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 $932 in Kuala Terengganu.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,054 in Phuket versus $1,379 in Kuala Terengganu.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,876 in Phuket versus $1,826 in Kuala Terengganu.

Living in Phuket is roughly 32% more expensive than in Kuala Terengganu, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 10% lower, Kuala Terengganu 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.41 ฿147

$2.53 MYR 10.32

74.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.26 ฿1,077

$23.42 MYR 95.6

37.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.93 ฿298

$5.06 MYR 20.65

76.48%

Cappuccino

$2.90 ฿96.6

$2.74 MYR 11.18

5.84%

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

$0.88 ฿29.38

$0.47 MYR 1.90

87.23%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.06

$0.28 MYR 1.15

71.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.35 ฿78.5

$3.77 MYR 15.41

-37.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿124

$4.50 MYR 18.35

-17.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 ฿62.3

$1.77 MYR 7.24

5.65%

White Bread (500g)

$1.47 ฿48.94

$1.05 MYR 4.28

40.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.8

$1.52 MYR 6.20

1.97%

Eggs

$2.10 ฿70.1

$1.91 MYR 7.82

9.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.59 ฿654

$11.50 MYR 46.96

70.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.42 ฿114

$4.52 MYR 18.46

-24.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.38 ฿380

$10.20 MYR 41.62

11.57%

Apples (1kg)

$2.98 ฿99.6

$3.49 MYR 14.24

-14.61%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 ฿56.2

$1.59 MYR 6.51

5.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.21 ฿73.7

$2.42 MYR 9.89

-8.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.16 ฿72.1

$1.68 MYR 6.87

28.57%

Potato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿50.9

$1.27 MYR 5.19

19.69%

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 ฿44.67

$1.32 MYR 5.40

1.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 ฿37.67

$1.18 MYR 4.80

-4.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ฿18.24

$0.57 MYR 2.31

-3.51%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.26 ฿142

$4.53 MYR 18.51

-5.96%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.09 ฿637

$17.43 MYR 71.2

9.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿59.4

$2.93 MYR 11.96

-39.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿92.9

$3.49 MYR 14.26

-20.34%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.23 ฿74.4

$0.77 MYR 3.14

189.61%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.74 ฿759

$10.74 MYR 43.84

111.73%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 ฿101

$1.12 MYR 4.57

170.54%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 ฿34.15

$0.45 MYR 1.85

126.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.89 ฿130

$8.33 MYR 33.99

-53.30%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿49.77

$0.82 MYR 3.34

81.71%

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

$26.6K ฿887.3K

$46.2K MYR 188.6K

-42.47%

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

$27.0K ฿902.2K

$34.7K MYR 141.5K

-22.04%

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

$102 ฿3,420

$53.7 MYR 219

90.93%

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

$11.33 ฿378

$9.08 MYR 37.08

24.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.40 ฿581

$30.68 MYR 125

-43.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.1 ฿1,738

$42.43 MYR 173

22.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.07 ฿370

$6.89 MYR 28.14

60.67%

Cinema Ticket

$7.69 ฿257

$4.51 MYR 18.41

70.51%

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

$561 ฿18.7K

$175 MYR 715

219.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.5K ฿384.1K

$5,228 MYR 21.3K

120.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.0 ฿2,104

$64.9 MYR 265

-2.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.52 ฿986

$30.80 MYR 126

-4.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.0 ฿3,272

$79.6 MYR 325

23.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.5 ฿2,954

$67.4 MYR 275

31.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$738 ฿24.6K

$454 MYR 1,852

62.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.1K

$273 MYR 1,115

76.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,107 ฿70.3K

$681 MYR 2,780

209.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,226 ฿40.9K

$551 MYR 2,250

122.42%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,617 ฿120.7K

$2,147 MYR 8,765

68.48%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,603 ฿86.9K

$1,004 MYR 4,098

159.31%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.5K

$494 MYR 2,016

-0.04%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

4.2

32.62%

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

Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026

Last update for Kuala Terengganu: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $738 in Phuket and $454 in Kuala Terengganu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Kuala Terengganu pays 0% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $32.00 in Phuket vs $23.00 in Kuala Terengganu for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $274 vs $249 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 32% in total monthly costs ($1,232 vs $932 including rent). Kuala Terengganu is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 0% lower in Kuala Terengganu. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $738 in Phuket versus $454 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 $932 in Kuala Terengganu – a 32% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Kuala Terengganu runs roughly 112% less than in Phuket. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $932 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 32% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.