Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Ulu Tiram Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Ulu Tiram

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,264 in Phuket versus $857 in Ulu Tiram.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,256 in Phuket versus $1,302 in Ulu Tiram.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,248 in Phuket versus $1,747 in Ulu Tiram.

Living in Phuket is roughly 47% more expensive than in Ulu Tiram, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 5% lower, Ulu Tiram 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.48 ฿150

$3.51 MYR 14.35

27.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.59 ฿1,522

$19.02 MYR 77.7

139.70%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.76 ฿292

$4.84 MYR 19.78

80.99%

Cappuccino

$2.97 ฿99.1

$2.80 MYR 11.44

6.07%

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

$0.69 ฿22.92

$0.68 MYR 2.79

1.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 ฿13.05

$0.39 MYR 1.60

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.53 ฿84.5

$4.36 MYR 17.81

-41.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.75 ฿125

$6.46 MYR 26.40

-41.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.15 ฿71.6

$1.81 MYR 7.41

18.78%

White Bread (500g)

$1.82 ฿60.6

$1.01 MYR 4.13

80.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.18 ฿73.0

$1.29 MYR 5.29

68.99%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.1

$1.81 MYR 7.39

24.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$20.00 ฿668

$10.79 MYR 44.04

85.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿121

$4.05 MYR 16.54

-10.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.56 ฿453

$8.27 MYR 33.78

63.97%

Apples (1kg)

$3.24 ฿108

$2.69 MYR 10.99

20.45%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ฿54.6

$1.52 MYR 6.21

7.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.33 ฿77.9

$2.44 MYR 9.96

-4.51%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.07 ฿69.2

$1.24 MYR 5.07

66.94%

Potato (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.7

$1.13 MYR 4.62

37.17%

Onion (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.58

$1.39 MYR 5.69

5.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.88

$0.91 MYR 3.71

7.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.11

$0.64 MYR 2.61

-25.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 ฿145

$4.13 MYR 16.85

5.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.57 ฿620

$16.83 MYR 68.7

10.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.0

$2.85 MYR 11.65

-34.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.65 ฿88.7

$3.04 MYR 12.40

-12.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.42 ฿47.32

$0.68 MYR 2.79

108.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.57 ฿386

$11.81 MYR 48.22

-2.03%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 ฿106

$1.02 MYR 4.17

210.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.03 ฿34.45

$0.99 MYR 4.03

4.04%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.89 ฿464

$9.34 MYR 38.12

48.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ฿44.88

$0.47 MYR 1.91

185.11%

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

$27.8K ฿927.9K

$35.3K MYR 144.2K

-21.32%

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

$33.4K ฿1.1M

$33.5K MYR 136.7K

-0.28%

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

$123 ฿4,109

$45.37 MYR 185

171.21%

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

$13.77 ฿460

$8.92 MYR 36.42

54.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.33 ฿612

$30.40 MYR 124

-39.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.7 ฿2,026

$36.52 MYR 149

66.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.16 ฿573

$5.98 MYR 24.40

186.96%

Cinema Ticket

$8.87 ฿296

$5.08 MYR 20.74

74.61%

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

$688 ฿23.0K

$190 MYR 774

262.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿526.9K

$6,837 MYR 27.9K

130.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.3 ฿1,980

$64.2 MYR 262

-7.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.69 ฿1,158

$18.86 MYR 77.0

83.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,846

$71.0 MYR 290

62.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.8 ฿2,797

$46.40 MYR 189

80.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$621 ฿20.7K

$390 MYR 1,594

59.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$446 ฿14.9K

$272 MYR 1,109

64.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,034 ฿67.9K

$642 MYR 2,620

216.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,496 ฿50.0K

$469 MYR 1,917

218.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,455 ฿115.4K

$2,064 MYR 8,428

67.39%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,531 ฿84.5K

$1,147 MYR 4,682

120.76%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.5K

$861 MYR 3,516

-42.66%

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 27, 2026

Last update for Ulu Tiram: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $621 in Phuket and $390 in Ulu Tiram. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ulu Tiram pays 74% 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 Ulu Tiram for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $291 vs $228 per month, with Ulu Tiram 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 Ulu Tiram: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ulu Tiram is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 47% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 74% lower in Ulu Tiram. 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: $621 in Phuket versus $390 in Ulu Tiram. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $688 in Phuket versus $190 in Ulu Tiram. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 28% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $857 in Ulu Tiram versus $1,264 in Phuket, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Ulu Tiram but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Ulu Tiram the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Ulu Tiram 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 Ulu Tiram 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 Ulu Tiram gentler on the wallet – expenses run 47% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.