Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Kuching Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Kuching

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,264 in Phuket versus $777 in Kuching.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,256 in Phuket versus $1,228 in Kuching.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,248 in Phuket versus $1,678 in Kuching.

Living in Phuket is roughly 63% more expensive than in Kuching, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 5% lower, Kuching 42% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.48 ฿150

$2.80 MYR 11.38

60.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.59 ฿1,520

$20.41 MYR 83.1

123.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.76 ฿292

$4.59 MYR 18.69

90.85%

Cappuccino

$2.97 ฿99.0

$2.58 MYR 10.48

15.12%

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

$0.69 ฿22.89

$0.71 MYR 2.88

-2.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 ฿13.03

$0.30 MYR 1.20

30.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.53 ฿84.4

$2.88 MYR 11.72

-12.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.75 ฿125

$3.74 MYR 15.22

0.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.15 ฿71.6

$1.89 MYR 7.69

13.76%

White Bread (500g)

$1.82 ฿60.5

$1.08 MYR 4.41

68.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.18 ฿72.9

$1.05 MYR 4.29

107.62%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.0

$2.19 MYR 8.91

2.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$20.00 ฿667

$9.58 MYR 39.00

108.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿121

$3.84 MYR 15.64

-5.47%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.56 ฿452

$8.22 MYR 33.46

64.96%

Apples (1kg)

$3.24 ฿108

$2.98 MYR 12.14

8.72%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ฿54.6

$1.15 MYR 4.67

42.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.33 ฿77.8

$2.62 MYR 10.67

-11.07%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.07 ฿69.1

$1.77 MYR 7.21

16.95%

Potato (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.6

$1.15 MYR 4.69

34.78%

Onion (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.53

$1.24 MYR 5.06

17.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.85

$1.71 MYR 6.95

-42.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.09

$0.52 MYR 2.12

-7.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 ฿145

$4.19 MYR 17.05

3.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.57 ฿619

$20.46 MYR 83.3

-9.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿61.9

$3.88 MYR 15.80

-52.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.65 ฿88.5

$3.41 MYR 13.87

-22.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.42 ฿47.26

$0.23 MYR 0.93

517.39%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.57 ฿386

$11.80 MYR 48.01

-1.95%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 ฿106

$0.96 MYR 3.92

230.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.03 ฿34.40

$1.13 MYR 4.60

-8.85%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.89 ฿463

$1.90 MYR 7.74

631.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ฿44.83

$0.50 MYR 2.04

168.00%

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

$27.8K ฿926.8K

$45.9K MYR 186.8K

-39.46%

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

$33.4K ฿1.1M

$37.2K MYR 151.6K

-10.38%

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

$123 ฿4,104

$41.82 MYR 170

194.24%

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

$13.77 ฿459

$9.22 MYR 37.54

49.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.33 ฿611

$25.53 MYR 104

-28.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.7 ฿2,024

$29.85 MYR 121

103.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.16 ฿572

$9.81 MYR 39.92

74.92%

Cinema Ticket

$8.87 ฿296

$4.64 MYR 18.87

91.16%

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

$688 ฿22.9K

$143 MYR 583

380.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿526.2K

$6,166 MYR 25.1K

155.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.3 ฿1,978

$66.3 MYR 270

-10.53%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.69 ฿1,157

$31.34 MYR 128

10.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,841

$87.5 MYR 356

31.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.8 ฿2,793

$71.7 MYR 292

16.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$621 ฿20.7K

$284 MYR 1,155

118.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$446 ฿14.9K

$201 MYR 817

122.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,034 ฿67.8K

$569 MYR 2,316

257.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,496 ฿49.9K

$387 MYR 1,577

286.24%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,455 ฿115.2K

$2,088 MYR 8,499

65.45%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,531 ฿84.4K

$1,510 MYR 6,147

67.61%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.5K

$530 MYR 2,158

-6.91%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

4.27

24.82%

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

Last update for Phuket: July 27, 2026

Last update for Kuching: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $621 in Phuket and $284 in Kuching. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Kuching pays 7% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $46.00 in Phuket vs $20.00 in Kuching for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $291 vs $243 per month, with Kuching 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 Kuching: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kuching is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 63% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 7% lower in Kuching. 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: $621 in Phuket versus $284 in Kuching. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Kuching – a meal for two runs $20.00 versus $46.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,264 per month in Phuket versus $777 in Kuching – a 63% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $777 in Kuching versus $1,264 in Phuket, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Kuching but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Kuching the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Kuching is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Phuket, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Phuket and Kuching 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 Kuching gentler on the wallet – expenses run 63% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.