Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Ulu Tiram

For one person, living is cheaper in Ulu Tiram: $938 a month against $1,278 in Phuket, rent and utilities included – about $4,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

62

Cost of Living Index in Phuket
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Phuket Living Index
44

Cost of Living Index in Ulu Tiram
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Ulu Tiram Living Index

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Phuket

🇹🇭 Thailand

$1,278

/mo nomad

Ulu Tiram

🇲🇾 Malaysia

$938

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Phuket and in Ulu Tiram

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Phuket and in Ulu Tiram actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,278 in Phuket versus $938 in Ulu Tiram.

Phuket $1,278
Ulu Tiram $938

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,216 in Phuket versus $1,412 in Ulu Tiram.

Phuket $2,216
Ulu Tiram $1,412

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,154 in Phuket versus $1,885 in Ulu Tiram.

Phuket $3,154
Ulu Tiram $1,885

Living in Phuket is roughly 36% more expensive than in Ulu Tiram, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 6% lower, Ulu Tiram 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.47 ฿151

$3.58 MYR 14.59

24.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.41 ฿1,093

$19.21 MYR 78.2

68.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.81 ฿297

$4.97 MYR 20.24

77.26%

Cappuccino

$2.83 ฿95.4

$2.92 MYR 11.90

-3.08%

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

$0.87 ฿29.40

$0.85 MYR 3.44

2.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.65

$0.41 MYR 1.67

19.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.56 ฿86.3

$4.50 MYR 18.30

-43.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.68 ฿124

$6.40 MYR 26.03

-42.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.66 ฿55.9

$1.73 MYR 7.02

-4.05%

White Bread (500g)

$1.46 ฿49.29

$1.04 MYR 4.23

40.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.5

$1.48 MYR 6.03

1.35%

Eggs

$2.09 ฿70.5

$1.80 MYR 7.33

16.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.07 ฿643

$9.62 MYR 39.17

98.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.30 ฿111

$4.23 MYR 17.21

-21.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.91 ฿368

$9.57 MYR 38.95

14.00%

Apples (1kg)

$2.93 ฿98.8

$3.30 MYR 13.44

-11.21%

Banana (1kg)

$1.69 ฿57.0

$1.69 MYR 6.90

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 ฿75.7

$2.76 MYR 11.25

-18.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿70.0

$1.64 MYR 6.68

26.83%

Potato (1kg)

$1.51 ฿51.0

$1.45 MYR 5.92

4.14%

Onion (1kg)

$1.38 ฿46.51

$1.67 MYR 6.78

-17.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 ฿35.95

$1.39 MYR 5.65

-23.02%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.50

$0.56 MYR 2.29

-7.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.20 ฿142

$4.30 MYR 17.48

-2.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.79 ฿634

$17.28 MYR 70.3

8.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.82 ฿61.4

$2.96 MYR 12.04

-38.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 ฿95.8

$3.11 MYR 12.65

-8.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.45 ฿48.97

$0.80 MYR 3.25

81.25%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$56.7 ฿1,911

$13.32 MYR 54.2

325.38%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ฿102

$0.94 MYR 3.84

221.28%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 ฿34.32

$0.38 MYR 1.55

168.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.69 ฿124

$8.77 MYR 35.71

-57.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 ฿49.75

$0.86 MYR 3.51

70.93%

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

$26.8K ฿903.2K

$43.8K MYR 178.3K

-38.88%

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

$26.7K ฿900.3K

$35.5K MYR 144.5K

-24.82%

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

$96.4 ฿3,250

$53.5 MYR 218

80.16%

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

$11.26 ฿380

$8.46 MYR 34.42

33.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.85 ฿568

$28.46 MYR 116

-40.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 ฿2,268

$37.15 MYR 151

80.97%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.73 ฿362

$6.93 MYR 28.19

54.83%

Cinema Ticket

$7.50 ฿253

$4.80 MYR 19.53

56.25%

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

$476 ฿16.1K

$241 MYR 980

97.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.3K ฿379.9K

$4,550 MYR 18.5K

147.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.4 ฿2,103

$55.0 MYR 224

13.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.41 ฿958

$16.99 MYR 69.2

67.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.3 ฿3,180

$78.7 MYR 320

19.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.8 ฿2,894

$87.0 MYR 354

-1.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$716 ฿24.1K

$453 MYR 1,844

58.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$491 ฿16.6K

$315 MYR 1,282

55.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,927 ฿65.0K

$709 MYR 2,887

171.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,431 ฿48.3K

$547 MYR 2,227

161.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,175 ฿140.8K

$2,005 MYR 8,161

108.25%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,045 ฿102.7K

$1,196 MYR 4,867

154.64%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$502 ฿16.9K

$869 MYR 3,535

-42.17%

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: October 26, 2026

Last update for Ulu Tiram: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Phuket

$491 38.4%

Ulu Tiram

$315 33.6% 35.8% $176

Groceries & Markets

Phuket

$266 20.8%

Ulu Tiram

$241 25.7% 9.5% $25

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Phuket

$124 9.7%

Ulu Tiram

$90 9.6% 27.4% $34

Clothing & Footwear

Phuket

$122 9.5%

Ulu Tiram

$107 11.4% 12.2% $15

Eating Out

Phuket

$122 9.5%

Ulu Tiram

$119 12.7% 2.2% $2.7

Sport & Entertainment

Phuket

$82 6.4%

Ulu Tiram

$47 5% 43.2% $35

Getting Around

Phuket

$71 5.5%

Ulu Tiram

$19 2.1% 72.6% $51

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $716 in Phuket and $453 in Ulu Tiram. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ulu Tiram pays 73% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $32 in Phuket vs $19 in Ulu Tiram for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $266 vs $241 per month, with Ulu Tiram cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Phuket

🇲🇾 Ulu Tiram

🕒 Local time

01:12 1:12 AM

02:12 2:12 AM

1 h ahead of Phuket

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

79,308

75,350

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

Malaysian Ringgit MYR RM

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.96 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

1 MYR = 0.246 USD

1 MYR = 0.22 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

MYR, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇭 Thai Baht (฿)

Thai Baht exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 33.73 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.64 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

Malaysian Ringgit exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 4.07 MYR (1 MYR = 0.246 USD). 1 EUR = 4.54 MYR (1 MYR = 0.22 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Phuket Ulu Tiram 920 km ≈ 1 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Phuket
Ulu Tiram

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 about 27% cheaper overall, especially in transport, leisure, and groceries. That difference adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 42% lower in Phuket. 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: $716 in Phuket versus $453 in Ulu Tiram. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $476 in Phuket versus $241 in Ulu Tiram. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 10% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Both cities are expensive relative to $800. Ulu Tiram is the more realistic option, but even there you’ll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Phuket and Ulu Tiram are both considered safe, so it’s unlikely to be the deciding factor between them.

Expats usually find Ulu Tiram gentler on the wallet – expenses run 27% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.