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: $857 in Ulu Tiram versus $1,264 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,302 in Ulu Tiram versus $2,256 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,747 in Ulu Tiram versus $3,248 in Phuket.

Living in Ulu Tiram costs roughly 32% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Ulu Tiram 36% lower, Phuket 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.51 MYR 14.35

$4.48 ฿150

-21.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.02 MYR 77.7

$45.59 ฿1,522

-58.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.84 MYR 19.78

$8.76 ฿292

-44.75%

Cappuccino

$2.80 MYR 11.44

$2.97 ฿99.1

-5.72%

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

$0.68 MYR 2.79

$0.69 ฿22.92

-1.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 MYR 1.60

$0.39 ฿13.05

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.36 MYR 17.81

$2.53 ฿84.5

72.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.46 MYR 26.40

$3.75 ฿125

72.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.81 MYR 7.41

$2.15 ฿71.6

-15.81%

White Bread (500g)

$1.01 MYR 4.13

$1.82 ฿60.6

-44.51%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.29 MYR 5.29

$2.18 ฿73.0

-40.83%

Eggs

$1.81 MYR 7.39

$2.25 ฿75.1

-19.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.79 MYR 44.04

$20.00 ฿668

-46.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.05 MYR 16.54

$3.63 ฿121

11.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.27 MYR 33.78

$13.56 ฿453

-39.01%

Apples (1kg)

$2.69 MYR 10.99

$3.24 ฿108

-16.98%

Banana (1kg)

$1.52 MYR 6.21

$1.64 ฿54.6

-7.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.44 MYR 9.96

$2.33 ฿77.9

4.72%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.24 MYR 5.07

$2.07 ฿69.2

-40.10%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 MYR 4.62

$1.55 ฿51.7

-27.10%

Onion (1kg)

$1.39 MYR 5.69

$1.46 ฿48.58

-4.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.91 MYR 3.71

$0.98 ฿32.88

-7.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.64 MYR 2.61

$0.48 ฿16.11

33.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.13 MYR 16.85

$4.35 ฿145

-5.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.83 MYR 68.7

$18.57 ฿620

-9.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.85 MYR 11.65

$1.86 ฿62.0

53.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.04 MYR 12.40

$2.65 ฿88.7

14.72%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.68 MYR 2.79

$1.42 ฿47.32

-52.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.81 MYR 48.22

$11.57 ฿386

2.07%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.02 MYR 4.17

$3.17 ฿106

-67.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 MYR 4.03

$1.03 ฿34.45

-3.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.34 MYR 38.12

$13.89 ฿464

-32.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.47 MYR 1.91

$1.34 ฿44.88

-64.93%

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

$35.3K MYR 144.2K

$27.8K ฿927.9K

27.10%

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

$33.5K MYR 136.7K

$33.4K ฿1.1M

0.28%

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

$45.37 MYR 185

$123 ฿4,109

-63.13%

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

$8.92 MYR 36.42

$13.77 ฿460

-35.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.40 MYR 124

$18.33 ฿612

65.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.52 MYR 149

$60.7 ฿2,026

-39.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.98 MYR 24.40

$17.16 ฿573

-65.15%

Cinema Ticket

$5.08 MYR 20.74

$8.87 ฿296

-42.73%

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

$190 MYR 774

$688 ฿23.0K

-72.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,837 MYR 27.9K

$15.8K ฿526.9K

-56.67%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.2 MYR 262

$59.3 ฿1,980

8.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$18.86 MYR 77.0

$34.69 ฿1,158

-45.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$71.0 MYR 290

$115 ฿3,846

-38.39%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$46.40 MYR 189

$83.8 ฿2,797

-44.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$390 MYR 1,594

$621 ฿20.7K

-37.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$272 MYR 1,109

$446 ฿14.9K

-39.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$642 MYR 2,620

$2,034 ฿67.9K

-68.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$469 MYR 1,917

$1,496 ฿50.0K

-68.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,064 MYR 8,428

$3,455 ฿115.4K

-40.26%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,147 MYR 4,682

$2,531 ฿84.5K

-54.70%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$861 MYR 3,516

$494 ฿16.5K

74.41%

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: July 26, 2026

Last update for Phuket: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $390 in Ulu Tiram and $621 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ulu Tiram pays 74% 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 $46.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $228 vs $291 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 47% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 74% higher in Ulu Tiram, 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: $390 in Ulu Tiram versus $621 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $190 in Ulu Tiram versus $688 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 $857 in Ulu Tiram versus $1,264 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 47% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.