Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Seremban Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Seremban

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,253 in Phuket versus $796 in Seremban.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,043 in Phuket versus $1,280 in Seremban.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,833 in Phuket versus $1,763 in Seremban.

Living in Phuket is roughly 57% more expensive than in Seremban, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 9% lower, Seremban 42% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.56 ฿150

$3.75 MYR 15.15

21.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.62 ฿1,072

$22.09 MYR 89.3

47.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.90 ฿293

$3.81 MYR 15.41

133.60%

Cappuccino

$2.80 ฿92.2

$2.88 MYR 11.63

-2.78%

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

$0.88 ฿28.93

$0.84 MYR 3.39

4.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.08

$0.46 MYR 1.84

6.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.39 ฿78.5

$3.66 MYR 14.78

-34.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.71 ฿122

$4.85 MYR 19.62

-23.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.79 ฿58.7

$1.77 MYR 7.15

1.13%

White Bread (500g)

$1.44 ฿47.38

$1.07 MYR 4.33

34.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.58 ฿52.1

$1.50 MYR 6.08

5.33%

Eggs

$2.13 ฿69.9

$1.70 MYR 6.89

25.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.92 ฿655

$18.50 MYR 74.8

7.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.43 ฿113

$4.50 MYR 18.17

-23.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.33 ฿372

$10.36 MYR 41.85

9.36%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 ฿96.9

$3.44 MYR 13.89

-14.24%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 ฿56.6

$1.31 MYR 5.28

31.30%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.32 ฿76.4

$4.75 MYR 19.18

-51.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿68.4

$1.38 MYR 5.60

50.72%

Potato (1kg)

$1.47 ฿48.33

$1.04 MYR 4.20

41.35%

Onion (1kg)

$1.36 ฿44.64

$1.20 MYR 4.86

13.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 ฿36.12

$1.23 MYR 4.96

-10.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 ฿18.89

$0.52 MYR 2.08

9.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 ฿140

$4.43 MYR 17.89

-3.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.42 ฿605

$14.37 MYR 58.1

28.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.87 ฿61.5

$2.95 MYR 11.94

-36.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 ฿96.0

$3.12 MYR 12.61

-6.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.22 ฿72.9

$1.25 MYR 5.05

77.60%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.90 ฿753

$24.58 MYR 99.3

-6.83%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 ฿99.6

$0.71 MYR 2.85

326.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.07 ฿35.31

$0.71 MYR 2.85

50.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.93 ฿129

$10.10 MYR 40.81

-61.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿49.04

$0.61 MYR 2.45

144.26%

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

$27.1K ฿891.7K

$41.8K MYR 168.9K

-35.11%

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

$27.5K ฿902.3K

$35.5K MYR 143.5K

-22.68%

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

$103 ฿3,379

$45.50 MYR 184

125.93%

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

$10.99 ฿361

$10.82 MYR 43.74

1.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.51 ฿576

$29.27 MYR 118

-40.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.5 ฿1,760

$66.3 MYR 268

-19.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.20 ฿368

Cinema Ticket

$7.48 ฿246

$4.33 MYR 17.51

72.75%

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

$557 ฿18.3K

$184 MYR 745

202.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K ฿389.6K

$4,510 MYR 18.2K

162.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.1 ฿2,106

$49.68 MYR 201

28.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.07 ฿956

$36.48 MYR 147

-20.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.0 ฿3,154

$81.1 MYR 328

18.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.3 ฿2,970

$87.7 MYR 354

3.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$730 ฿24.0K

$184 MYR 744

296.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$500 ฿16.4K

$122 MYR 491

311.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,090 ฿68.7K

$306 MYR 1,236

583.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 ฿39.7K

$254 MYR 1,028

375.48%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,596 ฿118.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,512 ฿82.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$503 ฿16.5K

$799 MYR 3,230

-37.02%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

4.06

37.19%

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

Last update for Phuket: August 31, 2026

Last update for Seremban: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $730 in Phuket and $184 in Seremban. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Seremban pays 59% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $33.00 in Phuket vs $22.00 in Seremban for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $273 vs $268 per month, with Seremban 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 Seremban: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Seremban is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Getting Around. The 57% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 59% lower in Seremban. 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: $730 in Phuket versus $184 in Seremban. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $557 in Phuket versus $184 in Seremban. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 2% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $796 in Seremban versus $1,253 in Phuket, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Seremban but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Seremban the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Seremban 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 Seremban 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 Seremban gentler on the wallet – expenses run 57% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.