Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Kuala Lipis Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Kuala Lipis

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,265 per month in Phuket vs $889 in Kuala Lipis, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,089 per month in Phuket vs $1,309 in Kuala Lipis, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,913 per month in Phuket vs $1,729 in Kuala Lipis, rent included.

Phuket costs about 42% more than Kuala Lipis, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Phuket and Kuala Lipis are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 8% lower, Kuala Lipis 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.66 ฿154

$3.79 MYR 15.42

22.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.22 ฿1,065

$24.42 MYR 99.3

31.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.68 ฿287

$4.03 MYR 16.40

115.38%

Cappuccino

$2.90 ฿95.8

$3.03 MYR 12.32

-4.29%

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

$0.84 ฿27.89

$0.39 MYR 1.57

115.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.16

$0.44 MYR 1.80

11.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.48 ฿82.0

$3.30 MYR 13.42

-24.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿123

$5.70 MYR 23.19

-34.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 ฿62.3

$1.39 MYR 5.65

35.97%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 ฿46.54

$0.59 MYR 2.41

138.98%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.6

$0.67 MYR 2.71

141.79%

Eggs

$2.24 ฿74.1

$1.47 MYR 5.97

52.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.84 ฿656

$10.07 MYR 40.95

97.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.48 ฿115

$2.77 MYR 11.25

25.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.37 ฿376

$7.88 MYR 32.06

44.29%

Apples (1kg)

$2.90 ฿95.8

$3.63 MYR 14.78

-20.11%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 ฿57.0

$1.91 MYR 7.76

-9.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.27 ฿75.1

$2.81 MYR 11.43

-19.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.13 ฿70.4

$1.84 MYR 7.48

15.76%

Potato (1kg)

$1.47 ฿48.72

$2.20 MYR 8.94

-33.18%

Onion (1kg)

$1.42 ฿46.92

$1.99 MYR 8.08

-28.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 ฿36.25

$1.49 MYR 6.07

-26.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 ฿19.76

$0.48 MYR 1.94

25.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.31 ฿142

$4.53 MYR 18.44

-4.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.60 ฿615

$18.90 MYR 76.9

-1.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿59.5

$2.70 MYR 10.98

-33.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 ฿98.0

$4.52 MYR 18.38

-34.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.25 ฿74.2

$0.73 MYR 2.97

208.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.49 ฿776

$12.54 MYR 51.0

87.32%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.10 ฿102

$1.25 MYR 5.10

148.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.08 ฿35.56

$0.35 MYR 1.44

208.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.87 ฿128

$9.24 MYR 37.59

-58.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 ฿47.16

$0.53 MYR 2.17

169.81%

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

$27.8K ฿918.0K

$42.3K MYR 172.0K

-34.30%

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

$27.0K ฿891.5K

$14.0K MYR 57.0K

92.43%

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

$105 ฿3,462

$29.33 MYR 119

257.31%

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

$11.39 ฿376

$8.30 MYR 33.77

37.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.54 ฿580

$22.33 MYR 90.8

-21.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.3 ฿1,795

$40.60 MYR 165

33.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.44 ฿378

$6.52 MYR 26.54

75.46%

Cinema Ticket

$7.78 ฿257

$5.07 MYR 20.64

53.45%

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

$576 ฿19.0K

$286 MYR 1,165

101.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.6K ฿382.7K

$10.5K MYR 42.6K

10.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.6 ฿2,103

$24.84 MYR 101

156.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.10 ฿961

$29.69 MYR 121

-1.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.2 ฿3,179

$78.5 MYR 320

22.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.0 ฿2,974

$75.3 MYR 306

19.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$733 ฿24.2K

$421 MYR 1,713

74.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$501 ฿16.5K

$328 MYR 1,334

52.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,126 ฿70.2K

$697 MYR 2,835

205.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,252 ฿41.4K

$486 MYR 1,978

157.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,534 ฿116.8K

$2,075 MYR 8,443

70.27%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,622 ฿86.6K

$1,120 MYR 4,557

134.05%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.8K

$445 MYR 1,810

14.05%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

4.51

23.50%

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

Last update for Phuket: September 6, 2026

Last update for Kuala Lipis: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $733 in Phuket versus $421 in Kuala Lipis. 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 14% 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 $32.00 in Phuket versus $24.00 in Kuala Lipis. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $275 vs $229 – making Kuala Lipis 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 Kuala Lipis: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Phuket is pricier by about 42%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,898 per month in Phuket and $1,334 in Kuala Lipis. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,265 in Phuket and $889 in Kuala Lipis. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 87% less in Kuala Lipis. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Kuala Lipis, where all-in costs run around $889, than in Phuket at $1,265. In Kuala Lipis it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Kuala Lipis – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Kuala Lipis. 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.