Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Nilai Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Nilai

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,270 in Phuket versus $867 in Nilai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,304 in Phuket versus $1,318 in Nilai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,339 in Phuket versus $1,768 in Nilai.

Living in Phuket is roughly 46% more expensive than Nilai, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 5% lower, Nilai 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.66 ฿150

$3.47 MYR 13.69

34.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.44 ฿1,496

$19.09 MYR 75.4

143.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.68 ฿280

$5.76 MYR 22.77

50.69%

Cappuccino

$2.95 ฿95.0

$2.78 MYR 10.97

6.12%

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

$0.70 ฿22.52

$0.79 MYR 3.11

-11.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 ฿12.70

$0.36 MYR 1.44

8.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.53 ฿81.6

$3.65 MYR 14.40

-30.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.78 ฿122

$5.09 MYR 20.10

-25.74%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.22 ฿71.5

$1.87 MYR 7.40

18.72%

White Bread (500g)

$1.80 ฿57.8

$0.95 MYR 3.76

89.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.19 ฿70.4

$1.29 MYR 5.11

69.77%

Eggs

$2.31 ฿74.5

$2.13 MYR 8.40

8.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.34 ฿623

$15.32 MYR 60.5

26.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.77 ฿121

$4.33 MYR 17.11

-12.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.22 ฿426

$9.65 MYR 38.13

36.99%

Apples (1kg)

$3.33 ฿107

$2.98 MYR 11.76

11.74%

Banana (1kg)

$1.65 ฿53.1

$1.47 MYR 5.82

12.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.29 ฿73.7

$2.53 MYR 9.98

-9.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.99 ฿64.1

$1.39 MYR 5.47

43.17%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.24

$1.24 MYR 4.91

23.39%

Onion (1kg)

$1.51 ฿48.77

$1.27 MYR 5.02

18.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 ฿33.12

$1.04 MYR 4.10

-0.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.57

$0.56 MYR 2.20

-8.93%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 ฿142

$4.30 MYR 16.97

2.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.41 ฿625

$19.74 MYR 78.0

-1.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.0

$2.85 MYR 11.26

-36.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 ฿86.4

$2.98 MYR 11.76

-10.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.43 ฿46.11

$0.68 MYR 2.67

110.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.70 ฿377

$11.87 MYR 46.88

-1.43%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.04 ฿97.9

$1.17 MYR 4.61

159.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿33.37

$1.03 MYR 4.09

0.97%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.68 ฿441

$5.96 MYR 23.54

129.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 ฿41.85

$0.46 MYR 1.82

182.61%

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

$27.9K ฿898.9K

$35.0K MYR 138.1K

-20.22%

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

$33.0K ฿1.1M

$31.9K MYR 126.0K

3.57%

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

$123 ฿3,962

$44.30 MYR 175

177.58%

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

$13.82 ฿445

$9.40 MYR 37.14

47.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.86 ฿608

$28.79 MYR 114

-34.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.2 ฿1,970

$36.96 MYR 146

65.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.81 ฿541

$5.84 MYR 23.09

187.84%

Cinema Ticket

$8.87 ฿286

$4.86 MYR 19.18

82.51%

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

$696 ฿22.4K

$189 MYR 748

267.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.1K ฿517.4K

$6,905 MYR 27.3K

132.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.3 ฿1,910

$61.9 MYR 245

-4.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.85 ฿1,123

$26.86 MYR 106

29.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 ฿3,646

$71.8 MYR 284

57.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.1 ฿2,740

$50.2 MYR 198

69.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$615 ฿19.8K

$385 MYR 1,522

59.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$448 ฿14.4K

$265 MYR 1,047

69.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,085 ฿67.2K

$646 MYR 2,551

222.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,496 ฿48.2K

$479 MYR 1,892

212.26%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,734 ฿120.3K

$1,695 MYR 6,696

120.30%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,662 ฿85.8K

$882 MYR 3,483

201.85%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$534 ฿17.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

4.07

30.96%

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

Last update for Phuket: April 20, 2026

Last update for Nilai: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $615 in Phuket and $385 in Nilai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $46 in Phuket vs $19 in Nilai for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $291 vs $256 per month, with Nilai 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 Nilai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Nilai wins on cost – living expenses run 46% lower than in Phuket. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Nilai the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $1,904 in Phuket and $1,300 in Nilai to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $615 in Phuket versus $385 in Nilai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,270 per month in Phuket versus $867 in Nilai – a 46% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Nilai runs roughly 1% less than in Phuket. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $867 in Nilai versus $1,270 in Phuket, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Nilai but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Nilai the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Nilai delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $867 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Nilai hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Phuket and Nilai 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 Nilai gentler on the wallet – expenses run 46% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.