Cost of Living Comparison Between Sarawak and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Sarawak and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $986 in Sarawak versus $1,265 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,450 in Sarawak versus $2,089 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,914 in Sarawak versus $2,913 in Phuket.

Living in Sarawak costs roughly 22% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Sarawak 29% lower, Phuket 8% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.73 MYR 15.19

$4.66 ฿154

-19.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.47 MYR 79.2

$32.22 ฿1,065

-39.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.91 MYR 19.96

$8.68 ฿287

-43.43%

Cappuccino

$3.00 MYR 12.22

$2.90 ฿95.8

3.45%

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

$0.82 MYR 3.36

$0.84 ฿27.89

-2.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 MYR 1.61

$0.49 ฿16.16

-20.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.63 MYR 14.77

$2.48 ฿82.0

46.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.54 MYR 18.46

$3.73 ฿123

21.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.82 MYR 7.40

$1.89 ฿62.3

-3.70%

White Bread (500g)

$1.06 MYR 4.32

$1.41 ฿46.54

-24.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.51 MYR 6.15

$1.62 ฿53.6

-6.79%

Eggs

$1.85 MYR 7.54

$2.24 ฿74.1

-17.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.17 MYR 53.6

$19.84 ฿656

-33.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.39 MYR 17.84

$3.48 ฿115

26.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.79 MYR 39.85

$11.37 ฿376

-13.90%

Apples (1kg)

$3.26 MYR 13.26

$2.90 ฿95.8

12.41%

Banana (1kg)

$1.76 MYR 7.18

$1.72 ฿57.0

2.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 MYR 9.81

$2.27 ฿75.1

6.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.66 MYR 6.74

$2.13 ฿70.4

-22.07%

Potato (1kg)

$1.32 MYR 5.37

$1.47 ฿48.72

-10.20%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 MYR 4.74

$1.42 ฿46.92

-17.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.21 MYR 4.92

$1.10 ฿36.25

10.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 MYR 2.29

$0.60 ฿19.76

-6.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.40 MYR 17.89

$4.31 ฿142

2.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.47 MYR 79.2

$18.60 ฿615

4.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.02 MYR 12.29

$1.80 ฿59.5

67.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.68 MYR 14.97

$2.97 ฿98.0

23.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.72 MYR 2.92

$2.25 ฿74.2

-68.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.50 MYR 50.9

$23.49 ฿776

-46.79%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.20 MYR 4.90

$3.10 ฿102

-61.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.48 MYR 1.95

$1.08 ฿35.56

-55.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.32 MYR 29.77

$3.87 ฿128

89.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.73 MYR 2.96

$1.43 ฿47.16

-48.95%

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

$42.2K MYR 171.7K

$27.8K ฿918.0K

51.89%

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

$35.7K MYR 145.3K

$27.0K ฿891.5K

32.41%

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

$49.33 MYR 201

$105 ฿3,462

-52.93%

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

$9.93 MYR 40.41

$11.39 ฿376

-12.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.50 MYR 116

$17.54 ฿580

62.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.37 MYR 164

$54.3 ฿1,795

-25.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.50 MYR 26.45

$11.44 ฿378

-43.18%

Cinema Ticket

$4.95 MYR 20.13

$7.78 ฿257

-36.38%

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

$177 MYR 718

$576 ฿19.0K

-69.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,909 MYR 20.0K

$11.6K ฿382.7K

-57.61%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.3 MYR 249

$63.6 ฿2,103

-3.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.90 MYR 146

$29.10 ฿961

23.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$81.2 MYR 330

$96.2 ฿3,179

-15.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.2 MYR 282

$90.0 ฿2,974

-23.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$422 MYR 1,716

$733 ฿24.2K

-42.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$328 MYR 1,334

$501 ฿16.5K

-34.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$709 MYR 2,883

$2,126 ฿70.2K

-66.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$493 MYR 2,007

$1,252 ฿41.4K

-60.61%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,086 MYR 8,485

$3,534 ฿116.8K

-40.98%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,123 MYR 4,567

$2,622 ฿86.6K

-57.18%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$343 MYR 1,397

$508 ฿16.8K

-32.34%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.2

5.57

-24.60%

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

Last update for Sarawak: September 7, 2026

Last update for Phuket: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $422 in Sarawak and $733 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 48% 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: $19.00 in Sarawak vs $32.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $257 vs $275 per month, with Sarawak 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

Sarawak vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Sarawak is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 28% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 48% 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: $422 in Sarawak versus $733 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $177 in Sarawak versus $576 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 7% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $986 in Sarawak versus $1,265 in Phuket, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Sarawak but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Sarawak the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Sarawak 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, Sarawak 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 Sarawak gentler on the wallet – expenses run 28% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.