Cost of Living Comparison Between Rawang and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Rawang and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $852 in Rawang versus $1,265 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,310 in Rawang versus $2,297 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,768 in Rawang versus $3,329 in Phuket.

Living in Rawang costs roughly 33% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Rawang 36% lower, Phuket 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.04 MYR 12.05

$4.70 ฿153

-35.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.02 MYR 83.4

$45.37 ฿1,482

-53.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.28 MYR 16.99

$8.43 ฿275

-49.23%

Cappuccino

$2.82 MYR 11.20

$2.93 ฿95.6

-3.75%

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

$0.91 MYR 3.60

$0.69 ฿22.40

31.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.34 MYR 1.35

$0.37 ฿11.99

-8.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.17 MYR 16.55

$2.41 ฿78.6

73.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.31 MYR 17.10

$3.72 ฿122

15.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.84 MYR 7.28

$2.23 ฿72.9

-17.49%

White Bread (500g)

$1.03 MYR 4.08

$1.83 ฿59.8

-43.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.72 MYR 6.81

$2.17 ฿70.8

-20.74%

Eggs

$2.05 MYR 8.11

$2.21 ฿72.3

-7.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.67 MYR 58.2

$19.74 ฿645

-25.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.59 MYR 18.22

$3.63 ฿119

26.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.40 MYR 37.29

$13.53 ฿442

-30.52%

Apples (1kg)

$2.86 MYR 11.35

$3.28 ฿107

-12.80%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MYR 5.95

$1.61 ฿52.6

-6.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.71 MYR 10.75

$2.41 ฿78.6

12.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.46 MYR 5.77

$2.08 ฿68.1

-29.81%

Potato (1kg)

$1.14 MYR 4.54

$1.53 ฿49.93

-25.49%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 MYR 4.62

$1.48 ฿48.36

-21.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.92 MYR 3.64

$0.99 ฿32.29

-7.07%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 MYR 1.93

$0.51 ฿16.67

-3.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.33 MYR 17.18

$4.41 ฿144

-1.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.73 MYR 78.2

$19.38 ฿633

1.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.68 MYR 10.64

$1.78 ฿58.1

50.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.36 MYR 13.31

$2.71 ฿88.6

23.99%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.69 MYR 2.72

$1.37 ฿44.79

-49.64%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.68 MYR 46.30

$11.39 ฿372

2.55%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.73 MYR 2.91

$3.02 ฿98.6

-75.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.51 MYR 2.00

$0.99 ฿32.48

-48.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.59 MYR 18.19

$14.10 ฿461

-67.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.51 MYR 2.01

$1.36 ฿44.51

-62.50%

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

$33.9K MYR 134.3K

$28.2K ฿921.1K

20.13%

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

$27.2K MYR 108.0K

$32.9K ฿1.1M

-17.21%

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

$37.94 MYR 150

$122 ฿3,975

-68.82%

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

$10.01 MYR 39.71

$13.57 ฿443

-26.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.40 MYR 101

$18.31 ฿598

38.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.31 MYR 148

$60.2 ฿1,967

-38.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.79 MYR 22.95

$17.14 ฿560

-66.22%

Cinema Ticket

$4.87 MYR 19.30

$8.69 ฿284

-43.96%

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

$235 MYR 934

$693 ฿22.6K

-66.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,161 MYR 24.4K

$15.7K ฿512.3K

-60.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.6 MYR 220

$59.5 ฿1,944

-6.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.12 MYR 115

$34.77 ฿1,136

-16.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$60.4 MYR 240

$115 ฿3,743

-47.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$51.9 MYR 206

$83.3 ฿2,720

-37.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$380 MYR 1,506

$613 ฿20.0K

-38.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$271 MYR 1,076

$437 ฿14.3K

-37.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$635 MYR 2,516

$2,094 ฿68.4K

-69.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$480 MYR 1,903

$1,509 ฿49.3K

-68.21%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,013 MYR 7,981

$3,749 ฿122.5K

-46.31%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$962 MYR 3,814

$2,616 ฿85.4K

-63.23%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,232 MYR 4,886

$508 ฿16.6K

142.50%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.16

5.33

-21.95%

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

Last update for Rawang: May 31, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $380 in Rawang and $613 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Rawang pays 143% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $21.00 in Rawang vs $45.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $255 vs $293 per month, with Rawang 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

Rawang vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Rawang is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 48% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Rawang pays 143% more on average, 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: $380 in Rawang versus $613 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $235 in Rawang versus $693 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 15% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $852 in Rawang versus $1,265 in Phuket, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Rawang but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Rawang the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Rawang 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, Rawang and Phuket 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 Rawang gentler on the wallet – expenses run 48% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.