😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,757 in Paradise Island versus $1,232 in Phuket.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,914 in Paradise Island versus $2,255 in Phuket.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,070 in Paradise Island versus $3,279 in Phuket.
😐Living in Paradise Island is roughly 43% more expensive than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Paradise Island is 31% above, Phuket is 8% below.
Moneda
🍽 Eating Out
Paradise Island
Phuket
Diferencia
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$40.45BSD 40.45
$4.63฿151
773.65%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$150BSD 150
$46.84฿1,532
220.26%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$9.97BSD 9.97
$8.84฿289
12.78%
Cappuccino
$5.05BSD 5.05
$3.00฿98.0
68.33%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.23BSD 2.23
$0.74฿24.25
201.35%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.70BSD 1.70
$0.37฿11.95
359.46%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$4.05BSD 4.05
$2.44฿79.8
65.98%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$6.03BSD 6.03
$3.61฿118
67.04%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Paradise Island
Phuket
Diferencia
Milk(1 liter)
$4.84BSD 4.84
$2.26฿73.9
114.16%
White Bread(500g)
$3.04BSD 3.04
$1.84฿60.1
65.22%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$6.28BSD 6.28
$2.24฿73.4
180.36%
Eggs
$7.83BSD 7.83
$2.32฿75.7
237.50%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$8.46BSD 8.46
$19.67฿643
-56.99%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$12.22BSD 12.22
$3.65฿119
234.79%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$20.93BSD 20.93
$13.10฿428
59.77%
Apples(1kg)
$5.23BSD 5.23
$3.39฿111
54.28%
Banana(1kg)
$3.40BSD 3.40
$1.64฿53.7
107.32%
Oranges(1kg)
$4.82BSD 4.82
$2.41฿79.0
100.00%
Tomato(1kg)
$7.02BSD 7.02
$2.03฿66.4
245.81%
Potato(1kg)
$4.96BSD 4.96
$1.56฿50.9
217.95%
Onion(1kg)
$4.42BSD 4.42
$1.50฿48.94
194.67%
Lettuce(1 head)
$3.48BSD 3.48
$1.02฿33.50
241.18%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$3.08BSD 3.08
$0.49฿16.00
528.57%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$13.73BSD 13.73
$4.45฿145
208.54%
Wine(Bottle)
$34.33BSD 34.33
$18.88฿617
81.83%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$3.86BSD 3.86
$1.78฿58.1
116.85%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.29BSD 4.29
$2.75฿90.1
56.00%
🚌 Getting Around
Paradise Island
Phuket
Diferencia
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
-
$1.40฿45.81
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
-
$11.48฿376
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$6.18BSD 6.18
$3.12฿102
98.08%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
-
$1.00฿32.67
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$100BSD 100
$14.09฿461
610.72%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.41BSD 1.41
$1.35฿44.19
4.44%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$36.8KBSD 36.8K
$27.2K฿888.9K
35.45%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$43.0KBSD 43.0K
$32.9K฿1.1M
30.52%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Paradise Island
Phuket
Diferencia
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$197BSD 197
$125฿4,087
57.59%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$71.7BSD 71.7
$13.57฿444
428.08%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$98.5BSD 98.5
$18.52฿606
431.97%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Paradise Island
Phuket
Diferencia
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$129BSD 129
$61.5฿2,010
109.81%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$16.84฿551
-
Cinema Ticket
$14.77BSD 14.77
$9.19฿300
60.72%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Paradise Island
Phuket
Diferencia
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$712BSD 712
$698฿22.8K
1.93%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$15.3KBSD 15.3K
$15.6K฿509.9K
-2.07%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Paradise Island
Phuket
Diferencia
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$64.4BSD 64.4
$57.8฿1,889
11.46%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$76.8BSD 76.8
$35.24฿1,152
117.91%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$117BSD 117
$113฿3,699
3.37%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$129BSD 129
$86.4฿2,825
49.84%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Paradise Island
Phuket
Diferencia
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
-
$616฿20.1K
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
-
$446฿14.6K
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$5,536BSD 5,536
$2,048฿67.0K
170.33%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
-
$1,492฿48.8K
-
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
-
$3,779฿123.6K
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
-
$2,649฿86.6K
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Paradise Island
Phuket
Diferencia
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$2,486BSD 2,486
$524฿17.1K
374.60%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
7.05
5.33
32.27%
Los datos de CityCost se basan en IA y aportaciones de usuarios. Puede haber pequeñas variaciones.
Última actualización para Paradise Island: April 27, 2026
Última actualización para Phuket: April 27, 2026
Cost Breakdown
💰Paradise Island pays 375% 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: $150 in Paradise Island vs $47.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $557 vs $292 per month, with Phuket cheaper across the board.
Comparación de velocidades medias de internet por ciudad (actualizado April 2026)
El gráfico resalta el umbral de precisión para velocidades de internet móvil y fija, actualizado trimestralmente.
Índice del coste de vida para nómadas digitales
Paradise Island vs Phuket: Coste de vida - preguntas frecuentes
Which city is more expensive, Paradise Island or Phuket?
Phuket wins on cost – living expenses run 43% 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.
Are salaries higher in Paradise Island or Phuket?
Paradise Island pays 375% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
Are groceries more expensive in Paradise Island or Phuket?
Supermarket bills run roughly 91% higher in Paradise Island. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
How much does it cost to live in Paradise Island compared to Phuket?
All in, you'll spend $1,757 per month in Paradise Island versus $1,232 in Phuket – a 43% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Can you live on $1,500/month in Paradise Island or Phuket?
At $1,232 in Phuket versus $1,757 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.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Paradise Island or Phuket?
Both work as nomad bases, but Phuket delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,232 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Phuket hard to pass up.
How safe is Paradise Island compared to Phuket?
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.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Phuket gentler on the wallet – expenses run 43% less than in Paradise Island. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.
Paradise Island vs otros destinos: coste de vida comparado