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: $1,250 in Phuket versus $925 in Lumut, Perak.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,284 in Phuket versus $1,374 in Lumut, Perak.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,317 in Phuket versus $1,823 in Lumut, Perak.

Living in Phuket is roughly 35% more expensive than in Lumut, Perak, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 6% lower, Lumut, Perak 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.55 ฿153

$3.63 MYR 14.86

25.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.18 ฿1,553

$11.56 MYR 47.27

299.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 ฿297

$4.75 MYR 19.44

86.11%

Cappuccino

$3.06 ฿103

$2.86 MYR 11.69

6.99%

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

$0.73 ฿24.40

$0.84 MYR 3.45

-13.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 ฿13.39

$0.36 MYR 1.49

11.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 ฿81.8

$3.63 MYR 14.87

-33.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.78 ฿127

$5.91 MYR 24.17

-36.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ฿76.0

$1.99 MYR 8.13

13.57%

White Bread (500g)

$1.81 ฿60.9

$1.05 MYR 4.31

72.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.25 ฿75.8

$1.70 MYR 6.97

32.35%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.5

$2.19 MYR 8.94

2.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.51 ฿656

$14.49 MYR 59.3

34.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.65 ฿123

$4.69 MYR 19.16

-22.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.05 ฿439

$9.43 MYR 38.57

38.39%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿109

$2.91 MYR 11.88

11.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 ฿54.4

$1.63 MYR 6.65

-0.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.38 ฿80.1

$2.60 MYR 10.64

-8.46%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿68.1

$1.48 MYR 6.05

37.16%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿51.6

$1.28 MYR 5.25

19.53%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.5

$1.39 MYR 5.70

7.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.91

$1.21 MYR 4.95

-19.01%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.39

$0.63 MYR 2.57

-17.46%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.44 ฿149

$4.35 MYR 17.79

2.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.32 ฿616

$18.76 MYR 76.7

-2.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.7

$3.21 MYR 13.13

-42.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 ฿90.1

$4.26 MYR 17.42

-37.09%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.41 ฿47.46

$0.68 MYR 2.78

107.35%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.70 ฿393

$11.99 MYR 49.03

-2.42%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.11 ฿105

$1.21 MYR 4.93

157.02%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿35.06

$1.10 MYR 4.51

-5.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.11 ฿474

$4.58 MYR 18.74

208.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 ฿44.10

$0.48 MYR 1.96

172.92%

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

$27.8K ฿935.4K

$40.2K MYR 164.2K

-30.73%

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

$33.2K ฿1.1M

$32.1K MYR 131.2K

3.53%

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

$122 ฿4,118

$63.3 MYR 259

93.55%

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

$13.59 ฿457

$11.42 MYR 46.70

19.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.70 ฿629

$25.41 MYR 104

-26.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.5 ฿2,034

$37.39 MYR 153

61.78%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.98 ฿571

$5.77 MYR 23.59

194.28%

Cinema Ticket

$9.07 ฿305

$5.31 MYR 21.72

70.81%

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

$706 ฿23.8K

$267 MYR 1,092

164.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿531.5K

$9,479 MYR 38.8K

66.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.6 ฿1,969

$61.8 MYR 253

-5.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.36 ฿1,189

$38.08 MYR 156

-7.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,883

$87.4 MYR 358

32.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.7 ฿2,816

$81.1 MYR 332

3.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$626 ฿21.0K

$394 MYR 1,610

58.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$445 ฿15.0K

$267 MYR 1,094

66.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,040 ฿68.6K

$635 MYR 2,595

221.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 ฿50.2K

$462 MYR 1,890

222.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,483 ฿117.1K

$2,060 MYR 8,424

69.08%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,577 ฿86.7K

$1,147 MYR 4,692

124.60%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$500 ฿16.8K

$382 MYR 1,564

30.71%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

4.47

19.24%

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

Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026

Last update for Lumut, Perak: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $626 in Phuket and $394 in Lumut, Perak. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 31% 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 $12.00 in Lumut, Perak for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $289 vs $264 per month, with Lumut, Perak 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 Lumut, Perak: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lumut, Perak wins on cost – living expenses run 35% 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 31% 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 $394 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 $46.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,250 per month in Phuket versus $925 in Lumut, Perak – a 35% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $925 in Lumut, Perak versus $1,250 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 $925 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 35% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.