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: $1,264 in Phuket versus $711 in Kuala Terengganu.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,256 in Phuket versus $1,145 in Kuala Terengganu.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,248 in Phuket versus $1,578 in Kuala Terengganu.

Living in Phuket is roughly 78% more expensive than in Kuala Terengganu, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 5% lower, Kuala Terengganu 47% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.48 ฿150

$2.40 MYR 9.78

86.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.59 ฿1,522

$22.16 MYR 90.5

105.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.76 ฿292

$4.47 MYR 18.23

95.97%

Cappuccino

$2.97 ฿99.1

$2.85 MYR 11.66

4.21%

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

$0.69 ฿22.92

$0.47 MYR 1.92

46.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 ฿13.05

$0.25 MYR 1.02

56.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.53 ฿84.5

$3.59 MYR 14.67

-29.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.75 ฿125

$4.98 MYR 20.33

-24.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.15 ฿71.6

$1.54 MYR 6.30

39.61%

White Bread (500g)

$1.82 ฿60.6

$0.94 MYR 3.85

93.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.18 ฿73.0

$1.29 MYR 5.27

68.99%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.1

$2.14 MYR 8.73

5.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$20.00 ฿668

$15.08 MYR 61.6

32.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿121

$4.38 MYR 17.89

-17.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.56 ฿453

$9.19 MYR 37.51

47.55%

Apples (1kg)

$3.24 ฿108

$2.86 MYR 11.68

13.29%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ฿54.6

$1.48 MYR 6.04

10.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.33 ฿77.9

$2.59 MYR 10.57

-10.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.07 ฿69.2

$1.39 MYR 5.66

48.92%

Potato (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.7

$1.24 MYR 5.06

25.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.58

$1.26 MYR 5.16

15.87%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.88

$1.00 MYR 4.07

-2.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.11

$0.56 MYR 2.27

-14.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 ฿145

$4.33 MYR 17.67

0.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.57 ฿620

$20.17 MYR 82.4

-7.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.0

$2.73 MYR 11.16

-31.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.65 ฿88.7

$3.00 MYR 12.26

-11.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.42 ฿47.32

$0.69 MYR 2.82

105.80%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.57 ฿386

$11.69 MYR 47.75

-1.03%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 ฿106

$1.15 MYR 4.71

175.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.03 ฿34.45

$0.99 MYR 4.03

4.04%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.89 ฿464

$5.83 MYR 23.82

138.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ฿44.88

$0.50 MYR 2.04

168.00%

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

$27.8K ฿927.9K

$35.6K MYR 145.4K

-21.95%

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

$33.4K ฿1.1M

$31.2K MYR 127.4K

6.97%

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

$123 ฿4,109

$44.19 MYR 180

178.46%

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

$13.77 ฿460

$9.07 MYR 37.05

51.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.33 ฿612

$29.66 MYR 121

-38.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.7 ฿2,026

$37.07 MYR 151

63.72%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.16 ฿573

$5.95 MYR 24.31

188.40%

Cinema Ticket

$8.87 ฿296

$5.08 MYR 20.76

74.61%

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

$688 ฿23.0K

$185 MYR 755

272.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿526.9K

$7,005 MYR 28.6K

125.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.3 ฿1,980

$59.7 MYR 244

-0.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.69 ฿1,158

$27.38 MYR 112

26.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,846

$73.1 MYR 299

57.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.8 ฿2,797

$51.0 MYR 208

64.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$621 ฿20.7K

$202 MYR 827

206.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$446 ฿14.9K

$118 MYR 480

279.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,034 ฿67.9K

$643 MYR 2,625

216.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,496 ฿50.0K

$275 MYR 1,124

443.41%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,455 ฿115.4K

$2,022 MYR 8,257

70.86%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,531 ฿84.5K

$1,161 MYR 4,743

117.94%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.5K

$483 MYR 1,971

2.26%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Kuala Terengganu: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $621 in Phuket and $202 in Kuala Terengganu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 2% 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: $46.00 in Phuket vs $22.00 in Kuala Terengganu for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $291 vs $251 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 78% in total monthly costs ($1,264 vs $711 including rent). Kuala Terengganu is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 2% higher in Phuket, 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: $621 in Phuket versus $202 in Kuala Terengganu. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,264 per month in Phuket versus $711 in Kuala Terengganu – a 78% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Kuala Terengganu runs roughly 1% less than in Phuket. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $711 in Kuala Terengganu versus $1,264 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 78% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.