Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Setia Alam Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Setia Alam

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,250 in Phuket versus $918 in Setia Alam.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,284 in Phuket versus $1,395 in Setia Alam.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,317 in Phuket versus $1,872 in Setia Alam.

Living in Phuket is roughly 36% more expensive than in Setia Alam, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 6% lower, Setia Alam 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.55 ฿153

$4.58 MYR 18.74

-0.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.18 ฿1,553

$23.80 MYR 97.4

94.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 ฿297

$4.68 MYR 19.15

88.89%

Cappuccino

$3.06 ฿103

$2.98 MYR 12.20

2.68%

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

$0.73 ฿24.40

$0.84 MYR 3.42

-13.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 ฿13.39

$0.37 MYR 1.50

8.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 ฿81.8

$4.33 MYR 17.70

-43.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.78 ฿127

$6.02 MYR 24.63

-37.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ฿76.0

$1.75 MYR 7.15

29.14%

White Bread (500g)

$1.81 ฿60.9

$0.70 MYR 2.86

158.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.25 ฿75.8

$0.98 MYR 4.02

129.59%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.5

$1.65 MYR 6.75

36.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.51 ฿656

$4.78 MYR 19.56

308.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.65 ฿123

$3.99 MYR 16.33

-8.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.05 ฿439

$9.52 MYR 38.95

37.08%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿109

$1.33 MYR 5.44

142.86%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 ฿54.4

$1.57 MYR 6.42

3.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.38 ฿80.1

$1.34 MYR 5.46

77.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿68.1

$1.39 MYR 5.68

46.04%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿51.6

$1.22 MYR 5.00

25.41%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.5

$1.33 MYR 5.42

12.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.91

$0.57 MYR 2.34

71.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.39

$0.53 MYR 2.17

-1.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.44 ฿149

$4.21 MYR 17.23

5.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.32 ฿616

$19.11 MYR 78.2

-4.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.7

$3.21 MYR 13.14

-42.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 ฿90.1

$4.21 MYR 17.24

-36.34%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.41 ฿47.46

$0.73 MYR 2.98

93.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.70 ฿393

$11.72 MYR 47.92

-0.17%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.11 ฿105

$1.17 MYR 4.78

165.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿35.06

$1.10 MYR 4.51

-5.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.11 ฿474

$4.62 MYR 18.89

205.41%

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

$40.6K MYR 166.0K

-31.47%

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

$33.2K ฿1.1M

$32.2K MYR 131.6K

3.20%

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

$122 ฿4,118

$59.1 MYR 242

107.28%

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

$13.59 ฿457

$10.73 MYR 43.87

26.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.70 ฿629

$25.60 MYR 105

-26.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.5 ฿2,034

$54.8 MYR 224

10.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.98 ฿571

$2.38 MYR 9.73

613.45%

Cinema Ticket

$9.07 ฿305

$5.04 MYR 20.62

79.96%

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

$706 ฿23.8K

$196 MYR 800

261.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿531.5K

$9,524 MYR 39.0K

65.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.6 ฿1,969

$59.7 MYR 244

-1.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.36 ฿1,189

$24.82 MYR 102

42.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,883

$86.1 MYR 352

34.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.7 ฿2,816

$53.8 MYR 220

55.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$626 ฿21.0K

$495 MYR 2,026

26.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$445 ฿15.0K

$305 MYR 1,247

45.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,040 ฿68.6K

$837 MYR 3,422

143.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 ฿50.2K

$534 MYR 2,185

179.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,483 ฿117.1K

$2,029 MYR 8,300

71.62%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,577 ฿86.7K

$1,175 MYR 4,806

119.27%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$500 ฿16.8K

$1,149 MYR 4,698

-56.48%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

4.12

29.37%

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

Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026

Last update for Setia Alam: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $626 in Phuket and $495 in Setia Alam. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Setia Alam pays 130% 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 $24.00 in Setia Alam for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $289 vs $204 per month, with Setia Alam 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 Setia Alam: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Setia Alam is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 36% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 130% lower in Setia Alam. 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 $495 in Setia Alam. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $706 in Phuket versus $196 in Setia Alam. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 42% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $918 in Setia Alam versus $1,250 in Phuket, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Setia Alam but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Setia Alam the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Setia Alam 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 Setia Alam 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 Setia Alam gentler on the wallet – expenses run 36% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.