Cost of Living Comparison Between Seri Iskandar and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Seri Iskandar and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $754 in Seri Iskandar versus $1,261 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $945 in Seri Iskandar versus $2,078 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,136 in Seri Iskandar versus $2,896 in Phuket.

Living in Seri Iskandar costs roughly 40% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Seri Iskandar 45% lower, Phuket 8% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.91 MYR 11.75

$4.43 ฿145

-34.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.82 MYR 120

$35.07 ฿1,151

-14.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.56 MYR 18.40

$8.96 ฿294

-49.11%

Cappuccino

$0.97 MYR 3.93

$3.00 ฿98.4

-67.67%

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

$0.56 MYR 2.25

$0.77 ฿25.33

-27.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.28 MYR 1.13

$0.47 ฿15.44

-40.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.93 MYR 11.84

$2.40 ฿78.6

22.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.71 MYR 15.00

$3.75 ฿123

-1.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 MYR 6.56

$1.82 ฿59.8

-10.99%

White Bread (500g)

$1.00 MYR 4.05

$1.42 ฿46.65

-29.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.47 MYR 1.90

$1.55 ฿50.8

-69.68%

Eggs

$2.10 MYR 8.47

$2.13 ฿69.9

-1.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.49 MYR 22.20

$19.76 ฿648

-72.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$1.96 MYR 7.90

$3.48 ฿114

-43.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.38 MYR 17.71

$11.09 ฿364

-60.50%

Apples (1kg)

$2.20 MYR 8.87

$2.91 ฿95.5

-24.40%

Banana (1kg)

$1.76 MYR 7.11

$1.66 ฿54.6

6.02%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.92 MYR 7.77

$2.27 ฿74.5

-15.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.02 MYR 4.11

$2.10 ฿68.8

-51.43%

Potato (1kg)

$0.59 MYR 2.40

$1.47 ฿48.24

-59.86%

Onion (1kg)

$0.98 MYR 3.96

$1.41 ฿46.29

-30.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.96 MYR 3.90

$1.09 ฿35.78

-11.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 MYR 2.39

$0.54 ฿17.58

9.26%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.30 MYR 17.38

$4.48 ฿147

-4.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.56 MYR 30.53

$18.72 ฿614

-59.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.49 MYR 10.05

$1.84 ฿60.4

35.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.61 MYR 14.60

$2.95 ฿96.7

22.37%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.13 MYR 4.58

$2.26 ฿74.1

-50.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.10 MYR 48.87

$23.07 ฿757

-47.55%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.02 MYR 4.13

$3.04 ฿99.9

-66.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.48 MYR 1.95

$1.09 ฿35.82

-55.96%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.06 MYR 20.43

$3.82 ฿125

32.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.58 MYR 2.34

$1.49 ฿48.79

-61.07%

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

$19.8K MYR 80.0K

$27.4K ฿900.3K

-27.79%

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

$19.4K MYR 78.3K

$27.5K ฿902.7K

-29.52%

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

$65.0 MYR 262

$102 ฿3,340

-36.19%

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

$9.32 MYR 37.63

$11.28 ฿370

-17.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.74 MYR 67.6

$17.75 ฿582

-5.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$13.30 MYR 53.7

$54.2 ฿1,777

-75.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.93 MYR 27.98

$10.96 ฿360

-36.77%

Cinema Ticket

$3.66 MYR 14.77

$7.85 ฿258

-53.38%

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

$171 MYR 689

$577 ฿18.9K

-70.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,029 MYR 20.3K

$11.6K ฿381.6K

-56.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$17.23 MYR 69.6

$65.4 ฿2,144

-73.64%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$8.49 MYR 34.29

$28.89 ฿948

-70.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$62.6 MYR 253

$99.1 ฿3,250

-36.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$37.09 MYR 150

$90.3 ฿2,961

-58.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$431 MYR 1,743

$756 ฿24.8K

-42.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$341 MYR 1,378

$487 ฿16.0K

-30.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$797 MYR 3,219

$2,085 ฿68.4K

-61.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$158 MYR 639

$1,207 ฿39.6K

-86.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,806 MYR 7,298

$3,591 ฿117.8K

-49.69%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,244 MYR 5,025

$2,610 ฿85.6K

-52.35%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$365 MYR 1,474

$502 ฿16.5K

-27.33%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

-64.09%

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

Last update for Seri Iskandar: August 17, 2026

Last update for Phuket: August 18, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $431 in Seri Iskandar and $756 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 38% 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: $30.00 in Seri Iskandar vs $35.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $160 vs $272 per month, with Seri Iskandar 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

Seri Iskandar vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Seri Iskandar is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 67% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 38% 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: $431 in Seri Iskandar versus $756 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $171 in Seri Iskandar versus $577 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 70% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $754 in Seri Iskandar versus $1,261 in Phuket, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Seri Iskandar but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Seri Iskandar the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Seri Iskandar 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, Seri Iskandar 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 Seri Iskandar gentler on the wallet – expenses run 67% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.