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: $1,264 in Phuket versus $684 in Miri.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,256 in Phuket versus $1,094 in Miri.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,248 in Phuket versus $1,504 in Miri.

Living in Phuket is roughly 85% more expensive than in Miri, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 5% lower, Miri 49% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.48 ฿150

$3.23 MYR 13.20

38.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.59 ฿1,521

$11.75 MYR 47.99

288.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.76 ฿292

$4.02 MYR 16.43

117.91%

Cappuccino

$2.97 ฿99.0

$2.63 MYR 10.72

12.93%

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

$0.69 ฿22.90

$0.70 MYR 2.87

-1.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 ฿13.04

$0.36 MYR 1.48

8.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.53 ฿84.4

$2.86 MYR 11.66

-11.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.75 ฿125

$3.87 MYR 15.78

-3.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.15 ฿71.6

$1.36 MYR 5.56

58.09%

White Bread (500g)

$1.82 ฿60.6

$1.45 MYR 5.92

25.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.18 ฿72.9

$0.83 MYR 3.40

162.65%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.0

$3.28 MYR 13.41

-31.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$20.00 ฿667

$10.99 MYR 44.88

81.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿121

$4.74 MYR 19.35

-23.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.56 ฿452

$12.03 MYR 49.11

12.72%

Apples (1kg)

$3.24 ฿108

$3.06 MYR 12.48

5.88%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ฿54.6

$1.14 MYR 4.66

43.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.33 ฿77.8

$2.31 MYR 9.44

0.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.07 ฿69.1

$1.44 MYR 5.88

43.75%

Potato (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.6

$0.59 MYR 2.39

162.71%

Onion (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.54

$0.91 MYR 3.71

60.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.86

$0.91 MYR 3.72

7.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.09

$0.33 MYR 1.36

45.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 ฿145

$4.28 MYR 17.46

1.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.57 ฿620

$19.89 MYR 81.2

-6.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿61.9

$2.99 MYR 12.20

-37.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.65 ฿88.6

$2.26 MYR 9.25

17.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.42 ฿47.28

$1.36 MYR 5.55

4.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.57 ฿386

$8.41 MYR 34.35

37.57%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 ฿106

$1.20 MYR 4.91

164.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.03 ฿34.41

$0.71 MYR 2.90

45.07%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.89 ฿463

$5.80 MYR 23.66

139.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ฿44.84

$0.46 MYR 1.88

191.30%

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

$27.8K ฿927.1K

$59.1K MYR 241.4K

-53.00%

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

$33.4K ฿1.1M

$28.5K MYR 116.5K

17.00%

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

$123 ฿4,105

$31.15 MYR 127

295.02%

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

$13.77 ฿459

$9.30 MYR 37.98

48.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.33 ฿611

$33.50 MYR 137

-45.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.7 ฿2,025

$27.91 MYR 114

117.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.16 ฿573

$6.03 MYR 24.62

184.58%

Cinema Ticket

$8.87 ฿296

$4.34 MYR 17.72

104.38%

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

$688 ฿22.9K

$97.9 MYR 400

602.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿526.4K

$5,254 MYR 21.5K

200.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.3 ฿1,978

$35.74 MYR 146

65.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.69 ฿1,157

$18.81 MYR 76.8

84.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,843

$44.44 MYR 181

159.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.8 ฿2,794

$31.50 MYR 129

165.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$621 ฿20.7K

$321 MYR 1,309

93.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$446 ฿14.9K

$164 MYR 669

172.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,034 ฿67.8K

$496 MYR 2,027

309.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,496 ฿49.9K

$379 MYR 1,548

294.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,455 ฿115.3K

$1,233 MYR 5,034

180.25%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,531 ฿84.4K

$678 MYR 2,769

273.19%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.5K

$667 MYR 2,722

-25.97%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Miri: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $621 in Phuket and $321 in Miri. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Miri pays 35% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $46.00 in Phuket vs $12.00 in Miri for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $291 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 85% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 35% 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: $621 in Phuket versus $321 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 $46.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,264 per month in Phuket versus $684 in Miri – a 85% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $684 in Miri versus $1,264 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 85% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.