Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Lumut, Perak Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Lumut, Perak

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,265 in Phuket versus $1,056 in Lumut, Perak.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,089 in Phuket versus $1,536 in Lumut, Perak.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,913 in Phuket versus $2,016 in Lumut, Perak.

Living in Phuket is roughly 20% more expensive than in Lumut, Perak, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 8% lower, Lumut, Perak 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.66 ฿154

$3.83 MYR 15.57

21.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.22 ฿1,065

$12.29 MYR 50.0

162.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.68 ฿287

$5.01 MYR 20.37

73.25%

Cappuccino

$2.90 ฿95.8

$3.02 MYR 12.28

-3.97%

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

$0.84 ฿27.89

$0.85 MYR 3.46

-1.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.16

$0.39 MYR 1.58

25.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.48 ฿82.0

$3.86 MYR 15.70

-35.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿123

$6.27 MYR 25.50

-40.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 ฿62.3

$2.18 MYR 8.87

-13.30%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 ฿46.54

$1.07 MYR 4.36

31.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.6

$2.03 MYR 8.25

-20.20%

Eggs

$2.24 ฿74.1

$2.46 MYR 9.99

-8.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.84 ฿656

$15.53 MYR 63.2

27.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.48 ฿115

$4.76 MYR 19.35

-26.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.37 ฿376

$9.69 MYR 39.42

17.34%

Apples (1kg)

$2.90 ฿95.8

$3.41 MYR 13.87

-14.96%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 ฿57.0

$1.92 MYR 7.79

-10.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.27 ฿75.1

$2.46 MYR 10.00

-7.72%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.13 ฿70.4

$1.60 MYR 6.49

33.12%

Potato (1kg)

$1.47 ฿48.72

$1.33 MYR 5.39

10.53%

Onion (1kg)

$1.42 ฿46.92

$1.46 MYR 5.93

-2.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 ฿36.25

$1.21 MYR 4.93

-9.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 ฿19.76

$0.76 MYR 3.08

-21.05%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.31 ฿142

$4.40 MYR 17.90

-2.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.60 ฿615

$19.08 MYR 77.6

-2.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿59.5

$3.41 MYR 13.88

-47.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 ฿98.0

$4.96 MYR 20.20

-40.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.25 ฿74.2

$0.75 MYR 3.06

200.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.49 ฿776

$12.22 MYR 49.70

92.23%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.10 ฿102

$1.23 MYR 4.99

152.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.08 ฿35.56

$0.50 MYR 2.03

116.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.87 ฿128

$4.87 MYR 19.79

-20.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 ฿47.16

$0.78 MYR 3.18

83.33%

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

$27.8K ฿918.0K

$42.4K MYR 172.6K

-34.49%

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

$27.0K ฿891.5K

$35.7K MYR 145.4K

-24.49%

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

$105 ฿3,462

$64.9 MYR 264

61.43%

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

$11.39 ฿376

$9.36 MYR 38.07

21.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.54 ฿580

$26.19 MYR 107

-33.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.3 ฿1,795

$41.40 MYR 168

31.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.44 ฿378

$6.56 MYR 26.69

74.39%

Cinema Ticket

$7.78 ฿257

$5.34 MYR 21.74

45.69%

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

$576 ฿19.0K

$298 MYR 1,214

93.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.6K ฿382.7K

$4,956 MYR 20.2K

133.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.6 ฿2,103

$72.9 MYR 296

-12.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.10 ฿961

$42.54 MYR 173

-31.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.2 ฿3,179

$88.1 MYR 358

9.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.0 ฿2,974

$99.7 MYR 406

-9.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$733 ฿24.2K

$432 MYR 1,756

69.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$501 ฿16.5K

$337 MYR 1,371

48.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,126 ฿70.2K

$712 MYR 2,898

198.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,252 ฿41.4K

$497 MYR 2,023

151.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,534 ฿116.8K

$2,091 MYR 8,507

68.98%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,622 ฿86.6K

$1,125 MYR 4,578

133.02%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.8K

$377 MYR 1,535

34.49%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

4.2

32.62%

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

Last update for Phuket: September 6, 2026

Last update for Lumut, Perak: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $733 in Phuket and $432 in Lumut, Perak. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 34% 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: $32.00 in Phuket vs $12.00 in Lumut, Perak. Groceries flip the comparison at $275 vs $282, with Phuket cheaper for home cooking.

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 Lumut, Perak: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lumut, Perak wins on cost – living expenses run 20% lower than in Phuket. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Lumut, Perak the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 34% 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: $733 in Phuket versus $432 in Lumut, Perak. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Lumut, Perak – a meal for two runs $12.00 versus $32.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,265 per month in Phuket versus $1,056 in Lumut, Perak – a 20% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,056 in Lumut, Perak versus $1,265 in Phuket, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Lumut, Perak but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Lumut, Perak the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Lumut, Perak delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,056 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Lumut, Perak hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Phuket and Lumut, Perak 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 Lumut, Perak gentler on the wallet – expenses run 20% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.