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 $1,261 per month in Phuket vs $709 in Kota Bharu, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,078 per month in Phuket vs $1,061 in Kota Bharu, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,896 per month in Phuket vs $1,412 in Kota Bharu, rent included.

Phuket costs about 78% 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 48% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.43 ฿145

$2.19 MYR 8.84

102.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.07 ฿1,151

$15.50 MYR 62.6

126.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.96 ฿294

$5.01 MYR 20.24

78.84%

Cappuccino

$3.00 ฿98.4

$2.19 MYR 8.84

36.99%

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

$0.77 ฿25.33

$0.51 MYR 2.05

50.98%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.47 ฿15.44

$0.28 MYR 1.14

67.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.40 ฿78.6

$2.44 MYR 9.84

-1.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.75 ฿123

$4.40 MYR 17.77

-14.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.82 ฿59.8

$1.56 MYR 6.28

16.67%

White Bread (500g)

$1.42 ฿46.65

$0.92 MYR 3.70

54.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 ฿50.8

$0.84 MYR 3.39

84.52%

Eggs

$2.13 ฿69.9

$1.55 MYR 6.24

37.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.76 ฿648

$15.48 MYR 62.6

27.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.48 ฿114

$3.12 MYR 12.62

11.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.09 ฿364

$6.52 MYR 26.34

70.09%

Apples (1kg)

$2.91 ฿95.5

$2.40 MYR 9.70

21.25%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 ฿54.6

$1.46 MYR 5.90

13.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.27 ฿74.5

$2.29 MYR 9.24

-0.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.10 ฿68.8

$1.12 MYR 4.54

87.50%

Potato (1kg)

$1.47 ฿48.24

$0.88 MYR 3.57

67.05%

Onion (1kg)

$1.41 ฿46.29

$0.80 MYR 3.22

76.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.09 ฿35.78

$0.71 MYR 2.86

53.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 ฿17.58

$0.45 MYR 1.84

20.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.48 ฿147

$3.38 MYR 13.64

32.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.72 ฿614

$21.56 MYR 87.1

-13.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 ฿60.4

$2.50 MYR 10.11

-26.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.95 ฿96.7

$3.61 MYR 14.59

-18.28%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.26 ฿74.1

$0.76 MYR 3.09

197.37%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.07 ฿757

$12.55 MYR 50.7

83.82%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.04 ฿99.9

$1.26 MYR 5.11

141.27%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.09 ฿35.82

$0.51 MYR 2.05

113.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.82 ฿125

$3.63 MYR 14.68

5.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿48.79

$0.48 MYR 1.93

210.42%

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

$27.4K ฿900.3K

$31.6K MYR 127.5K

-13.09%

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

$27.5K ฿902.7K

$28.5K MYR 115.2K

-3.54%

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

$102 ฿3,340

$51.0 MYR 206

99.74%

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

$11.28 ฿370

$8.40 MYR 33.94

34.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.75 ฿582

$27.51 MYR 111

-35.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.2 ฿1,777

$49.56 MYR 200

9.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.96 ฿360

Cinema Ticket

$7.85 ฿258

$4.30 MYR 17.39

82.56%

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

$577 ฿18.9K

$124 MYR 500

366.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.6K ฿381.6K

$5,037 MYR 20.4K

130.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$65.4 ฿2,144

$54.1 MYR 219

20.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.89 ฿948

$19.56 MYR 79.0

47.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.1 ฿3,250

$74.0 MYR 299

33.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.3 ฿2,961

$87.8 MYR 355

2.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$756 ฿24.8K

$244 MYR 985

209.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$487 ฿16.0K

$126 MYR 507

288.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,085 ฿68.4K

$681 MYR 2,753

205.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,207 ฿39.6K

$224 MYR 906

438.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,591 ฿117.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,610 ฿85.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$502 ฿16.5K

$296 MYR 1,197

69.54%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

4.43

25.73%

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

Last update for Phuket: August 18, 2026

Last update for Kota Bharu: August 16, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $756 in Phuket versus $244 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 70% 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 $35.00 in Phuket versus $15.00 in Kota Bharu. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $272 vs $227 – 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 78% 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 $1,891 per month in Phuket and $1,063 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 84% less in Kota Bharu. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $577 per month in Phuket and $124 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 $709, than in Phuket at $1,261. 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 $709 versus $1,261 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.