Cost of Living Comparison Between Paradise Island and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Paradise Island and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,623 in Paradise Island versus $1,264 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,796 in Paradise Island versus $2,256 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,970 in Paradise Island versus $3,248 in Phuket.

Living in Paradise Island is roughly 28% more expensive than in Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Paradise Island is 22% above, Phuket is 5% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$39.88 BSD 39.88

$4.48 ฿150

790.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$151 BSD 151

$45.59 ฿1,521

231.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.83 BSD 9.83

$8.76 ฿292

12.21%

Cappuccino

$4.96 BSD 4.96

$2.97 ฿99.0

67.00%

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

$2.23 BSD 2.23

$0.69 ฿22.90

223.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.79 BSD 1.79

$0.39 ฿13.04

358.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.92 BSD 3.92

$2.53 ฿84.4

54.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.06 BSD 6.06

$3.75 ฿125

61.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$4.73 BSD 4.73

$2.15 ฿71.6

120.00%

White Bread (500g)

$2.97 BSD 2.97

$1.82 ฿60.6

63.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.40 BSD 6.40

$2.18 ฿72.9

193.58%

Eggs

$7.49 BSD 7.49

$2.25 ฿75.0

232.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.49 BSD 8.49

$20.00 ฿667

-57.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.98 BSD 11.98

$3.63 ฿121

230.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.38 BSD 20.38

$13.56 ฿452

50.29%

Apples (1kg)

$5.36 BSD 5.36

$3.24 ฿108

65.43%

Banana (1kg)

$3.49 BSD 3.49

$1.64 ฿54.6

112.80%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.71 BSD 4.71

$2.33 ฿77.8

102.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$7.13 BSD 7.13

$2.07 ฿69.1

244.44%

Potato (1kg)

$4.97 BSD 4.97

$1.55 ฿51.6

220.65%

Onion (1kg)

$4.27 BSD 4.27

$1.46 ฿48.54

192.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.53 BSD 3.53

$0.98 ฿32.86

260.20%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.98 BSD 2.98

$0.48 ฿16.09

520.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.63 BSD 13.63

$4.35 ฿145

213.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.57 ฿620

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.89 BSD 3.89

$1.86 ฿61.9

109.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.38 BSD 4.38

$2.65 ฿88.6

65.28%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.42 ฿47.28

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.57 ฿386

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.88 BSD 5.88

$3.17 ฿106

85.49%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.03 ฿34.41

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$102 BSD 102

$13.89 ฿463

633.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 BSD 1.43

$1.34 ฿44.84

6.72%

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

$37.0K BSD 37.0K

$27.8K ฿927.1K

33.07%

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

$43.6K BSD 43.6K

$33.4K ฿1.1M

30.50%

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

$199 BSD 199

$123 ฿4,105

61.83%

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

$71.0 BSD 71.0

$13.77 ฿459

415.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$98.3 BSD 98.3

$18.33 ฿611

436.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$128 BSD 128

$60.7 ฿2,025

110.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.16 ฿573

Cinema Ticket

$15.17 BSD 15.17

$8.87 ฿296

71.03%

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

$709 BSD 709

$688 ฿22.9K

3.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.3K BSD 15.3K

$15.8K ฿526.4K

-3.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.6 BSD 63.6

$59.3 ฿1,978

7.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$75.5 BSD 75.5

$34.69 ฿1,157

117.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 BSD 115

$115 ฿3,843

-0.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$126 BSD 126

$83.8 ฿2,794

50.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$621 ฿20.7K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$446 ฿14.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,591 BSD 5,591

$2,034 ฿67.8K

174.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,496 ฿49.9K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,455 ฿115.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,531 ฿84.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,540 BSD 2,540

$494 ฿16.5K

414.66%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.05

5.33

32.27%

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

Last update for Paradise Island: July 28, 2026

Last update for Phuket: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Paradise Island pays 415% 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: $151 in Paradise Island vs $46.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $483 vs $291 per month, with Phuket 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

Paradise Island vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket wins on cost – living expenses run 28% lower than in Paradise Island. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Phuket the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 415% higher in Paradise Island, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Supermarket bills run roughly 66% higher in Paradise Island. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,623 per month in Paradise Island versus $1,264 in Phuket – a 28% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,264 in Phuket versus $1,623 in Paradise Island, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Paradise Island. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Phuket delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,264 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Phuket hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Paradise Island 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 Phuket gentler on the wallet – expenses run 28% less than in Paradise Island. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.