Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Penang Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Penang

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,261 in Phuket versus $869 in Penang.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,286 in Phuket versus $1,385 in Penang.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,310 in Phuket versus $1,901 in Penang.

Living in Phuket is roughly 45% more expensive than Penang, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 6% lower, Penang 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.56 ฿149

$3.04 MYR 12.34

50.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.63 ฿1,519

$21.59 MYR 87.5

115.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.47 ฿276

$4.33 MYR 17.57

95.61%

Cappuccino

$3.03 ฿98.6

$2.94 MYR 11.90

3.06%

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

$0.69 ฿22.45

$0.68 MYR 2.78

1.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.92

$0.36 MYR 1.48

2.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.49 ฿81.0

$4.40 MYR 17.85

-43.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

$4.46 MYR 18.10

-17.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.18 ฿71.0

$1.81 MYR 7.32

20.44%

White Bread (500g)

$1.90 ฿62.0

$0.99 MYR 4.00

91.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.20 ฿71.6

$2.03 MYR 8.21

8.37%

Eggs

$2.22 ฿72.4

$2.13 MYR 8.65

4.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.99 ฿651

$17.36 MYR 70.4

15.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.66 ฿119

$5.21 MYR 21.12

-29.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.25 ฿432

$15.08 MYR 61.1

-12.14%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿105

$2.87 MYR 11.66

12.54%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.3

$1.47 MYR 5.96

15.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.39 ฿78.0

$2.57 MYR 10.43

-7.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿67.7

$2.11 MYR 8.57

-1.42%

Potato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$1.18 MYR 4.79

34.75%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.31

$1.16 MYR 4.71

27.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 ฿33.54

$0.95 MYR 3.87

8.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿16.83

$0.49 MYR 1.97

6.12%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.25 ฿138

$4.36 MYR 17.68

-2.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.79 ฿612

$19.63 MYR 79.6

-4.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 ฿57.2

$2.62 MYR 10.61

-32.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 ฿89.8

$3.40 MYR 13.80

-18.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.36 ฿44.32

$0.45 MYR 1.82

202.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.36 ฿370

$17.40 MYR 70.6

-34.71%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 ฿102

$0.69 MYR 2.80

355.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿33.74

$0.54 MYR 2.21

92.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.77 ฿448

$7.20 MYR 29.19

91.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ฿43.79

$0.47 MYR 1.89

185.11%

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

$27.7K ฿901.4K

$32.9K MYR 133.5K

-15.93%

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

$33.9K ฿1.1M

$27.3K MYR 110.6K

24.19%

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

$124 ฿4,025

$38.60 MYR 157

220.18%

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

$13.52 ฿440

$10.06 MYR 40.79

34.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.69 ฿609

$31.44 MYR 127

-40.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.8 ฿2,013

$33.04 MYR 134

87.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.25 ฿562

$5.42 MYR 21.97

218.27%

Cinema Ticket

$9.14 ฿298

$4.91 MYR 19.90

86.15%

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

$703 ฿22.9K

$238 MYR 963

195.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.9K ฿517.0K

$6,198 MYR 25.1K

156.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,937

$54.6 MYR 221

8.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.07 ฿1,142

$28.39 MYR 115

23.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,754

$60.5 MYR 245

90.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.1 ฿2,737

$53.5 MYR 217

57.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$619 ฿20.1K

$387 MYR 1,569

59.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$433 ฿14.1K

$230 MYR 933

87.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,062 ฿67.2K

$640 MYR 2,597

222.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,511 ฿49.2K

$525 MYR 2,131

187.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,646 ฿118.7K

$2,250 MYR 9,123

62.05%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,626 ฿85.5K

$1,186 MYR 4,807

121.46%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$507 ฿16.5K

$951 MYR 3,858

-46.70%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

4.16

28.13%

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

Last update for Phuket: June 7, 2026

Last update for Penang: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $619 in Phuket and $387 in Penang. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Penang pays 88% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $47.00 in Phuket vs $22.00 in Penang for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $287 per month, with Penang 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 Penang: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Penang is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 45% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Penang earns 88% less. 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: $619 in Phuket versus $387 in Penang. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Penang – a meal for two runs $22.00 versus $47.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,261 per month in Phuket versus $869 in Penang – a 45% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $869 in Penang versus $1,261 in Phuket, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Penang but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Penang the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Penang 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 Penang 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 Penang gentler on the wallet – expenses run 45% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.