Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Miri Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Miri

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,223 in Phuket versus $686 in Miri.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,237 in Phuket versus $1,083 in Miri.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,251 in Phuket versus $1,480 in Miri.

Living in Phuket is roughly 78% more expensive than Miri, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 8% lower, Miri 49% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.51 ฿147

$3.15 MYR 12.79

43.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.62 ฿1,515

$11.82 MYR 48.06

294.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.49 ฿276

$4.02 MYR 16.35

111.19%

Cappuccino

$3.08 ฿100

$2.64 MYR 10.72

16.67%

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

$0.68 ฿22.07

$0.75 MYR 3.03

-9.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.75

$0.37 MYR 1.49

-2.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 ฿78.8

$2.82 MYR 11.46

-13.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 ฿118

$3.79 MYR 15.39

-4.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.19 ฿71.1

$1.43 MYR 5.82

53.15%

White Bread (500g)

$1.81 ฿59.0

$1.39 MYR 5.65

30.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.23 ฿72.5

$0.84 MYR 3.43

165.48%

Eggs

$2.24 ฿72.7

$3.33 MYR 13.55

-32.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.60 ฿637

$11.08 MYR 45.04

76.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.72 ฿121

$4.75 MYR 19.32

-21.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.47 ฿438

$11.88 MYR 48.31

13.38%

Apples (1kg)

$3.36 ฿109

$3.08 MYR 12.52

9.09%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 ฿52.5

$1.15 MYR 4.66

40.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿78.3

$2.26 MYR 9.20

6.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.99 ฿64.6

$1.42 MYR 5.78

40.14%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.76

$0.59 MYR 2.41

159.32%

Onion (1kg)

$1.45 ฿47.19

$0.92 MYR 3.73

57.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 ฿32.96

$0.96 MYR 3.91

5.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿15.73

$0.33 MYR 1.36

45.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 ฿139

$4.08 MYR 16.57

4.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.12 ฿621

$19.61 MYR 79.7

-2.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 ฿59.7

$2.87 MYR 11.67

-35.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 ฿89.1

$2.28 MYR 9.26

20.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.42 ฿46.06

$1.43 MYR 5.81

-0.70%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.72 ฿381

$8.34 MYR 33.89

40.53%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.00 ฿97.6

$1.17 MYR 4.74

156.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.05 ฿34.00

$0.72 MYR 2.91

45.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.90 ฿452

$5.95 MYR 24.20

133.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 ฿41.94

$0.49 MYR 2.00

163.27%

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

$28.0K ฿911.1K

$57.9K MYR 235.3K

-51.56%

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

$33.5K ฿1.1M

$28.3K MYR 115.2K

18.20%

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

$122 ฿3,964

$31.15 MYR 127

291.59%

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

$13.93 ฿453

$9.19 MYR 37.37

51.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.87 ฿613

$32.33 MYR 131

-41.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.3 ฿1,992

$28.10 MYR 114

118.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.84 ฿547

$6.07 MYR 24.66

177.43%

Cinema Ticket

$8.89 ฿289

$4.34 MYR 17.66

104.84%

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

$691 ฿22.5K

$98.0 MYR 398

605.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.2K ฿525.2K

$5,275 MYR 21.4K

206.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.8 ฿1,878

$35.01 MYR 142

65.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.39 ฿1,150

$18.61 MYR 75.7

90.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 ฿3,685

$44.82 MYR 182

152.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.0 ฿2,698

$31.32 MYR 127

165.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$607 ฿19.7K

$309 MYR 1,257

96.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$448 ฿14.6K

$166 MYR 673

170.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,029 ฿66.0K

$484 MYR 1,967

319.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,493 ฿48.5K

$382 MYR 1,554

290.62%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,585 ฿116.5K

$1,219 MYR 4,956

194.02%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,585 ฿84.0K

$673 MYR 2,736

284.09%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$505 ฿16.4K

$746 MYR 3,032

-32.32%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

3.63

46.83%

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

Last update for Phuket: June 13, 2026

Last update for Miri: June 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $607 in Phuket and $309 in Miri. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Miri pays 48% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $47.00 in Phuket vs $12.00 in Miri for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $292 vs $246 per month, with Miri 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 Miri: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Miri is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 78% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Miri earns 48% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $607 in Phuket versus $309 in Miri. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Miri – a meal for two runs $12.00 versus $47.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,223 per month in Phuket versus $686 in Miri – a 78% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $686 in Miri versus $1,223 in Phuket, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Miri but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Miri the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Miri 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 Miri 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 Miri gentler on the wallet – expenses run 78% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.