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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,659 in Paradise versus $1,250 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,119 in Paradise versus $2,284 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,580 in Paradise versus $3,317 in Phuket.

Living in Paradise is roughly 33% more expensive than in Phuket, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

The two cities straddle the global median: Paradise is 24% above, Phuket is 6% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.66 GYD 2,010

$4.55 ฿153

112.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.6 GYD 13.2K

$46.18 ฿1,554

37.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.50 GYD 1,768

$8.84 ฿298

-3.85%

Cappuccino

$4.49 GYD 933

$3.06 ฿103

46.73%

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

$1.22 GYD 254

$0.73 ฿24.42

67.12%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.64 GYD 133

$0.40 ฿13.40

60.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.24 GYD 467

$2.43 ฿81.8

-7.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.42 GYD 504

$3.78 ฿127

-35.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.75 GYD 780

$2.26 ฿76.0

65.93%

White Bread (500g)

$1.79 GYD 372

$1.81 ฿60.9

-1.10%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.80 GYD 374

$2.25 ฿75.8

-20.00%

Eggs

$3.56 GYD 741

$2.25 ฿75.6

58.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.84 GYD 2,046

$19.51 ฿656

-49.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.92 GYD 1,232

$3.65 ฿123

62.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.53 GYD 1,982

$13.05 ฿439

-26.97%

Apples (1kg)

$4.01 GYD 835

$3.23 ฿109

24.15%

Banana (1kg)

$2.28 GYD 474

$1.62 ฿54.4

40.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.28 GYD 474

$2.38 ฿80.2

-4.20%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.49 GYD 517

$2.03 ฿68.2

22.66%

Potato (1kg)

$1.45 GYD 302

$1.53 ฿51.6

-5.23%

Onion (1kg)

$2.01 GYD 418

$1.50 ฿50.5

34.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.33 GYD 277

$0.98 ฿32.93

35.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 GYD 349

$0.52 ฿17.40

223.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.22 GYD 461

$4.44 ฿149

-50.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.81 GYD 2,248

$18.32 ฿616

-40.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.64 GYD 341

$1.86 ฿62.7

-11.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.41 GYD 501

$2.68 ฿90.2

-10.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.57 GYD 118

$1.41 ฿47.49

-59.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.13 GYD 6,266

$11.70 ฿394

157.52%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.35 GYD 489

$3.11 ฿105

-24.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.29 GYD 685

$1.04 ฿35.08

216.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.65 GYD 2,006

$14.11 ฿475

-31.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.08 GYD 225

$1.31 ฿44.13

-17.56%

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

$16.1K GYD 3.3M

$27.8K ฿936.0K

-42.10%

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

$18.0K GYD 3.7M

$33.2K ฿1.1M

-45.75%

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

$75.4 GYD 15.7K

$122 ฿4,120

-38.43%

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

$27.40 GYD 5,699

$13.59 ฿457

101.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$67.8 GYD 14.1K

$18.70 ฿629

262.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.62 GYD 10.3K

$60.5 ฿2,035

-17.97%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.98 ฿572

Cinema Ticket

$6.36 GYD 1,323

$9.07 ฿305

-29.88%

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

$932 GYD 193.9K

$706 ฿23.8K

31.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.7K GYD 4.3M

$15.8K ฿531.8K

30.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$32.01 GYD 6,658

$58.6 ฿1,970

-45.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.35 GYD 9,847

$35.36 ฿1,190

33.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$61.4 GYD 12.8K

$115 ฿3,885

-46.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$63.2 GYD 13.2K

$83.7 ฿2,818

-24.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$296 GYD 61.6K

$626 ฿21.1K

-52.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$790 GYD 164.3K

$445 ฿15.0K

77.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,196 GYD 248.8K

$2,040 ฿68.7K

-41.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$655 GYD 136.2K

$1,492 ฿50.2K

-56.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,425 GYD 712.3K

$3,483 ฿117.2K

-1.66%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$456 GYD 94.8K

$2,577 ฿86.7K

-82.31%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$721 GYD 149.9K

$500 ฿16.8K

44.17%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.11

5.33

33.40%

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

Last update for Paradise: July 11, 2026

Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $296 in Paradise and $626 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Paradise pays 44% 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: $64.0 in Paradise vs $46.00 in Phuket. Groceries flip the comparison at $288 vs $289, with Paradise cheaper for home cooking.

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 vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 33% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 44% higher in Paradise, 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: $296 in Paradise versus $626 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Phuket – a meal for two runs $46.00 versus $64.0 in Paradise. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,659 per month in Paradise versus $1,250 in Phuket – a 33% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,250 in Phuket versus $1,659 in Paradise, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Paradise. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Phuket is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Paradise, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Paradise 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 33% less than in Paradise. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.