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 $975 in Kulim, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,078 per month in Phuket vs $1,403 in Kulim, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,896 per month in Phuket vs $1,830 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 8% lower, Kulim 29% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.43 ฿145

$3.54 MYR 14.32

25.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.07 ฿1,151

$15.55 MYR 62.8

125.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.96 ฿294

$4.85 MYR 19.58

84.74%

Cappuccino

$3.00 ฿98.4

$2.65 MYR 10.72

13.21%

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

$0.77 ฿25.33

$0.95 MYR 3.85

-18.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.47 ฿15.44

$0.35 MYR 1.43

34.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.40 ฿78.6

$2.43 MYR 9.81

-1.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.75 ฿123

$4.31 MYR 17.43

-12.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.82 ฿59.8

$2.35 MYR 9.49

-22.55%

White Bread (500g)

$1.42 ฿46.65

$1.33 MYR 5.36

6.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 ฿50.8

$1.75 MYR 7.08

-11.43%

Eggs

$2.13 ฿69.9

$2.60 MYR 10.49

-18.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.76 ฿648

$15.30 MYR 61.8

29.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.48 ฿114

$4.88 MYR 19.70

-28.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.09 ฿364

$9.79 MYR 39.56

13.28%

Apples (1kg)

$2.91 ฿95.5

$2.41 MYR 9.74

20.75%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 ฿54.6

$1.51 MYR 6.08

9.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.27 ฿74.5

$2.34 MYR 9.44

-2.99%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.10 ฿68.8

$1.26 MYR 5.09

66.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.47 ฿48.24

$0.94 MYR 3.79

56.38%

Onion (1kg)

$1.41 ฿46.29

$0.84 MYR 3.38

67.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.09 ฿35.78

$0.78 MYR 3.13

39.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 ฿17.58

$0.64 MYR 2.59

-15.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.48 ฿147

$4.60 MYR 18.60

-2.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.72 ฿614

$21.87 MYR 88.4

-14.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 ฿60.4

$2.42 MYR 9.76

-23.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.95 ฿96.7

$3.63 MYR 14.65

-18.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.26 ฿74.1

$0.75 MYR 3.04

201.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.07 ฿757

$13.76 MYR 55.6

67.66%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.04 ฿99.9

$1.20 MYR 4.84

153.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.09 ฿35.82

$0.51 MYR 2.07

113.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.82 ฿125

$6.75 MYR 27.28

-43.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿48.79

$0.75 MYR 3.04

98.67%

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

$27.4K ฿900.3K

$41.9K MYR 169.4K

-34.55%

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

$27.5K ฿902.7K

$28.0K MYR 113.1K

-1.74%

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

$102 ฿3,340

$51.2 MYR 207

98.85%

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

$11.28 ฿370

$8.12 MYR 32.80

38.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.75 ฿582

$31.26 MYR 126

-43.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.2 ฿1,777

$35.58 MYR 144

52.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.96 ฿360

$6.59 MYR 26.63

66.31%

Cinema Ticket

$7.85 ฿258

$4.76 MYR 19.21

64.92%

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

$577 ฿18.9K

$175 MYR 708

229.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.6K ฿381.6K

$5,017 MYR 20.3K

131.86%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$65.4 ฿2,144

$55.2 MYR 223

18.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.89 ฿948

$35.49 MYR 143

-18.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.1 ฿3,250

$73.0 MYR 295

35.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.3 ฿2,961

$71.3 MYR 288

26.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$756 ฿24.8K

$376 MYR 1,519

101.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$487 ฿16.0K

$317 MYR 1,280

53.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,085 ฿68.4K

$700 MYR 2,828

197.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,207 ฿39.6K

$484 MYR 1,957

149.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,591 ฿117.8K

$1,947 MYR 7,866

84.42%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,610 ฿85.6K

$1,026 MYR 4,145

154.39%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$502 ฿16.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

4.43

25.73%

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

Last update for Phuket: August 18, 2026

Last update for Kulim: August 16, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $756 in Phuket versus $376 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 $35.00 in Phuket versus $16.00 in Kulim. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $272 vs $269 – making Kulim 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 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 $1,891 per month in Phuket and $1,463 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.

Groceries cost about 1% 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 mid-range dinner for two costs $35.00 in Phuket and $16.00 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 $975, 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 $975 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.