Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Kulim Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Kulim

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,232 per month in Phuket vs $994 in Kulim, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,255 per month in Phuket vs $1,512 in Kulim, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,279 per month in Phuket vs $2,030 in Kulim, rent included.

Phuket costs about 24% more than Kulim, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Phuket and Kulim are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 8% lower, Kulim 26% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.63 ฿151

$2.55 MYR 10.07

81.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.84 ฿1,532

$23.76 MYR 93.8

97.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 ฿289

$3.72 MYR 14.69

137.63%

Cappuccino

$3.00 ฿98.0

$2.32 MYR 9.15

29.31%

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

$0.74 ฿24.25

$0.71 MYR 2.82

4.23%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.95

$0.33 MYR 1.32

12.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.44 ฿79.8

$4.29 MYR 16.96

-43.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.61 ฿118

$5.36 MYR 21.17

-32.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ฿73.9

$1.91 MYR 7.56

18.32%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 ฿60.1

$1.08 MYR 4.27

70.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.24 ฿73.4

$1.45 MYR 5.71

54.48%

Eggs

$2.32 ฿75.7

$1.86 MYR 7.33

24.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.67 ฿643

$22.00 MYR 86.9

-10.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.65 ฿119

$4.76 MYR 18.80

-23.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.10 ฿428

$10.69 MYR 42.22

22.54%

Apples (1kg)

$3.39 ฿111

$3.87 MYR 15.29

-12.40%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.7

$1.71 MYR 6.75

-4.09%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿79.0

$3.30 MYR 13.05

-26.97%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿66.4

$2.60 MYR 10.29

-21.92%

Potato (1kg)

$1.56 ฿50.9

$1.70 MYR 6.70

-8.24%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿48.94

$1.00 MYR 3.95

50.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 ฿33.50

$1.07 MYR 4.24

-4.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.00

$0.51 MYR 2.00

-3.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.45 ฿145

$4.31 MYR 17.02

3.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.88 ฿617

$19.54 MYR 77.2

-3.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

$4.30 MYR 16.98

-58.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.75 ฿90.1

$5.65 MYR 22.30

-51.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.40 ฿45.81

$0.53 MYR 2.11

164.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.48 ฿376

$11.60 MYR 45.82

-1.03%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.12 ฿102

$1.16 MYR 4.57

168.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.00 ฿32.67

$1.02 MYR 4.04

-1.96%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.09 ฿461

$4.23 MYR 16.72

233.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 ฿44.19

$0.46 MYR 1.81

193.48%

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

$27.2K ฿888.9K

$44.4K MYR 175.5K

-38.82%

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$31.2K MYR 123.1K

5.68%

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

$125 ฿4,087

$75.8 MYR 300

64.82%

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

$13.57 ฿444

$9.90 MYR 39.11

37.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.52 ฿606

$28.80 MYR 114

-35.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.5 ฿2,010

$36.95 MYR 146

66.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.84 ฿551

$5.73 MYR 22.62

193.89%

Cinema Ticket

$9.19 ฿300

$5.60 MYR 22.13

64.11%

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

$698 ฿22.8K

$116 MYR 460

500.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.6K ฿509.9K

$4,314 MYR 17.0K

261.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.8 ฿1,889

$108 MYR 427

-46.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.24 ฿1,152

$27.71 MYR 109

27.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 ฿3,699

$74.5 MYR 294

51.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.4 ฿2,825

$79.2 MYR 313

9.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$616 ฿20.1K

$391 MYR 1,543

57.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$446 ฿14.6K

$266 MYR 1,052

67.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,048 ฿67.0K

$640 MYR 2,528

219.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 ฿48.8K

$477 MYR 1,884

212.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,779 ฿123.6K

$1,943 MYR 7,676

94.43%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,649 ฿86.6K

$997 MYR 3,939

165.59%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$524 ฿17.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

3.96

34.60%

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

Last update for Phuket: April 27, 2026

Last update for Kulim: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $616 in Phuket versus $391 in Kulim. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Phuket versus $24.00 in Kulim. Groceries tell a different story – $292 in Phuket vs $310 in Kulim – so Phuket wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Kulim: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket costs about 24% more than Kulim, with the gap driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,847 per month in Phuket and $1,491 in Kulim. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Interestingly, groceries are about 6% cheaper in Phuket – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Phuket and $24.00 in Kulim. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Kulim, where all-in costs run around $994, than in Phuket at $1,232. In Kulim it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Kulim costs $994 versus $1,232 in Phuket. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Kulim. 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.