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: $1,265 in Phuket versus $846 in Penang.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,089 in Phuket versus $1,313 in Penang.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,913 in Phuket versus $1,779 in Penang.

Living in Phuket is roughly 49% more expensive than in Penang, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 8% lower, Penang 39% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.66 ฿154

$3.73 MYR 15.18

24.93%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.22 ฿1,065

$20.03 MYR 81.5

60.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.68 ฿287

$4.83 MYR 19.66

79.71%

Cappuccino

$2.90 ฿95.8

$2.94 MYR 11.95

-1.36%

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

$0.84 ฿27.89

$0.71 MYR 2.90

18.31%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.16

$0.39 MYR 1.60

25.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.48 ฿82.0

$4.22 MYR 17.17

-41.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿123

$4.50 MYR 18.32

-17.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 ฿62.3

$1.79 MYR 7.26

5.59%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 ฿46.54

$1.09 MYR 4.45

29.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.6

$1.73 MYR 7.05

-6.36%

Eggs

$2.24 ฿74.1

$2.23 MYR 9.05

0.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.84 ฿656

$13.37 MYR 54.4

48.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.48 ฿115

$4.37 MYR 17.78

-20.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.37 ฿376

$9.00 MYR 36.60

26.33%

Apples (1kg)

$2.90 ฿95.8

$2.87 MYR 11.67

1.05%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 ฿57.0

$1.70 MYR 6.90

1.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.27 ฿75.1

$2.61 MYR 10.64

-13.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.13 ฿70.4

$1.46 MYR 5.94

45.89%

Potato (1kg)

$1.47 ฿48.72

$1.13 MYR 4.58

30.09%

Onion (1kg)

$1.42 ฿46.92

$1.17 MYR 4.77

21.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 ฿36.25

$1.11 MYR 4.51

-0.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 ฿19.76

$0.58 MYR 2.35

3.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.31 ฿142

$4.54 MYR 18.45

-5.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.60 ฿615

$19.54 MYR 79.5

-4.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿59.5

$2.91 MYR 11.85

-38.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 ฿98.0

$3.98 MYR 16.20

-25.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.25 ฿74.2

$0.48 MYR 1.94

368.75%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.49 ฿776

$12.28 MYR 49.95

91.29%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.10 ฿102

$1.70 MYR 6.92

82.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.08 ฿35.56

$0.42 MYR 1.70

157.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.87 ฿128

$7.61 MYR 30.97

-49.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 ฿47.16

$0.84 MYR 3.40

70.24%

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

$27.8K ฿918.0K

$41.6K MYR 169.2K

-33.21%

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

$27.0K ฿891.5K

$34.7K MYR 141.4K

-22.34%

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

$105 ฿3,462

$37.45 MYR 152

179.84%

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

$11.39 ฿376

$9.83 MYR 40.01

15.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.54 ฿580

$29.72 MYR 121

-40.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.3 ฿1,795

$38.51 MYR 157

41.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.44 ฿378

$4.81 MYR 19.57

137.84%

Cinema Ticket

$7.78 ฿257

$5.31 MYR 21.59

46.52%

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

$576 ฿19.0K

$435 MYR 1,769

32.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.6K ฿382.7K

$10.7K MYR 43.4K

8.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.6 ฿2,103

$60.3 MYR 245

5.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.10 ฿961

$34.72 MYR 141

-16.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.2 ฿3,179

$85.3 MYR 347

12.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.0 ฿2,974

$70.8 MYR 288

27.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$733 ฿24.2K

$399 MYR 1,623

83.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$501 ฿16.5K

$228 MYR 928

119.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,126 ฿70.2K

$591 MYR 2,406

259.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,252 ฿41.4K

$417 MYR 1,694

200.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,534 ฿116.8K

$2,235 MYR 9,094

58.08%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,622 ฿86.6K

$1,068 MYR 4,346

145.41%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.8K

$923 MYR 3,754

-45.00%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

4.24

31.37%

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

Last update for Phuket: September 6, 2026

Last update for Penang: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $733 in Phuket and $399 in Penang. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Penang pays 82% 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 Penang for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $275 vs $255 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 49% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 82% lower in Penang. 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 $399 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 $20.00 versus $32.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,265 per month in Phuket versus $846 in Penang – a 49% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $846 in Penang versus $1,265 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 49% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.