Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Seri Iskandar Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Seri Iskandar

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,190 in Phuket versus $709 in Seri Iskandar.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,006 in Phuket versus $901 in Seri Iskandar.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,822 in Phuket versus $1,094 in Seri Iskandar.

Living in Phuket is roughly 68% more expensive than in Seri Iskandar, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 11% lower, Seri Iskandar 47% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.35 ฿146

$2.88 MYR 11.76

51.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.45 ฿1,093

$29.54 MYR 121

9.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.42 ฿283

$4.61 MYR 18.84

82.65%

Cappuccino

$2.81 ฿94.5

$1.01 MYR 4.11

178.22%

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

$0.87 ฿29.46

$0.56 MYR 2.28

55.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.46 ฿15.48

$0.26 MYR 1.05

76.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.59 ฿87.0

$3.02 MYR 12.34

-14.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.64 ฿123

$3.64 MYR 14.87

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿57.5

$1.63 MYR 6.66

4.91%

White Bread (500g)

$1.45 ฿48.69

$0.96 MYR 3.91

51.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 ฿52.5

$0.50 MYR 2.05

212.00%

Eggs

$2.10 ฿70.7

$2.04 MYR 8.35

2.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.53 ฿657

$5.43 MYR 22.19

259.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.40 ฿114

$1.92 MYR 7.86

77.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.14 ฿375

$4.47 MYR 18.28

149.22%

Apples (1kg)

$2.83 ฿95.4

$2.26 MYR 9.21

25.22%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 ฿54.6

$1.74 MYR 7.09

-6.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.22 ฿74.9

$2.00 MYR 8.16

11.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.15 ฿72.3

$0.94 MYR 3.85

128.72%

Potato (1kg)

$1.49 ฿50.2

$0.60 MYR 2.45

148.33%

Onion (1kg)

$1.33 ฿44.65

$0.97 MYR 3.95

37.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 ฿35.92

$0.93 MYR 3.82

15.05%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿17.10

$0.59 MYR 2.42

-13.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.38 ฿148

$4.34 MYR 17.72

0.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.77 ฿632

$7.20 MYR 29.41

160.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 ฿58.6

$2.49 MYR 10.18

-30.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿93.5

$3.77 MYR 15.38

-26.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.17 ฿73.0

$1.08 MYR 4.43

100.93%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.28 ฿750

$12.22 MYR 49.92

82.32%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ฿102

$0.96 MYR 3.94

214.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.06 ฿35.63

$0.51 MYR 2.10

107.84%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.71 ฿125

$5.02 MYR 20.50

-26.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 ฿48.16

$0.56 MYR 2.29

155.36%

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

$26.3K ฿887.1K

$19.9K MYR 81.3K

32.33%

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

$26.2K ฿882.3K

$19.2K MYR 78.5K

36.39%

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

$96.7 ฿3,254

$62.7 MYR 256

54.26%

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

$11.41 ฿384

$9.25 MYR 37.80

23.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.11 ฿576

$16.83 MYR 68.8

1.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.8 ฿1,778

$13.56 MYR 55.4

289.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.07 ฿373

$7.22 MYR 29.48

53.32%

Cinema Ticket

$7.65 ฿258

$3.62 MYR 14.78

111.33%

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

$555 ฿18.7K

$173 MYR 705

221.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.3K ฿379.9K

$12.5K MYR 50.9K

-9.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.4 ฿2,135

$17.18 MYR 70.2

269.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.61 ฿963

$8.54 MYR 34.89

235.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.7 ฿3,256

$60.9 MYR 249

58.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.6 ฿2,983

$37.28 MYR 152

137.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$735 ฿24.7K

$398 MYR 1,626

84.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$458 ฿15.4K

$309 MYR 1,262

48.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,102 ฿70.8K

$667 MYR 2,727

214.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,187 ฿40.0K

$162 MYR 661

633.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,493 ฿117.6K

$2,055 MYR 8,394

69.97%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,491 ฿83.9K

$1,070 MYR 4,370

132.89%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$501 ฿16.9K

$373 MYR 1,522

34.42%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

178.50%

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

Last update for Phuket: October 4, 2026

Last update for Seri Iskandar: October 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $735 in Phuket and $398 in Seri Iskandar. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 34% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $32.00 in Phuket vs $30.00 in Seri Iskandar for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $268 vs $159 per month, with Seri Iskandar 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 Seri Iskandar: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Seri Iskandar is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 68% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 34% higher in Phuket, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $735 in Phuket versus $398 in Seri Iskandar. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $555 in Phuket versus $173 in Seri Iskandar. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 69% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $709 in Seri Iskandar versus $1,190 in Phuket, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Seri Iskandar but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Seri Iskandar the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Seri Iskandar 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 Seri Iskandar 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 Seri Iskandar gentler on the wallet – expenses run 68% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.