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: $709 in Seri Iskandar versus $1,190 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $901 in Seri Iskandar versus $2,006 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,094 in Seri Iskandar versus $2,822 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 47% lower, Phuket 11% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.88 MYR 11.76

$4.35 ฿146

-33.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.54 MYR 121

$32.45 ฿1,093

-8.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.61 MYR 18.84

$8.42 ฿283

-45.25%

Cappuccino

$1.01 MYR 4.11

$2.81 ฿94.5

-64.06%

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

$0.56 MYR 2.28

$0.87 ฿29.46

-35.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.26 MYR 1.05

$0.46 ฿15.48

-43.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.02 MYR 12.34

$2.59 ฿87.0

16.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.64 MYR 14.87

$3.64 ฿123

Milk (1 liter)

$1.63 MYR 6.66

$1.71 ฿57.5

-4.68%

White Bread (500g)

$0.96 MYR 3.91

$1.45 ฿48.69

-33.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.50 MYR 2.05

$1.56 ฿52.5

-67.95%

Eggs

$2.04 MYR 8.35

$2.10 ฿70.7

-2.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.43 MYR 22.19

$19.53 ฿657

-72.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$1.92 MYR 7.86

$3.40 ฿114

-43.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.47 MYR 18.28

$11.14 ฿375

-59.87%

Apples (1kg)

$2.26 MYR 9.21

$2.83 ฿95.4

-20.14%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 MYR 7.09

$1.62 ฿54.6

7.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.00 MYR 8.16

$2.22 ฿74.9

-9.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.94 MYR 3.85

$2.15 ฿72.3

-56.28%

Potato (1kg)

$0.60 MYR 2.45

$1.49 ฿50.2

-59.73%

Onion (1kg)

$0.97 MYR 3.95

$1.33 ฿44.65

-27.07%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.93 MYR 3.82

$1.07 ฿35.92

-13.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 MYR 2.42

$0.51 ฿17.10

15.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.34 MYR 17.72

$4.38 ฿148

-0.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.20 MYR 29.41

$18.77 ฿632

-61.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.49 MYR 10.18

$1.74 ฿58.6

43.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.77 MYR 15.38

$2.78 ฿93.5

35.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.08 MYR 4.43

$2.17 ฿73.0

-50.23%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.22 MYR 49.92

$22.28 ฿750

-45.15%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.96 MYR 3.94

$3.02 ฿102

-68.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.51 MYR 2.10

$1.06 ฿35.63

-51.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.02 MYR 20.50

$3.71 ฿125

35.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.56 MYR 2.29

$1.43 ฿48.16

-60.84%

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

$19.9K MYR 81.3K

$26.3K ฿887.1K

-24.43%

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

$19.2K MYR 78.5K

$26.2K ฿882.3K

-26.68%

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

$62.7 MYR 256

$96.7 ฿3,254

-35.17%

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

$9.25 MYR 37.80

$11.41 ฿384

-18.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.83 MYR 68.8

$17.11 ฿576

-1.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$13.56 MYR 55.4

$52.8 ฿1,778

-74.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.22 MYR 29.48

$11.07 ฿373

-34.78%

Cinema Ticket

$3.62 MYR 14.78

$7.65 ฿258

-52.68%

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

$173 MYR 705

$555 ฿18.7K

-68.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.5K MYR 50.9K

$11.3K ฿379.9K

10.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$17.18 MYR 70.2

$63.4 ฿2,135

-72.91%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$8.54 MYR 34.89

$28.61 ฿963

-70.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$60.9 MYR 249

$96.7 ฿3,256

-37.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$37.28 MYR 152

$88.6 ฿2,983

-57.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$398 MYR 1,626

$735 ฿24.7K

-45.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$309 MYR 1,262

$458 ฿15.4K

-32.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$667 MYR 2,727

$2,102 ฿70.8K

-68.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$162 MYR 661

$1,187 ฿40.0K

-86.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,055 MYR 8,394

$3,493 ฿117.6K

-41.17%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,070 MYR 4,370

$2,491 ฿83.9K

-57.06%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$373 MYR 1,522

$501 ฿16.9K

-25.61%

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: October 5, 2026

Last update for Phuket: October 4, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $398 in Seri Iskandar and $735 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 34% 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 $32.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $159 vs $268 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 68% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 34% 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: $398 in Seri Iskandar versus $735 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $173 in Seri Iskandar versus $555 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 69% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $709 in Seri Iskandar versus $1,190 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 68% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.