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: $1,232 in Phuket versus $862 in Penang.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,255 in Phuket versus $1,379 in Penang.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,279 in Phuket versus $1,895 in Penang.

Living in Phuket is roughly 43% more expensive than Penang, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 8% lower, Penang 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.63 ฿151

$3.10 MYR 12.24

49.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.84 ฿1,523

$21.13 MYR 83.5

121.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 ฿287

$4.12 MYR 16.27

114.56%

Cappuccino

$3.00 ฿97.4

$2.88 MYR 11.36

4.17%

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

$0.74 ฿24.11

$0.70 MYR 2.75

5.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.88

$0.33 MYR 1.32

12.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.44 ฿79.3

$4.30 MYR 16.98

-43.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.61 ฿117

$4.43 MYR 17.51

-18.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ฿73.5

$1.89 MYR 7.48

19.58%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 ฿59.8

$1.03 MYR 4.05

78.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.24 ฿73.0

$1.99 MYR 7.86

12.56%

Eggs

$2.32 ฿75.3

$2.04 MYR 8.07

13.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.67 ฿639

$17.30 MYR 68.4

13.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.65 ฿119

$4.95 MYR 19.54

-26.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.10 ฿426

$15.01 MYR 59.3

-12.72%

Apples (1kg)

$3.39 ฿110

$2.88 MYR 11.38

17.71%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.4

$1.51 MYR 5.96

8.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿78.5

$2.63 MYR 10.38

-8.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿66.0

$2.09 MYR 8.24

-2.87%

Potato (1kg)

$1.56 ฿50.6

$1.18 MYR 4.64

32.20%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿48.66

$1.17 MYR 4.63

28.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 ฿33.30

$0.91 MYR 3.59

12.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿15.91

$0.48 MYR 1.91

2.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.45 ฿145

$4.29 MYR 16.94

3.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.88 ฿614

$19.41 MYR 76.7

-2.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿57.7

$2.74 MYR 10.82

-35.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.75 ฿89.5

$3.39 MYR 13.39

-18.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.40 ฿45.54

$0.46 MYR 1.80

204.35%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.48 ฿373

$17.53 MYR 69.3

-34.51%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.12 ฿101

$0.74 MYR 2.94

321.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.00 ฿32.48

$0.53 MYR 2.10

88.68%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.09 ฿458

$6.95 MYR 27.46

102.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 ฿43.93

$0.46 MYR 1.82

193.48%

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

$27.2K ฿883.7K

$33.5K MYR 132.3K

-18.85%

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$27.9K MYR 110.3K

17.87%

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

$125 ฿4,063

$39.31 MYR 155

217.93%

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

$13.57 ฿441

$10.23 MYR 40.40

32.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.52 ฿602

$31.17 MYR 123

-40.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.5 ฿1,999

$33.28 MYR 131

84.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.84 ฿547

$5.39 MYR 21.30

212.43%

Cinema Ticket

$9.19 ฿299

$4.81 MYR 19.01

91.06%

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

$698 ฿22.7K

$240 MYR 947

191.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.6K ฿506.9K

$6,163 MYR 24.3K

152.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.8 ฿1,878

$54.4 MYR 215

6.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.24 ฿1,146

$29.08 MYR 115

21.18%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 ฿3,677

$60.4 MYR 239

87.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.4 ฿2,808

$52.6 MYR 208

64.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$616 ฿20.0K

$381 MYR 1,503

61.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$446 ฿14.5K

$227 MYR 895

96.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,048 ฿66.6K

$639 MYR 2,524

220.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 ฿48.5K

$526 MYR 2,077

183.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,779 ฿122.8K

$2,317 MYR 9,153

63.06%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,649 ฿86.1K

$1,197 MYR 4,729

121.25%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$524 ฿17.0K

$968 MYR 3,824

-45.89%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Penang: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $616 in Phuket and $381 in Penang. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Penang pays 85% 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 $21.00 in Penang for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $292 vs $286 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 43% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Penang earns 85% 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: $616 in Phuket versus $381 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 $21.00 versus $47.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,232 per month in Phuket versus $862 in Penang – a 43% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $862 in Penang versus $1,232 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 43% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.