Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Malang Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Malang

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,250 per month in Phuket vs $475 in Malang, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,284 per month in Phuket vs $746 in Malang, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,317 per month in Phuket vs $1,017 in Malang, rent included.

Phuket costs about 163% more than Malang, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Phuket and Malang are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 6% lower, Malang 64% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.55 ฿153

$1.25 Rp 22.5K

264.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.18 ฿1,553

$12.34 Rp 221.8K

274.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 ฿297

$2.98 Rp 53.6K

196.64%

Cappuccino

$3.06 ฿103

$1.40 Rp 25.1K

118.57%

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

$0.73 ฿24.40

$0.61 Rp 11.0K

19.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 ฿13.39

$0.22 Rp 3,934

81.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 ฿81.8

$2.50 Rp 45.0K

-2.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.78 ฿127

$3.14 Rp 56.5K

20.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ฿76.0

$1.13 Rp 20.2K

100.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.81 ฿60.9

$1.51 Rp 27.2K

19.87%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.25 ฿75.8

$0.87 Rp 15.6K

158.62%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.5

$1.52 Rp 27.4K

48.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.51 ฿656

$6.30 Rp 113.2K

209.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.65 ฿123

$3.23 Rp 58.1K

13.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.05 ฿439

$7.06 Rp 126.8K

84.84%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿109

$2.39 Rp 42.9K

35.15%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 ฿54.4

$1.56 Rp 28.1K

3.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.38 ฿80.1

$1.69 Rp 30.3K

40.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿68.1

$1.43 Rp 25.7K

41.96%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿51.6

$1.37 Rp 24.5K

11.68%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.5

$1.80 Rp 32.3K

-16.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.91

$0.55 Rp 9,853

78.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.39

$0.45 Rp 8,032

15.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.44 ฿149

$2.48 Rp 44.5K

79.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.32 ฿616

$12.63 Rp 226.9K

45.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.7

$1.78 Rp 32.1K

4.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 ฿90.1

$3.17 Rp 56.9K

-15.46%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.41 ฿47.46

$0.63 Rp 11.3K

123.81%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.70 ฿393

$6.09 Rp 109.5K

92.12%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.11 ฿105

$0.47 Rp 8,466

561.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿35.06

$0.31 Rp 5,661

235.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.11 ฿474

$6.32 Rp 113.6K

123.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 ฿44.10

$0.83 Rp 15.0K

57.83%

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

$27.8K ฿935.4K

$20.6K Rp 371.0M

34.74%

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

$33.2K ฿1.1M

$27.4K Rp 491.7M

21.40%

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

$122 ฿4,118

$33.49 Rp 601.8K

265.60%

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

$13.59 ฿457

$2.64 Rp 47.5K

414.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.70 ฿629

$19.86 Rp 356.9K

-5.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.5 ฿2,034

$14.85 Rp 266.8K

307.34%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.98 ฿571

$5.03 Rp 90.4K

237.57%

Cinema Ticket

$9.07 ฿305

$2.21 Rp 39.8K

310.41%

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

$706 ฿23.8K

$33.25 Rp 597.5K

2024.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿531.5K

$9,348 Rp 168.0M

69.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.6 ฿1,969

$42.80 Rp 769.1K

36.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.36 ฿1,189

$30.76 Rp 552.8K

14.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,883

$59.4 Rp 1.1M

94.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.7 ฿2,816

$83.5 Rp 1.5M

0.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$626 ฿21.0K

$163 Rp 2.9M

283.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$445 ฿15.0K

$49.79 Rp 894.8K

794.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,040 ฿68.6K

$278 Rp 5.0M

634.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 ฿50.2K

$92.2 Rp 1.7M

1518.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,483 ฿117.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,577 ฿86.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$500 ฿16.8K

$198 Rp 3.6M

152.32%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

33.25%

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

Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026

Last update for Malang: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $626 in Phuket versus $163 in Malang. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 152% higher in Phuket, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $46.00 in Phuket versus $12.00 in Malang. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $289 vs $183 – making Malang 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 Malang: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Phuket is pricier by about 163%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,875 per month in Phuket and $712 in Malang. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Malang, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 92% less in Malang. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $706 per month in Phuket and $33.25 in Malang. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Malang, where all-in costs run around $475, than in Phuket at $1,250. In Malang it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Malang – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Malang. 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.