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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,232 in Phuket versus $704 in Kuala Terengganu.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,255 in Phuket versus $1,143 in Kuala Terengganu.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,279 in Phuket versus $1,582 in Kuala Terengganu.

Living in Phuket is roughly 75% more expensive than Kuala Terengganu, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 8% lower, Kuala Terengganu 47% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.63 ฿151

$2.33 MYR 9.20

98.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.84 ฿1,532

$22.44 MYR 88.6

108.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 ฿289

$4.41 MYR 17.41

100.45%

Cappuccino

$3.00 ฿98.0

$2.99 MYR 11.79

0.33%

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

$0.74 ฿24.25

$0.44 MYR 1.73

68.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.95

$0.25 MYR 0.98

48.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.44 ฿79.8

$3.55 MYR 14.03

-31.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.61 ฿118

$5.04 MYR 19.90

-28.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ฿73.9

$1.50 MYR 5.94

50.67%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 ฿60.1

$0.96 MYR 3.78

91.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.24 ฿73.4

$1.26 MYR 4.96

77.78%

Eggs

$2.32 ฿75.7

$2.05 MYR 8.09

13.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.67 ฿643

$15.13 MYR 59.8

30.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.65 ฿119

$4.37 MYR 17.28

-16.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.10 ฿428

$9.39 MYR 37.11

39.51%

Apples (1kg)

$3.39 ฿111

$2.85 MYR 11.25

18.95%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.7

$1.53 MYR 6.05

7.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿79.0

$2.53 MYR 10.00

-4.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿66.4

$1.44 MYR 5.69

40.97%

Potato (1kg)

$1.56 ฿50.9

$1.24 MYR 4.88

25.81%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿48.94

$1.32 MYR 5.20

13.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 ฿33.50

$1.00 MYR 3.94

2.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.00

$0.53 MYR 2.09

-7.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.45 ฿145

$4.31 MYR 17.02

3.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.88 ฿617

$20.59 MYR 81.3

-8.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

$2.76 MYR 10.89

-35.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.75 ฿90.1

$2.97 MYR 11.72

-7.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.40 ฿45.81

$0.68 MYR 2.70

105.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.48 ฿376

$11.93 MYR 47.14

-3.77%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.12 ฿102

$1.21 MYR 4.79

157.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.00 ฿32.67

$1.03 MYR 4.05

-2.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.09 ฿461

$6.01 MYR 23.75

134.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 ฿44.19

$0.49 MYR 1.95

175.51%

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

$27.2K ฿888.9K

$35.0K MYR 138.3K

-22.37%

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$31.8K MYR 125.8K

3.41%

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

$125 ฿4,087

$43.02 MYR 170

190.52%

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

$13.57 ฿444

$9.15 MYR 36.16

48.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.52 ฿606

$28.58 MYR 113

-35.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.5 ฿2,010

$37.22 MYR 147

65.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.84 ฿551

$5.82 MYR 23.01

189.35%

Cinema Ticket

$9.19 ฿300

$5.06 MYR 20.00

81.62%

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

$698 ฿22.8K

$188 MYR 743

271.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.6K ฿509.9K

$7,040 MYR 27.8K

121.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.8 ฿1,889

$59.8 MYR 236

-3.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.24 ฿1,152

$26.88 MYR 106

31.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 ฿3,699

$72.4 MYR 286

56.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.4 ฿2,825

$51.4 MYR 203

67.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$616 ฿20.1K

$204 MYR 806

201.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$446 ฿14.6K

$118 MYR 466

277.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,048 ฿67.0K

$634 MYR 2,506

222.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 ฿48.8K

$269 MYR 1,063

454.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,779 ฿123.6K

$1,780 MYR 7,029

112.33%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,649 ฿86.6K

$889 MYR 3,513

197.83%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$524 ฿17.1K

$497 MYR 1,964

5.36%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Kuala Terengganu: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $616 in Phuket and $204 in Kuala Terengganu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 5% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $47.00 in Phuket vs $22.00 in Kuala Terengganu for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $292 vs $252 per month, with Kuala Terengganu cheaper across the board.

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 Terengganu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket and Kuala Terengganu differ by about 75% in total monthly costs ($1,232 vs $704 including rent). Kuala Terengganu is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Phuket pays 5% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $616 in Phuket versus $204 in Kuala Terengganu. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,232 per month in Phuket versus $704 in Kuala Terengganu – a 75% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Kuala Terengganu runs roughly 4% less than in Phuket. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $704 in Kuala Terengganu versus $1,232 in Phuket, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Kuala Terengganu but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Kuala Terengganu the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Phuket and Kuala Terengganu are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Kuala Terengganu gentler on the wallet – expenses run 75% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.