Cost of Living Comparison Between Paramaribo and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Paramaribo and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,071 per month in Paramaribo vs $1,253 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,782 per month in Paramaribo vs $2,043 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,493 per month in Paramaribo vs $2,833 in Phuket, rent included.

Paramaribo is about 14% cheaper than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Paramaribo and Phuket are more affordable than the global median – Paramaribo 22% lower, Phuket 9% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.05 SRD 490

$4.56 ฿151

186.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.6 SRD 1,976

$32.62 ฿1,082

61.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.18 SRD 420

$8.90 ฿295

25.62%

Cappuccino

$2.89 SRD 109

$2.80 ฿93.0

3.21%

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

$1.42 SRD 53.4

$0.88 ฿29.19

61.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.86 SRD 32.32

$0.49 ฿16.23

75.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.63 SRD 98.7

$2.39 ฿79.2

10.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.86 SRD 145

$3.71 ฿123

4.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.84 SRD 69.2

$1.79 ฿59.3

2.79%

White Bread (500g)

$1.34 SRD 50.2

$1.44 ฿47.81

-6.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.59 SRD 59.8

$1.58 ฿52.6

0.63%

Eggs

$2.96 SRD 111

$2.13 ฿70.5

38.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.96 SRD 411

$19.92 ฿661

-44.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.30 SRD 236

$3.43 ฿114

83.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.42 SRD 391

$11.33 ฿376

-8.03%

Apples (1kg)

$4.83 SRD 181

$2.95 ฿97.8

63.73%

Banana (1kg)

$2.42 SRD 91.0

$1.72 ฿57.1

40.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.64 SRD 137

$2.32 ฿77.1

56.90%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.15 SRD 231

$2.08 ฿69.0

195.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 SRD 52.7

$1.47 ฿48.77

-4.76%

Onion (1kg)

$1.93 SRD 72.5

$1.36 ฿45.05

41.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.49 SRD 55.8

$1.10 ฿36.45

35.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.51 SRD 56.8

$0.57 ฿19.06

164.91%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.83 SRD 219

$4.27 ฿142

36.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.07 SRD 303

$18.42 ฿611

-56.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.07 SRD 77.6

$1.87 ฿62.1

10.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.83 SRD 144

$2.92 ฿96.9

31.16%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.78 SRD 29.38

$2.22 ฿73.6

-64.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$88.6 SRD 3,326

$22.90 ฿759

286.77%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.04 SRD 114

$3.03 ฿101

0.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.98 SRD 74.4

$1.07 ฿35.63

85.05%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.05 SRD 377

$3.93 ฿130

155.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 SRD 42.33

$1.49 ฿49.49

-24.16%

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

$25.3K SRD 948.2K

$27.1K ฿899.8K

-6.92%

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

$25.0K SRD 938.3K

$27.5K ฿910.6K

-8.97%

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

$38.04 SRD 1,428

$103 ฿3,410

-63.00%

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

$25.85 SRD 971

$10.99 ฿365

135.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.37 SRD 1,141

$17.51 ฿581

73.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$12.40 SRD 466

$53.5 ฿1,776

-76.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.01 SRD 714

$11.20 ฿371

69.73%

Cinema Ticket

$4.53 SRD 170

$7.48 ฿248

-39.44%

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

$63.7 SRD 2,392

$557 ฿18.5K

-88.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,777 SRD 66.7K

$11.9K ฿393.2K

-85.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$37.89 SRD 1,423

$64.1 ฿2,125

-40.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.05 SRD 1,016

$29.07 ฿964

-6.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$73.0 SRD 2,740

$96.0 ฿3,183

-23.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 SRD 3,895

$90.3 ฿2,997

14.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$491 SRD 18.4K

$730 ฿24.2K

-32.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$261 SRD 9,788

$500 ฿16.6K

-47.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,148 SRD 43.1K

$2,090 ฿69.3K

-45.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$500 SRD 18.8K

$1,209 ฿40.1K

-58.62%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$476 SRD 17.9K

$3,596 ฿119.3K

-86.76%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$398 SRD 14.9K

$2,512 ฿83.3K

-84.15%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$285 SRD 10.7K

$503 ฿16.7K

-43.43%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

187.25%

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

Last update for Paramaribo: August 29, 2026

Last update for Phuket: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $491 in Paramaribo versus $730 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 77% higher in Phuket, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $53.0 in Paramaribo versus $33.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $296 vs $273 – making Phuket the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Paramaribo vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket costs about 17% more than Paramaribo, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,607 per month in Paramaribo and $1,880 in Phuket. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $63.7 per month in Paramaribo and $557 in Phuket. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 8% cheaper in Phuket – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Paramaribo, where all-in costs run around $1,071, than in Phuket at $1,253. In Paramaribo it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Paramaribo costs $1,071 versus $1,253 in Phuket. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Paramaribo. 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.