Cost of Living Comparison Between Shah Alam and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Shah Alam and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $873 in Shah Alam versus $1,250 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,333 in Shah Alam versus $2,284 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,793 in Shah Alam versus $3,317 in Phuket.

Living in Shah Alam costs roughly 30% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Shah Alam 35% lower, Phuket 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.97 MYR 12.16

$4.55 ฿153

-34.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.70 MYR 76.5

$46.18 ฿1,553

-59.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.13 MYR 16.90

$8.84 ฿297

-53.28%

Cappuccino

$2.73 MYR 11.15

$3.06 ฿103

-10.78%

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

$0.72 MYR 2.93

$0.73 ฿24.40

-1.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 MYR 1.49

$0.40 ฿13.39

-10.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.59 MYR 14.70

$2.43 ฿81.8

47.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.31 MYR 17.62

$3.78 ฿127

14.02%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.80 MYR 7.38

$2.26 ฿76.0

-20.35%

White Bread (500g)

$0.99 MYR 4.06

$1.81 ฿60.9

-45.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.49 MYR 6.10

$2.25 ฿75.8

-33.78%

Eggs

$2.03 MYR 8.29

$2.25 ฿75.5

-9.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.35 MYR 58.7

$19.51 ฿656

-26.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.07 MYR 20.73

$3.65 ฿123

38.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.92 MYR 32.41

$13.05 ฿439

-39.31%

Apples (1kg)

$2.80 MYR 11.45

$3.23 ฿109

-13.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MYR 6.13

$1.62 ฿54.4

-7.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.55 MYR 10.43

$2.38 ฿80.1

7.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.24 MYR 5.09

$2.03 ฿68.1

-38.92%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 MYR 4.61

$1.53 ฿51.6

-26.14%

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 MYR 5.49

$1.50 ฿50.5

-10.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.91 MYR 3.73

$0.98 ฿32.91

-7.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 MYR 2.13

$0.52 ฿17.39

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.13 MYR 16.88

$4.44 ฿149

-6.98%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.60 MYR 76.1

$18.32 ฿616

1.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.65 MYR 10.86

$1.86 ฿62.7

42.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.00 MYR 16.36

$2.68 ฿90.1

49.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.74 MYR 3.03

$1.41 ฿47.46

-47.52%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.20 MYR 62.2

$11.70 ฿393

29.91%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.95 MYR 3.90

$3.11 ฿105

-69.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.54 MYR 2.20

$1.04 ฿35.06

-48.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.21 MYR 29.47

$14.11 ฿474

-48.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.49 MYR 2.01

$1.31 ฿44.10

-62.60%

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

$33.6K MYR 137.6K

$27.8K ฿935.4K

20.92%

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

$27.4K MYR 112.2K

$33.2K ฿1.1M

-17.45%

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

$41.19 MYR 168

$122 ฿4,118

-66.36%

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

$10.07 MYR 41.20

$13.59 ฿457

-25.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.14 MYR 123

$18.70 ฿629

61.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.85 MYR 159

$60.5 ฿2,034

-35.77%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.82 MYR 23.81

$16.98 ฿571

-65.72%

Cinema Ticket

$6.37 MYR 26.04

$9.07 ฿305

-29.77%

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

$210 MYR 861

$706 ฿23.8K

-70.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,234 MYR 25.5K

$15.8K ฿531.5K

-60.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.0 MYR 205

$58.6 ฿1,969

-14.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.92 MYR 143

$35.36 ฿1,189

-1.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$61.0 MYR 249

$115 ฿3,883

-47.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$49.48 MYR 202

$83.7 ฿2,816

-40.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$372 MYR 1,521

$626 ฿21.0K

-40.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$266 MYR 1,087

$445 ฿15.0K

-40.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$586 MYR 2,398

$2,040 ฿68.6K

-71.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$482 MYR 1,970

$1,492 ฿50.2K

-67.72%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,505 MYR 6,155

$3,483 ฿117.1K

-56.79%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,208 MYR 4,942

$2,577 ฿86.7K

-53.11%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,252 MYR 5,120

$500 ฿16.8K

150.46%

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 Shah Alam: July 13, 2026

Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $372 in Shah Alam and $626 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Shah Alam pays 150% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $19.00 in Shah Alam vs $46.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $248 vs $289 per month, with Shah Alam 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

Shah Alam vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Shah Alam is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 43% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 150% higher in Shah Alam, 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: $372 in Shah Alam versus $626 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $210 in Shah Alam versus $706 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 17% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $873 in Shah Alam versus $1,250 in Phuket, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Shah Alam but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Shah Alam the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Shah Alam 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, Shah Alam 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 Shah Alam gentler on the wallet – expenses run 43% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.