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: $1,265 in Phuket versus $1,003 in Nilai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,089 in Phuket versus $1,453 in Nilai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,913 in Phuket versus $1,903 in Nilai.

Living in Phuket is roughly 26% more expensive than in Nilai, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 8% lower, Nilai 27% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.66 ฿153

$3.82 MYR 15.50

21.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.22 ฿1,059

$19.72 MYR 80.0

63.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.68 ฿285

$6.34 MYR 25.74

36.91%

Cappuccino

$2.90 ฿95.3

$3.39 MYR 13.75

-14.45%

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

$0.84 ฿27.75

$0.84 MYR 3.39

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.08

$0.39 MYR 1.56

25.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.48 ฿81.6

$3.66 MYR 14.85

-32.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿123

$4.68 MYR 18.99

-20.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 ฿62.0

$1.88 MYR 7.61

0.53%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 ฿46.31

$1.41 MYR 5.70

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.3

$1.44 MYR 5.84

12.50%

Eggs

$2.24 ฿73.7

$1.85 MYR 7.51

21.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.84 ฿652

$13.55 MYR 55.0

46.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.48 ฿114

$4.44 MYR 18.00

-21.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.37 ฿374

$9.82 MYR 39.84

15.78%

Apples (1kg)

$2.90 ฿95.3

$3.19 MYR 12.96

-9.09%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 ฿56.7

$1.69 MYR 6.84

1.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.27 ฿74.7

$2.48 MYR 10.07

-8.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.13 ฿70.1

$1.61 MYR 6.51

32.30%

Potato (1kg)

$1.47 ฿48.49

$1.37 MYR 5.55

7.30%

Onion (1kg)

$1.42 ฿46.69

$1.21 MYR 4.91

17.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 ฿36.08

$1.21 MYR 4.93

-9.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 ฿19.66

$0.52 MYR 2.12

15.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.31 ฿142

$4.61 MYR 18.69

-6.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.60 ฿612

$17.61 MYR 71.4

5.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿59.2

$3.09 MYR 12.52

-41.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 ฿97.5

$4.09 MYR 16.59

-27.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.25 ฿73.8

$0.65 MYR 2.63

246.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.49 ฿772

$10.91 MYR 44.26

115.31%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.10 ฿102

$1.25 MYR 5.06

148.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.08 ฿35.39

$0.43 MYR 1.75

151.16%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.87 ฿127

$6.88 MYR 27.91

-43.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 ฿46.93

$0.87 MYR 3.51

64.37%

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

$27.8K ฿913.6K

$46.6K MYR 189.1K

-40.38%

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

$27.0K ฿887.2K

$32.1K MYR 130.2K

-15.92%

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

$105 ฿3,446

$50.1 MYR 203

109.39%

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

$11.39 ฿375

$9.66 MYR 39.21

17.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.54 ฿577

$28.45 MYR 115

-38.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.3 ฿1,787

$37.22 MYR 151

46.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.44 ฿376

$7.05 MYR 28.62

62.27%

Cinema Ticket

$7.78 ฿256

$4.54 MYR 18.43

71.37%

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

$576 ฿19.0K

$187 MYR 760

207.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.6K ฿380.8K

$4,916 MYR 19.9K

135.61%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.6 ฿2,092

$67.8 MYR 275

-6.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.10 ฿957

$37.04 MYR 150

-21.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.2 ฿3,164

$93.8 MYR 381

2.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.0 ฿2,960

$76.9 MYR 312

17.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$733 ฿24.1K

$425 MYR 1,723

72.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$501 ฿16.5K

$328 MYR 1,332

52.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,126 ฿69.9K

$703 MYR 2,853

202.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,252 ฿41.2K

$498 MYR 2,022

151.24%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,534 ฿116.2K

$1,900 MYR 7,708

86.00%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,622 ฿86.2K

$1,065 MYR 4,320

146.22%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.7K

$1,443 MYR 5,855

-64.83%

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 6, 2026

Last update for Nilai: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $733 in Phuket and $425 in Nilai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Nilai pays 184% 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 $20.00 in Nilai for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $275 vs $259 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 26% 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 184% 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: $733 in Phuket versus $425 in Nilai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,265 per month in Phuket versus $1,003 in Nilai – a 26% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Nilai runs roughly 115% less than in Phuket. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,003 in Nilai versus $1,265 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 $1,003 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 26% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.