Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Putra Heights Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Putra Heights

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,250 in Phuket versus $867 in Putra Heights.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,284 in Phuket versus $1,321 in Putra Heights.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,317 in Phuket versus $1,775 in Putra Heights.

Living in Phuket is roughly 44% more expensive than in Putra Heights, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.55 ฿153

$3.56 MYR 14.58

27.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.18 ฿1,553

$19.18 MYR 78.4

140.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 ฿297

$4.65 MYR 19.01

90.11%

Cappuccino

$3.06 ฿103

$2.98 MYR 12.19

2.68%

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

$0.73 ฿24.40

$0.85 MYR 3.47

-14.12%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 ฿13.39

$0.48 MYR 1.98

-16.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 ฿81.8

$4.31 MYR 17.64

-43.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.78 ฿127

$5.81 MYR 23.77

-34.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ฿76.0

$1.89 MYR 7.72

19.58%

White Bread (500g)

$1.81 ฿60.9

$0.93 MYR 3.81

94.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.25 ฿75.8

$1.23 MYR 5.04

82.93%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.5

$1.80 MYR 7.36

25.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.51 ฿656

$14.77 MYR 60.4

32.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.65 ฿123

$4.59 MYR 18.79

-20.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.05 ฿439

$9.54 MYR 39.02

36.79%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿109

$2.90 MYR 11.88

11.38%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 ฿54.4

$1.45 MYR 5.91

11.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.38 ฿80.1

$2.62 MYR 10.73

-9.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿68.1

$1.47 MYR 6.02

38.10%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿51.6

$1.29 MYR 5.26

18.60%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.5

$1.35 MYR 5.51

11.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.91

$1.22 MYR 4.97

-19.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.39

$0.52 MYR 2.13

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.44 ฿149

$4.15 MYR 16.99

6.99%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.32 ฿616

$13.95 MYR 57.1

31.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.7

$2.77 MYR 11.31

-32.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 ฿90.1

$3.03 MYR 12.40

-11.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.41 ฿47.46

$0.68 MYR 2.79

107.35%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.70 ฿393

$11.92 MYR 48.74

-1.85%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.11 ฿105

$1.20 MYR 4.90

159.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿35.06

$1.04 MYR 4.24

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.11 ฿474

$4.74 MYR 19.39

197.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 ฿44.10

$0.50 MYR 2.05

162.00%

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

$27.8K ฿935.4K

$35.8K MYR 146.6K

-22.40%

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

$33.2K ฿1.1M

$32.3K MYR 132.2K

2.78%

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

$122 ฿4,118

$64.7 MYR 264

89.36%

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

$13.59 ฿457

$9.17 MYR 37.51

48.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.70 ฿629

$25.17 MYR 103

-25.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.5 ฿2,034

$37.24 MYR 152

62.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.98 ฿571

$6.06 MYR 24.79

180.20%

Cinema Ticket

$9.07 ฿305

$5.33 MYR 21.81

70.17%

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

$706 ฿23.8K

$185 MYR 756

282.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿531.5K

$7,020 MYR 28.7K

125.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.6 ฿1,969

$61.6 MYR 252

-4.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.36 ฿1,189

$19.22 MYR 78.6

83.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,883

$74.0 MYR 303

56.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.7 ฿2,816

$39.48 MYR 161

112.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$626 ฿21.0K

$387 MYR 1,582

61.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$445 ฿15.0K

$274 MYR 1,121

62.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,040 ฿68.6K

$656 MYR 2,682

211.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 ฿50.2K

$473 MYR 1,933

215.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,483 ฿117.1K

$2,251 MYR 9,207

54.70%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,577 ฿86.7K

$1,256 MYR 5,137

105.15%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$500 ฿16.8K

$1,109 MYR 4,536

-54.93%

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 12, 2026

Last update for Putra Heights: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $626 in Phuket and $387 in Putra Heights. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Putra Heights pays 122% 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 Putra Heights for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $289 vs $243 per month, with Putra Heights 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 Putra Heights: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Putra Heights is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 44% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 122% lower in Putra Heights. 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: $626 in Phuket versus $387 in Putra Heights. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $706 in Phuket versus $185 in Putra Heights. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 19% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $867 in Putra Heights versus $1,250 in Phuket, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Putra Heights but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Putra Heights the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Putra Heights 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 Putra Heights 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 Putra Heights gentler on the wallet – expenses run 44% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.