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: $1,261 in Phuket versus $861 in Nilai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,276 in Phuket versus $1,314 in Nilai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,291 in Phuket versus $1,767 in Nilai.

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

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 6% lower, Nilai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.53 ฿153

$3.57 MYR 14.58

26.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.36 ฿1,562

$18.51 MYR 75.7

150.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.65 ฿291

$5.93 MYR 24.23

45.87%

Cappuccino

$3.09 ฿104

$2.75 MYR 11.23

12.36%

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

$0.68 ฿22.85

$0.78 MYR 3.18

-12.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿12.41

$0.36 MYR 1.49

2.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.42 ฿81.4

$3.63 MYR 14.83

-33.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.81 ฿128

$4.90 MYR 20.04

-22.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.18 ฿73.4

$1.86 MYR 7.60

17.20%

White Bread (500g)

$1.82 ฿61.2

$0.95 MYR 3.87

91.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.18 ฿73.3

$1.30 MYR 5.33

67.69%

Eggs

$2.24 ฿75.3

$2.06 MYR 8.44

8.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.93 ฿671

$14.82 MYR 60.6

34.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.64 ฿123

$4.25 MYR 17.36

-14.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.56 ฿457

$9.67 MYR 39.53

40.23%

Apples (1kg)

$3.29 ฿111

$2.86 MYR 11.68

15.03%

Banana (1kg)

$1.69 ฿56.8

$1.45 MYR 5.93

16.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.33 ฿78.6

$2.60 MYR 10.61

-10.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿68.3

$1.39 MYR 5.68

46.04%

Potato (1kg)

$1.60 ฿53.9

$1.24 MYR 5.08

29.03%

Onion (1kg)

$1.49 ฿50.4

$1.33 MYR 5.43

12.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 ฿34.11

$0.99 MYR 4.06

2.02%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.06

$0.56 MYR 2.31

-14.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.45 ฿150

$4.16 MYR 17.00

6.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.63 ฿628

$18.99 MYR 77.7

-1.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 ฿60.2

$2.74 MYR 11.21

-34.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.80 ฿94.2

$2.97 MYR 12.16

-5.72%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.42 ฿47.81

$0.73 MYR 2.98

94.52%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.33 ฿382

$11.82 MYR 48.32

-4.15%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 ฿104

$1.20 MYR 4.92

157.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿35.13

$1.03 MYR 4.22

0.97%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.63 ฿459

$6.00 MYR 24.53

127.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 ฿44.15

$0.50 MYR 2.03

162.00%

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

$27.3K ฿919.1K

$35.9K MYR 147.0K

-24.10%

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

$33.2K ฿1.1M

$31.3K MYR 128.0K

6.12%

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

$123 ฿4,149

$42.98 MYR 176

186.55%

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

$13.81 ฿465

$9.09 MYR 37.19

51.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.52 ฿624

$28.68 MYR 117

-35.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.4 ฿2,034

$36.80 MYR 150

64.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.80 ฿566

$5.85 MYR 23.94

187.18%

Cinema Ticket

$8.89 ฿299

$5.03 MYR 20.57

76.74%

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

$687 ฿23.1K

$184 MYR 754

272.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.6K ฿523.9K

$6,893 MYR 28.2K

125.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.6 ฿1,942

$60.1 MYR 246

-4.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.66 ฿1,168

$26.93 MYR 110

28.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,872

$73.2 MYR 299

56.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.9 ฿2,860

$51.6 MYR 211

64.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$618 ฿20.8K

$383 MYR 1,568

61.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$443 ฿14.9K

$273 MYR 1,118

62.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,047 ฿69.0K

$649 MYR 2,653

215.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,506 ฿50.7K

$470 MYR 1,922

220.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,568 ฿120.2K

$2,336 MYR 9,554

52.73%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,511 ฿84.6K

$1,079 MYR 4,412

132.74%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$503 ฿16.9K

$1,414 MYR 5,781

-64.44%

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: July 20, 2026

Last update for Nilai: July 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $618 in Phuket and $383 in Nilai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Nilai pays 181% 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 $19.00 in Nilai for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $292 vs $251 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.

On paper, salaries run 181% lower in Nilai. 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: $618 in Phuket versus $383 in Nilai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,261 per month in Phuket versus $861 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 4% less than in Phuket. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $861 in Nilai versus $1,261 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 $861 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.