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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,261 per month in Phuket vs $981 in Kulim, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,286 per month in Phuket vs $1,514 in Kulim, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,310 per month in Phuket vs $2,048 in Kulim, rent included.

Phuket costs about 29% more than Kulim, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Phuket and Kulim are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 6% lower, Kulim 27% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.56 ฿149

$2.54 MYR 10.30

79.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.63 ฿1,519

$23.96 MYR 97.2

94.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.47 ฿276

$3.82 MYR 15.51

121.73%

Cappuccino

$3.03 ฿98.6

$2.26 MYR 9.16

34.07%

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

$0.69 ฿22.45

$0.74 MYR 2.99

-6.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.92

$0.36 MYR 1.47

2.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.49 ฿81.0

$4.33 MYR 17.57

-42.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

$5.27 MYR 21.35

-30.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.18 ฿71.0

$1.91 MYR 7.76

14.14%

White Bread (500g)

$1.90 ฿62.0

$1.13 MYR 4.59

68.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.20 ฿71.6

$1.43 MYR 5.81

53.85%

Eggs

$2.22 ฿72.4

$1.85 MYR 7.49

20.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.99 ฿651

$22.18 MYR 89.9

-9.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.66 ฿119

$4.97 MYR 20.16

-26.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.25 ฿432

$10.66 MYR 43.21

24.30%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿105

$3.84 MYR 15.58

-15.89%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.3

$1.70 MYR 6.89

Oranges (1kg)

$2.39 ฿78.0

$3.41 MYR 13.85

-29.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿67.7

$2.56 MYR 10.40

-18.75%

Potato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$1.76 MYR 7.13

-9.66%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.31

$1.05 MYR 4.25

40.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 ฿33.54

$1.07 MYR 4.33

-3.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿16.83

$0.55 MYR 2.24

-5.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.25 ฿138

$4.15 MYR 16.83

2.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.79 ฿612

$17.62 MYR 71.5

6.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 ฿57.2

$4.20 MYR 17.03

-58.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 ฿89.8

$5.38 MYR 21.82

-48.70%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.36 ฿44.32

$0.53 MYR 2.16

156.60%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.36 ฿370

$11.77 MYR 47.71

-3.48%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 ฿102

$1.21 MYR 4.89

159.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿33.74

$1.03 MYR 4.16

0.97%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.77 ฿448

$4.39 MYR 17.78

213.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ฿43.79

$0.50 MYR 2.03

168.00%

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

$27.7K ฿901.4K

$44.1K MYR 178.9K

-37.25%

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

$33.9K ฿1.1M

$31.6K MYR 128.1K

7.19%

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

$124 ฿4,025

$73.0 MYR 296

69.35%

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

$13.52 ฿440

$9.90 MYR 40.15

36.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.69 ฿609

$28.12 MYR 114

-33.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.8 ฿2,013

$36.80 MYR 149

67.99%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.25 ฿562

$5.71 MYR 23.17

202.10%

Cinema Ticket

$9.14 ฿298

$5.61 MYR 22.75

62.92%

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

$703 ฿22.9K

$117 MYR 476

499.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.9K ฿517.0K

$4,336 MYR 17.6K

266.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,937

$112 MYR 453

-46.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.07 ฿1,142

$27.79 MYR 113

26.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,754

$74.1 MYR 300

55.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.1 ฿2,737

$79.0 MYR 320

6.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$619 ฿20.1K

$383 MYR 1,555

61.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$433 ฿14.1K

$266 MYR 1,078

62.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,062 ฿67.2K

$638 MYR 2,585

223.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,511 ฿49.2K

$474 MYR 1,923

218.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,646 ฿118.7K

$2,197 MYR 8,911

65.92%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,626 ฿85.5K

$972 MYR 3,943

169.98%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$507 ฿16.5K

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Kulim: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $619 in Phuket versus $383 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 – $293 in Phuket vs $308 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 29% 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 $1,892 per month in Phuket and $1,471 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 5% 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 $981, than in Phuket at $1,261. 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 $981 versus $1,261 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.