Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Ciudad del Este and Phuket

Name: Phuket
Address: Phuket, TH

For one person, living is cheaper in Ciudad del Este: $799 a month against $1,207 in Phuket, rent and utilities included – about $4,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

39

Cost of Living Index in Ciudad del Este
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Ciudad del Este Living Index
59

Cost of Living Index in Phuket
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Phuket Living Index

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Ciudad del Este

🇵🇾 Paraguay

$799

/mo nomad

Phuket

🇹🇭 Thailand

$1,207

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Ciudad del Este and in Phuket

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Ciudad del Este and in Phuket actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $799 per month in Ciudad del Este vs $1,207 in Phuket, rent included.

Ciudad del Este $799
Phuket $1,207

A couple spends around $1,500 per month in Ciudad del Este vs $2,037 in Phuket, rent included.

Ciudad del Este $1,500
Phuket $2,037

A family of three spends $2,201 per month in Ciudad del Este vs $2,867 in Phuket, rent included.

Ciudad del Este $2,201
Phuket $2,867

Ciudad del Este is about 34% cheaper than Phuket, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Ciudad del Este and Phuket are more affordable than the global median – Ciudad del Este 41% lower, Phuket 11% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.08 ₲34.6K

$4.58 ฿153

32.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.70 ₲129.1K

$32.48 ฿1,086

-30.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.87 ₲33.4K

$8.55 ฿286

-31.35%

Cappuccino

$2.31 ₲13.1K

$2.72 ฿91.0

-15.07%

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

$0.99 ₲5,638

$0.94 ฿31.25

5.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.61 ₲3,492

$0.49 ฿16.39

24.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.03 ₲5,838

$2.59 ฿86.6

-60.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 ₲9,914

$3.83 ฿128

-54.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.13 ₲6,405

$1.74 ฿58.1

-35.06%

White Bread (500g)

$1.55 ₲8,812

$1.43 ฿47.82

8.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.27 ₲7,206

$1.53 ฿51.0

-16.99%

Eggs

$2.21 ₲12.6K

$2.17 ฿72.7

1.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.15 ₲52.0K

$19.15 ฿640

-52.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.89 ₲22.1K

$3.30 ฿110

17.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.35 ₲47.5K

$11.14 ฿372

-25.04%

Apples (1kg)

$2.05 ₲11.7K

$2.95 ฿98.5

-30.51%

Banana (1kg)

$1.27 ₲7,249

$1.68 ฿56.1

-24.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.98 ₲5,596

$2.30 ฿76.8

-57.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.27 ₲7,231

$2.13 ฿71.3

-40.38%

Potato (1kg)

$0.93 ₲5,284

$1.53 ฿51.1

-39.22%

Onion (1kg)

$0.94 ₲5,368

$1.36 ฿45.55

-30.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.49 ₲2,797

$1.12 ฿37.44

-56.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.42 ₲2,399

$0.55 ฿18.24

-23.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.37 ₲7,814

$4.26 ฿142

-67.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.40 ₲30.7K

$18.19 ฿608

-70.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.75 ₲4,286

$1.74 ฿58.2

-56.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 ₲9,881

$2.79 ฿93.3

-37.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ₲5,160

$2.22 ฿74.1

-59.01%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.06 ฿737

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.55 ₲8,801

$2.91 ฿97.3

-46.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.57 ₲8,923

$1.01 ฿33.79

55.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.48 ₲59.6K

$3.83 ฿128

173.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ₲6,955

$1.49 ฿49.85

-18.12%

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

$17.5K ₲99.2M

$26.7K ฿891.6K

-34.58%

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

$17.3K ₲98.2M

$26.7K ฿892.7K

-35.33%

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

$51.9 ₲295.2K

$99.4 ฿3,321

-47.76%

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

$17.90 ₲101.8K

$11.28 ฿377

58.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.98 ₲107.9K

$17.36 ฿580

9.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.72 ₲169.0K

$52.3 ฿1,747

-43.16%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.30 ₲81.3K

$10.85 ฿362

31.80%

Cinema Ticket

$6.20 ₲35.3K

$7.57 ฿253

-18.10%

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

$185 ₲1.1M

$558 ฿18.7K

-66.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,909 ₲10.9M

$11.5K ฿383.9K

-83.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.1 ₲364.6K

$62.9 ฿2,102

1.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.87 ₲192.6K

$28.58 ฿955

18.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 ₲566.4K

$96.1 ฿3,213

3.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$56.8 ₲323.2K

$88.1 ฿2,943

-35.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$354 ₲2.0M

$729 ฿24.4K

-51.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$261 ₲1.5M

$460 ฿15.4K

-43.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$744 ₲4.2M

$2,096 ฿70.0K

-64.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$980 ₲5.6M

$1,222 ฿40.8K

-19.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,923 ₲10.9M

$3,459 ฿115.6K

-44.41%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,420 ₲8.1M

$2,489 ฿83.2K

-42.95%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$610 ₲3.5M

$493 ฿16.5K

23.62%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.15

5.57

82.23%

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

Last update for Ciudad del Este: October 12, 2026

Last update for Phuket: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Ciudad del Este

$261 32.7%

Phuket

$460 38.1% 76.3% $199

Groceries & Markets

Ciudad del Este

$171 21.4%

Phuket

$268 22.2% 56.9% $97

Clothing & Footwear

Ciudad del Este

$115 14.3%

Phuket

$124 10.3% 8.3% $9.5

Eating Out

Ciudad del Este

$109 13.6%

Phuket

$121 10.1% 11.3% $12

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Ciudad del Este

$89 11.1%

Phuket

$128 10.6% 44.2% $39

Sport & Entertainment

Ciudad del Este

$42 5.3%

Phuket

$67 5.6% 60% $25

Getting Around

Ciudad del Este

$13 * 1.6%

Phuket

$39 3.2% 199% $26

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $354 in Ciudad del Este versus $729 in Phuket. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 24% higher in Ciudad del Este, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $23.00 in Ciudad del Este versus $32.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $171 vs $268 – making Ciudad del Este the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇵🇾 Ciudad del Este

🇹🇭 Phuket

🕒 Local time

14:18 2:18 PM

00:18 12:18 AM

10 h ahead of Ciudad del Este

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

320,782

79,308

💱 Currency

Paraguayan Guarani PYG ₲

Thai Baht THB ฿

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 PYG = 1.76 USD

10,000 PYG = 1.56 EUR

100 THB = 2.99 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

THB, USD, EUR to PYG – Paraguayan Guarani Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇵🇾 Paraguayan Guarani (₲)

Paraguayan Guarani exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 5,686 PYG (10,000 PYG = 1.76 USD). 1 EUR = 6,393 PYG (10,000 PYG = 1.56 EUR).

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 33.42 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.57 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

USD to PYG in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Ciudad del Este Phuket 16,550 km ≈ 21 h nonstop flight

From you

Ciudad del Este
Phuket

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

Ciudad del Este vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Phuket is pricier by about 51%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,198 per month in Ciudad del Este and $1,811 in Phuket. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Ciudad del Este, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $23.00 in Ciudad del Este and $32.00 in Phuket. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 57% more in Phuket, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Ciudad del Este, where all-in costs run around $799, than in Phuket at $1,207. In Ciudad del Este it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Ciudad del Este – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Ciudad del Este. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Phuket makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.