Cost of Living Comparison Between Ulu Tiram and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Ulu Tiram and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $840 in Ulu Tiram versus $1,261 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,267 in Ulu Tiram versus $2,286 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,694 in Ulu Tiram versus $3,310 in Phuket.

Living in Ulu Tiram costs roughly 33% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Ulu Tiram 38% lower, Phuket 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.53 MYR 14.30

$4.56 ฿149

-22.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.65 MYR 75.6

$46.63 ฿1,519

-60.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.85 MYR 19.66

$8.47 ฿276

-42.74%

Cappuccino

$2.78 MYR 11.27

$3.03 ฿98.6

-8.25%

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

$0.72 MYR 2.92

$0.69 ฿22.45

4.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 MYR 1.59

$0.37 ฿11.92

5.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.31 MYR 17.47

$2.49 ฿81.0

73.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.76 MYR 27.43

$3.66 ฿119

84.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.86 MYR 7.55

$2.18 ฿71.0

-14.68%

White Bread (500g)

$0.92 MYR 3.74

$1.90 ฿62.0

-51.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.29 MYR 5.22

$2.20 ฿71.6

-41.36%

Eggs

$1.90 MYR 7.72

$2.22 ฿72.4

-14.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.82 MYR 43.86

$19.99 ฿651

-45.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.96 MYR 16.06

$3.66 ฿119

8.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.12 MYR 32.93

$13.25 ฿432

-38.72%

Apples (1kg)

$2.76 MYR 11.20

$3.23 ฿105

-14.55%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MYR 6.14

$1.70 ฿55.3

-11.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.55 MYR 10.35

$2.39 ฿78.0

6.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.26 MYR 5.12

$2.08 ฿67.7

-39.42%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 MYR 4.75

$1.59 ฿51.8

-26.42%

Onion (1kg)

$1.32 MYR 5.37

$1.48 ฿48.31

-10.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.93 MYR 3.79

$1.03 ฿33.54

-9.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.62 MYR 2.53

$0.52 ฿16.83

19.23%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.11 MYR 16.66

$4.25 ฿138

-3.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.21 MYR 69.8

$18.79 ฿612

-8.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.76 MYR 11.17

$1.76 ฿57.2

56.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 MYR 12.18

$2.76 ฿89.8

8.70%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.68 MYR 2.78

$1.36 ฿44.32

-50.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.98 MYR 48.58

$11.36 ฿370

5.46%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.02 MYR 4.14

$3.14 ฿102

-67.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.98 MYR 3.99

$1.04 ฿33.74

-5.77%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.35 MYR 37.90

$13.77 ฿448

-32.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.50 MYR 2.02

$1.34 ฿43.79

-62.69%

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

$35.3K MYR 143.1K

$27.7K ฿901.4K

27.50%

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

$33.1K MYR 134.4K

$33.9K ฿1.1M

-2.14%

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

$45.96 MYR 186

$124 ฿4,025

-62.81%

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

$9.33 MYR 37.82

$13.52 ฿440

-30.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.60 MYR 124

$18.69 ฿609

63.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.60 MYR 152

$61.8 ฿2,013

-39.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.72 MYR 23.19

$17.25 ฿562

-66.84%

Cinema Ticket

$5.01 MYR 20.32

$9.14 ฿298

-45.19%

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

$188 MYR 763

$703 ฿22.9K

-73.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,893 MYR 27.9K

$15.9K ฿517.0K

-56.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.0 MYR 259

$59.5 ฿1,937

7.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.00 MYR 77.0

$35.07 ฿1,142

-45.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.0 MYR 284

$115 ฿3,754

-39.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$47.07 MYR 191

$84.1 ฿2,737

-44.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$387 MYR 1,571

$619 ฿20.1K

-37.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$267 MYR 1,083

$433 ฿14.1K

-38.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$637 MYR 2,581

$2,062 ฿67.2K

-69.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$472 MYR 1,914

$1,511 ฿49.2K

-68.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,979 MYR 8,025

$3,646 ฿118.7K

-45.72%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$971 MYR 3,938

$2,626 ฿85.5K

-63.01%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$863 MYR 3,500

$507 ฿16.5K

70.26%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.07

5.33

-23.64%

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

Last update for Ulu Tiram: June 8, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $387 in Ulu Tiram and $619 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ulu Tiram pays 70% 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 Ulu Tiram vs $47.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $228 vs $293 per month, with Ulu Tiram 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

Ulu Tiram vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ulu Tiram is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 50% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Ulu Tiram pays 70% 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: $387 in Ulu Tiram versus $619 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $188 in Ulu Tiram versus $703 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 28% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $840 in Ulu Tiram versus $1,261 in Phuket, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Ulu Tiram but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Ulu Tiram the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Ulu Tiram 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, Ulu Tiram 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 Ulu Tiram gentler on the wallet – expenses run 50% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.