฿151

$1.74 MYR 6.89

166.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.84 ฿1,532

$21.18 MYR 83.7

121.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 ฿289

$4.18 MYR 16.53

111.48%

Cappuccino

$3.00 ฿98.0

$2.33 MYR 9.20

28.76%

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

$0.74 ฿24.25

$0.45 MYR 1.77

64.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.95

$0.27 MYR 1.07

37.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.44 ฿79.8

$4.26 MYR 16.85

-42.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.61 ฿118

$4.28 MYR 16.90

-15.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ฿73.9

$1.51 MYR 5.95

49.67%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 ฿60.1

$0.81 MYR 3.19

127.16%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.24 ฿73.4

$0.85 MYR 3.34

163.53%

Eggs

$2.32 ฿75.7

$1.47 MYR 5.82

57.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.67 ฿643

$15.28 MYR 60.4

28.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.65 ฿119

$2.88 MYR 11.37

26.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.10 ฿428

$6.21 MYR 24.51

110.95%

Apples (1kg)

$3.39 ฿111

$1.40 MYR 5.52

142.14%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.7

$1.40 MYR 5.53

17.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿79.0

$1.45 MYR 5.72

66.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿66.4

$0.87 MYR 3.43

133.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.56 ฿50.9

$0.82 MYR 3.22

90.24%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿48.94

$1.20 MYR 4.73

25.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 ฿33.50

$0.91 MYR 3.61

12.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.00

$0.44 MYR 1.73

11.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.45 ฿145

$2.98 MYR 11.79

49.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.88 ฿617

$19.39 MYR 76.6

-2.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

$1.42 MYR 5.61

25.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.75 ฿90.1

$3.52 MYR 13.90

-21.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.40 ฿45.81

$0.69 MYR 2.73

102.90%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.48 ฿376

$12.01 MYR 47.45

-4.41%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.12 ฿102

$0.73 MYR 2.90

327.40%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.00 ฿32.67

$0.54 MYR 2.14

85.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.09 ฿461

$3.45 MYR 13.64

308.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 ฿44.19

$0.47 MYR 1.84

187.23%

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

$27.2K ฿888.9K

$31.1K MYR 122.8K

-12.53%

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$27.3K MYR 107.7K

20.80%

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

$125 ฿4,087

$39.38 MYR 156

217.37%

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

$13.57 ฿444

$8.08 MYR 31.92

67.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.52 ฿606

$26.98 MYR 107

-31.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.5 ฿2,010

$36.25 MYR 143

69.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.84 ฿551

$5.81 MYR 22.93

189.85%

Cinema Ticket

$9.19 ฿300

$4.30 MYR 16.98

113.72%

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

$698 ฿22.8K

$119 MYR 470

487.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.6K ฿509.9K

$6,108 MYR 24.1K

155.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.8 ฿1,889

$52.6 MYR 208

9.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.24 ฿1,152

$19.07 MYR 75.3

84.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 ฿3,699

$61.6 MYR 243

83.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.4 ฿2,825

$52.0 MYR 205

66.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$616 ฿20.1K

$262 MYR 1,035

135.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$446 ฿14.6K

$141 MYR 559

215.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,048 ฿67.0K

$868 MYR 3,430

135.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 ฿48.8K

$470 MYR 1,856

217.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,779 ฿123.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,649 ฿86.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$524 ฿17.1K

$302 MYR 1,191

73.73%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

4.16

28.13%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Phuket: April 27, 2026

Last update for Kota Bharu: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $616 in Phuket versus $262 in Kota Bharu. 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 74% higher in Phuket, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Phuket versus $21.00 in Kota Bharu. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $292 vs $203 – making Kota Bharu 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 Kota Bharu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket costs about 92% more than Kota Bharu, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,847 per month in Phuket and $964 in Kota Bharu. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Kota Bharu, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 5% less in Kota Bharu. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $698 per month in Phuket and $119 in Kota Bharu. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Kota Bharu, where all-in costs run around $643, than in Phuket at $1,232. In Kota Bharu it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Kota Bharu costs $643 versus $1,232 in Phuket. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Kota Bharu. 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.