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: $1,232 in Phuket versus $820 in Miri.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,054 in Phuket versus $1,253 in Miri.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,876 in Phuket versus $1,686 in Miri.

Living in Phuket is roughly 50% more expensive than in Miri, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 10% lower, Miri 40% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.41 ฿147

$3.59 MYR 14.66

22.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.26 ฿1,077

$12.47 MYR 50.9

158.70%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.93 ฿298

$4.65 MYR 18.99

92.04%

Cappuccino

$2.90 ฿96.6

$2.38 MYR 9.73

21.85%

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

$0.88 ฿29.38

$0.85 MYR 3.46

3.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.06

$0.28 MYR 1.13

71.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.35 ฿78.5

$2.98 MYR 12.16

-21.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿124

$3.86 MYR 15.75

-3.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 ฿62.3

$1.43 MYR 5.83

30.77%

White Bread (500g)

$1.47 ฿48.94

$1.89 MYR 7.73

-22.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.8

$1.01 MYR 4.14

53.47%

Eggs

$2.10 ฿70.1

$3.55 MYR 14.48

-40.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.59 ฿654

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.42 ฿114

$4.82 MYR 19.69

-29.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.38 ฿380

$14.88 MYR 60.7

-23.52%

Apples (1kg)

$2.98 ฿99.6

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 ฿56.2

$1.96 MYR 7.99

-14.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.21 ฿73.7

Tomato (1kg)

$2.16 ฿72.1

Potato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿50.9

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 ฿44.67

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 ฿37.67

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ฿18.24

$0.36 MYR 1.45

52.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.26 ฿142

$4.47 MYR 18.26

-4.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.09 ฿637

$19.69 MYR 80.4

-3.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿59.4

$3.04 MYR 12.40

-41.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿92.9

$2.32 MYR 9.49

19.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.23 ฿74.4

$0.50 MYR 2.05

346.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.74 ฿759

$14.52 MYR 59.3

56.61%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 ฿101

$1.19 MYR 4.87

154.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 ฿34.15

$0.60 MYR 2.44

70.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.89 ฿130

$6.17 MYR 25.18

-36.95%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿49.77

$0.60 MYR 2.44

148.33%

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

$26.6K ฿887.3K

$50.2K MYR 204.8K

-47.02%

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

$27.0K ฿902.2K

$33.6K MYR 137.0K

-19.45%

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

$102 ฿3,420

$50.2 MYR 205

104.04%

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

$11.33 ฿378

$9.62 MYR 39.26

17.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.40 ฿581

$32.89 MYR 134

-47.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.1 ฿1,738

$29.83 MYR 122

74.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.07 ฿370

$6.09 MYR 24.87

81.77%

Cinema Ticket

$7.69 ฿257

$4.53 MYR 18.50

69.76%

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

$561 ฿18.7K

$102 MYR 415

451.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.5K ฿384.1K

$6,506 MYR 26.6K

76.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.0 ฿2,104

$44.24 MYR 181

42.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.52 ฿986

$22.85 MYR 93.3

29.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.0 ฿3,272

$56.7 MYR 231

73.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.5 ฿2,954

$42.85 MYR 175

106.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$738 ฿24.6K

$340 MYR 1,388

117.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.1K

$286 MYR 1,168

68.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,107 ฿70.3K

$596 MYR 2,431

253.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,226 ฿40.9K

$581 MYR 2,370

111.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,617 ฿120.7K

$1,224 MYR 4,999

195.40%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,603 ฿86.9K

$672 MYR 2,744

287.30%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.5K

$689 MYR 2,811

-28.32%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

4.12

35.19%

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

Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026

Last update for Miri: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $738 in Phuket and $340 in Miri. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Miri pays 40% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $32.00 in Phuket vs $12.00 in Miri for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $274 vs $195 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 50% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 40% lower in Miri. 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: $738 in Phuket versus $340 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 $32.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,232 per month in Phuket versus $820 in Miri – a 50% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $820 in Miri versus $1,232 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 50% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.