Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Muar Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Muar

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,232 in Phuket versus $1,012 in Muar.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,054 in Phuket versus $1,544 in Muar.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,876 in Phuket versus $2,076 in Muar.

Living in Phuket is roughly 22% more expensive than in Muar, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 10% lower, Muar 26% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.41 ฿147

$4.86 MYR 19.89

-9.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.26 ฿1,073

$29.96 MYR 123

7.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.93 ฿297

$4.03 MYR 16.50

121.59%

Cappuccino

$2.90 ฿96.3

$3.17 MYR 12.96

-8.52%

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

$0.88 ฿29.27

$0.80 MYR 3.27

10.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.00

$0.47 MYR 1.94

2.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.35 ฿78.2

$4.52 MYR 18.52

-48.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿124

$6.32 MYR 25.85

-41.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 ฿62.0

$2.11 MYR 8.64

-11.37%

White Bread (500g)

$1.47 ฿48.75

$1.10 MYR 4.52

33.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.6

$2.11 MYR 8.62

-26.54%

Eggs

$2.10 ฿69.9

$2.49 MYR 10.20

-15.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.59 ฿651

$15.92 MYR 65.2

23.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.42 ฿114

$4.87 MYR 19.93

-29.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.38 ฿378

$9.60 MYR 39.28

18.54%

Apples (1kg)

$2.98 ฿99.2

$3.47 MYR 14.20

-14.12%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 ฿56.0

$1.86 MYR 7.60

-9.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.21 ฿73.5

$2.40 MYR 9.81

-7.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.16 ฿71.9

$1.64 MYR 6.72

31.71%

Potato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿50.7

$1.30 MYR 5.32

16.92%

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 ฿44.49

$1.39 MYR 5.69

-3.60%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 ฿37.53

$1.17 MYR 4.78

-3.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ฿18.17

$0.70 MYR 2.85

-21.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.26 ฿142

$4.44 MYR 18.16

-4.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.09 ฿635

$18.92 MYR 77.4

0.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿59.2

$3.44 MYR 14.07

-48.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿92.5

$4.84 MYR 19.80

-42.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.23 ฿74.1

$0.68 MYR 2.79

227.94%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.74 ฿756

$12.41 MYR 50.8

83.24%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 ฿101

$1.26 MYR 5.15

140.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 ฿34.02

$0.48 MYR 1.97

112.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.89 ฿129

$4.90 MYR 20.04

-20.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿49.57

$0.82 MYR 3.36

81.71%

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

$26.6K ฿883.8K

$42.7K MYR 174.9K

-37.81%

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

$27.0K ฿898.7K

$34.8K MYR 142.6K

-22.44%

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

$102 ฿3,407

$63.5 MYR 260

61.34%

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

$11.33 ฿377

$9.12 MYR 37.35

24.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.40 ฿578

$26.12 MYR 107

-33.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.1 ฿1,732

$40.45 MYR 166

28.75%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.07 ฿368

$7.33 MYR 29.99

51.02%

Cinema Ticket

$7.69 ฿256

$5.35 MYR 21.91

43.74%

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

$561 ฿18.6K

$306 MYR 1,252

83.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.5K ฿382.6K

$4,880 MYR 20.0K

135.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.0 ฿2,096

$70.6 MYR 289

-10.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.52 ฿982

$41.99 MYR 172

-29.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.0 ฿3,259

$89.0 MYR 364

10.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.5 ฿2,943

$100 MYR 410

-11.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$738 ฿24.5K

$368 MYR 1,507

100.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.0K

$348 MYR 1,422

38.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,107 ฿70.0K

$615 MYR 2,517

242.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,226 ฿40.8K

$432 MYR 1,767

183.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,617 ฿120.3K

$1,970 MYR 8,064

83.58%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,603 ฿86.5K

$1,132 MYR 4,635

129.86%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.4K

$622 MYR 2,548

-20.70%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

4.2

32.62%

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

Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026

Last update for Muar: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $738 in Phuket and $368 in Muar. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Muar pays 26% 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 $30.00 in Muar. Groceries flip the comparison at $274 vs $282, with Phuket cheaper for home cooking.

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 Muar: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket and Muar differ by about 22% in total monthly costs ($1,232 vs $1,012 including rent). Muar is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 26% lower in Muar. 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 $368 in Muar. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Muar runs roughly 83% less than in Phuket. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $561 in Phuket versus $306 in Muar. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,012 in Muar versus $1,232 in Phuket, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Muar but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Muar the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Phuket and Muar 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 Muar gentler on the wallet – expenses run 22% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.