Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Labuan Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Labuan

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,250 in Phuket versus $913 in Labuan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,284 in Phuket versus $1,403 in Labuan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,317 in Phuket versus $1,893 in Labuan.

Living in Phuket is roughly 37% more expensive than in Labuan, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 6% lower, Labuan 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.55 ฿153

$5.41 MYR 22.13

-15.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.18 ฿1,553

$23.81 MYR 97.4

93.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 ฿297

$6.55 MYR 26.77

34.96%

Cappuccino

$3.06 ฿103

$3.72 MYR 15.21

-17.74%

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

$0.73 ฿24.40

$1.06 MYR 4.35

-31.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 ฿13.39

$0.39 MYR 1.60

2.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 ฿81.8

$3.51 MYR 14.35

-30.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.78 ฿127

$4.98 MYR 20.39

-24.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ฿76.0

$1.67 MYR 6.84

35.33%

White Bread (500g)

$1.81 ฿60.9

$1.01 MYR 4.13

79.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.25 ฿75.8

$1.28 MYR 5.24

75.78%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.5

$2.11 MYR 8.64

6.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.51 ฿656

$14.92 MYR 61.0

30.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.65 ฿123

$4.42 MYR 18.08

-17.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.05 ฿439

$9.66 MYR 39.51

35.09%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿109

$3.00 MYR 12.25

7.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 ฿54.4

$1.53 MYR 6.25

5.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.38 ฿80.1

$2.59 MYR 10.61

-8.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿68.1

$1.38 MYR 5.64

47.10%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿51.6

$1.20 MYR 4.90

27.50%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.5

$1.28 MYR 5.23

17.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.91

$1.03 MYR 4.23

-4.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.39

$0.51 MYR 2.11

1.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.44 ฿149

$4.29 MYR 17.53

3.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.32 ฿616

$16.63 MYR 68.0

10.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.7

$2.85 MYR 11.68

-34.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 ฿90.1

$3.00 MYR 12.28

-10.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.41 ฿47.46

$0.70 MYR 2.85

101.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.70 ฿393

$11.76 MYR 48.10

-0.51%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.11 ฿105

$1.15 MYR 4.72

170.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿35.06

$1.04 MYR 4.25

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.11 ฿474

$6.05 MYR 24.76

133.22%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 ฿44.10

$0.46 MYR 1.88

184.78%

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

$27.8K ฿935.4K

$34.9K MYR 142.6K

-20.21%

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

$33.2K ฿1.1M

$31.9K MYR 130.5K

4.08%

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

$122 ฿4,118

$44.09 MYR 180

177.70%

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

$13.59 ฿457

$8.95 MYR 36.59

51.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.70 ฿629

$28.98 MYR 119

-35.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.5 ฿2,034

$36.71 MYR 150

64.78%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.98 ฿571

$5.80 MYR 23.70

192.76%

Cinema Ticket

$9.07 ฿305

$4.91 MYR 20.09

84.73%

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

$706 ฿23.8K

$191 MYR 782

269.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿531.5K

$6,796 MYR 27.8K

132.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.6 ฿1,969

$59.8 MYR 245

-2.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.36 ฿1,189

$27.52 MYR 113

28.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,883

$72.8 MYR 298

58.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.7 ฿2,816

$51.6 MYR 211

62.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$626 ฿21.0K

$381 MYR 1,558

64.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$445 ฿15.0K

$272 MYR 1,113

63.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,040 ฿68.6K

$641 MYR 2,622

218.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 ฿50.2K

$469 MYR 1,916

218.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,483 ฿117.1K

$1,970 MYR 8,058

76.77%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,577 ฿86.7K

$1,287 MYR 5,265

100.15%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$500 ฿16.8K

$371 MYR 1,516

34.84%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

4.07

30.96%

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

Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026

Last update for Labuan: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $626 in Phuket and $381 in Labuan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 35% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $46.00 in Phuket vs $24.00 in Labuan for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $289 vs $248 per month, with Labuan 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 Labuan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Labuan is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 37% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 35% higher in Phuket, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $626 in Phuket versus $381 in Labuan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $706 in Phuket versus $191 in Labuan. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 17% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $913 in Labuan versus $1,250 in Phuket, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Labuan but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Labuan the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Labuan 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 Labuan 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 Labuan gentler on the wallet – expenses run 37% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.