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: $1,666 in Paradise versus $1,232 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,164 in Paradise versus $2,054 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,663 in Paradise versus $2,876 in Phuket.

Living in Paradise is roughly 35% more expensive than in Phuket, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

The two cities straddle the global median: Paradise is 22% above, Phuket is 10% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.84 GYD 2,046

$4.41 ฿147

123.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.2 GYD 13.4K

$32.26 ฿1,077

99.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.54 GYD 1,775

$8.93 ฿298

-4.37%

Cappuccino

$4.50 GYD 935

$2.90 ฿96.6

55.17%

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

$1.22 GYD 254

$0.88 ฿29.38

38.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.69 GYD 143

$0.48 ฿16.06

43.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 GYD 459

$2.35 ฿78.5

-5.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.43 GYD 505

$3.72 ฿124

-34.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.58 GYD 745

$1.87 ฿62.3

91.44%

White Bread (500g)

$1.86 GYD 387

$1.47 ฿48.94

26.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.84 GYD 383

$1.55 ฿51.8

18.71%

Eggs

$3.39 GYD 705

$2.10 ฿70.1

61.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.88 GYD 2,053

$19.59 ฿654

-49.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.76 GYD 1,198

$3.42 ฿114

68.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.17 GYD 1,906

$11.38 ฿380

-19.42%

Apples (1kg)

$4.03 GYD 838

$2.98 ฿99.6

35.23%

Banana (1kg)

$2.22 GYD 461

$1.68 ฿56.2

32.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.39 GYD 497

$2.21 ฿73.7

8.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.54 GYD 528

$2.16 ฿72.1

17.59%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 GYD 286

$1.52 ฿50.9

-9.21%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 GYD 413

$1.34 ฿44.67

48.51%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.35 GYD 282

$1.13 ฿37.67

19.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 GYD 349

$0.55 ฿18.24

205.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.18 GYD 453

$4.26 ฿142

-48.83%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.97 GYD 2,281

$19.09 ฿637

-42.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 GYD 347

$1.78 ฿59.4

-6.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.41 GYD 501

$2.78 ฿92.9

-13.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.58 GYD 121

$2.23 ฿74.4

-73.99%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.37 GYD 6,106

$22.74 ฿759

29.16%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.45 GYD 509

$3.03 ฿101

-19.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.40 GYD 706

$1.02 ฿34.15

233.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.73 GYD 2,024

$3.89 ฿130

150.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.08 GYD 224

$1.49 ฿49.77

-27.52%

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

$15.7K GYD 3.3M

$26.6K ฿887.3K

-41.07%

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

$18.2K GYD 3.8M

$27.0K ฿902.2K

-32.63%

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

$77.1 GYD 16.0K

$102 ฿3,420

-24.80%

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

$27.63 GYD 5,744

$11.33 ฿378

143.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$68.9 GYD 14.3K

$17.40 ฿581

295.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.9 GYD 10.6K

$52.1 ฿1,738

-2.36%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.07 ฿370

Cinema Ticket

$6.20 GYD 1,288

$7.69 ฿257

-19.38%

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

$905 GYD 188.1K

$561 ฿18.7K

61.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.0K GYD 4.2M

$11.5K ฿384.1K

73.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$32.18 GYD 6,689

$63.0 ฿2,104

-48.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.46 GYD 9,658

$29.52 ฿986

57.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$61.6 GYD 12.8K

$98.0 ฿3,272

-37.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$63.2 GYD 13.1K

$88.5 ฿2,954

-28.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$299 GYD 62.1K

$738 ฿24.6K

-59.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$801 GYD 166.6K

$482 ฿16.1K

66.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,180 GYD 245.4K

$2,107 ฿70.3K

-43.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$662 GYD 137.6K

$1,226 ฿40.9K

-45.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,411 GYD 709.2K

$3,617 ฿120.7K

-5.69%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$470 GYD 97.6K

$2,603 ฿86.9K

-81.96%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$716 GYD 148.8K

$494 ฿16.5K

45.03%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.11

5.57

27.65%

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

Last update for Paradise: September 14, 2026

Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $299 in Paradise and $738 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Paradise pays 45% 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 $32.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $286 vs $274 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 vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 35% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 45% 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: $299 in Paradise versus $738 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 $32.00 versus $64.0 in Paradise. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,666 per month in Paradise versus $1,232 in Phuket – a 35% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,232 in Phuket versus $1,666 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 35% less than in Paradise. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.