Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Kuantan Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Kuantan

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,261 per month in Phuket vs $778 in Kuantan, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,286 per month in Phuket vs $1,179 in Kuantan, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,310 per month in Phuket vs $1,580 in Kuantan, rent included.

Phuket costs about 62% more than Kuantan, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Phuket and Kuantan are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 6% lower, Kuantan 42% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.56 ฿149

$2.37 MYR 9.62

92.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.63 ฿1,519

$11.80 MYR 47.85

295.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.47 ฿276

$3.38 MYR 13.72

150.59%

Cappuccino

$3.03 ฿98.6

$2.33 MYR 9.47

30.04%

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

$0.69 ฿22.45

$0.67 MYR 2.71

2.99%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.92

$0.36 MYR 1.48

2.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.49 ฿81.0

$3.51 MYR 14.24

-29.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

$5.29 MYR 21.44

-30.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.18 ฿71.0

$1.63 MYR 6.59

33.74%

White Bread (500g)

$1.90 ฿62.0

$1.07 MYR 4.35

77.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.20 ฿71.6

$1.05 MYR 4.26

109.52%

Eggs

$2.22 ฿72.4

$1.29 MYR 5.25

72.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.99 ฿651

$10.18 MYR 41.26

96.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.66 ฿119

$3.50 MYR 14.21

4.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.25 ฿432

$6.03 MYR 24.47

119.73%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿105

$2.96 MYR 12.02

9.12%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.3

$1.78 MYR 7.21

-4.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.39 ฿78.0

$2.98 MYR 12.08

-19.80%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿67.7

$2.05 MYR 8.33

1.46%

Potato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$1.28 MYR 5.18

24.22%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.31

$1.00 MYR 4.07

48.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 ฿33.54

$0.73 MYR 2.95

41.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿16.83

$0.54 MYR 2.20

-3.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.25 ฿138

$4.27 MYR 17.31

-0.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.79 ฿612

$19.84 MYR 80.4

-5.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 ฿57.2

$1.92 MYR 7.79

-8.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 ฿89.8

$1.87 MYR 7.59

47.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.36 ฿44.32

$0.49 MYR 1.98

177.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.36 ฿370

$20.29 MYR 82.3

-44.01%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 ฿102

$0.98 MYR 3.96

220.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿33.74

$0.41 MYR 1.66

153.66%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.77 ฿448

$4.18 MYR 16.97

229.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ฿43.79

$0.49 MYR 1.99

173.47%

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

$27.7K ฿901.4K

$32.5K MYR 131.8K

-14.86%

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

$33.9K ฿1.1M

$31.4K MYR 127.5K

7.72%

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

$124 ฿4,025

$23.42 MYR 95.0

427.71%

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

$13.52 ฿440

$9.32 MYR 37.81

45.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.69 ฿609

$21.30 MYR 86.4

-12.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.8 ฿2,013

$36.44 MYR 148

69.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.25 ฿562

$5.83 MYR 23.66

195.88%

Cinema Ticket

$9.14 ฿298

$4.05 MYR 16.44

125.68%

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

$703 ฿22.9K

$118 MYR 477

497.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.9K ฿517.0K

$4,379 MYR 17.8K

262.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,937

$70.3 MYR 285

-15.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.07 ฿1,142

$27.14 MYR 110

29.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,754

$38.39 MYR 156

200.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.1 ฿2,737

$47.31 MYR 192

77.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$619 ฿20.1K

$162 MYR 656

282.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$433 ฿14.1K

$273 MYR 1,106

58.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,062 ฿67.2K

$208 MYR 844

890.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,511 ฿49.2K

$467 MYR 1,893

223.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,646 ฿118.7K

$1,964 MYR 7,965

85.62%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,626 ฿85.5K

$939 MYR 3,810

179.47%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$507 ฿16.5K

$973 MYR 3,946

-47.89%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

3.62

47.24%

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

Last update for Phuket: June 7, 2026

Last update for Kuantan: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $619 in Phuket versus $162 in Kuantan. 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 92% higher in Kuantan, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Phuket versus $12.00 in Kuantan. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $293 vs $218 – making Kuantan 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 Kuantan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Phuket is pricier by about 62%, 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 $1,892 per month in Phuket and $1,167 in Kuantan. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $703 per month in Phuket and $118 in Kuantan. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 34% more in Phuket, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Kuantan, where all-in costs run around $778, than in Phuket at $1,261. In Kuantan it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Kuantan – 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 Kuantan. 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.