🙂A single person spends $1,232 per month in Phuket vs $2,549 in Paola, KS, rent included.
🙂A couple spends around $2,255 per month in Phuket vs $3,651 in Paola, KS, rent included.
🙂A family of three spends $3,279 per month in Phuket vs $4,753 in Paola, KS, rent included.
🙂Phuket is about 52% cheaper than Paola, KS, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊Phuket sits 8% below the global median, while Paola, KS is 90% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.
Moneda
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Paola, KS
Diferencia
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.63฿151
$16.90$16.90
-72.60%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.84฿1,532
$60.6$60.6
-22.74%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.84฿289
$13.24$13.24
-33.23%
Cappuccino
$3.00฿98.0
$5.07$5.07
-40.83%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.74฿24.25
$2.51$2.51
-70.52%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.37฿11.95
$1.96$1.96
-81.12%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.44฿79.8
$5.05$5.05
-51.68%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.61฿118
$4.98$4.98
-27.51%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Paola, KS
Diferencia
Milk(1 liter)
$2.26฿73.9
$1.11$1.11
103.60%
White Bread(500g)
$1.84฿60.1
$3.17$3.17
-41.96%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.24฿73.4
$4.38$4.38
-48.86%
Eggs
$2.32฿75.7
$2.97$2.97
-21.89%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$19.67฿643
$12.14$12.14
62.03%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.65฿119
$10.09$10.09
-63.83%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$13.10฿428
$14.04$14.04
-6.70%
Apples(1kg)
$3.39฿111
$4.25$4.25
-20.24%
Banana(1kg)
$1.64฿53.7
$2.13$2.13
-23.00%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.41฿79.0
$4.55$4.55
-47.03%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.03฿66.4
$4.48$4.48
-54.69%
Potato(1kg)
$1.56฿50.9
$2.74$2.74
-43.07%
Onion(1kg)
$1.50฿48.94
$2.57$2.57
-41.63%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.02฿33.50
$1.66$1.66
-38.55%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.49฿16.00
$2.19$2.19
-77.63%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.45฿145
$8.67$8.67
-48.67%
Wine(Bottle)
$18.88฿617
$12.12$12.12
55.78%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.78฿58.1
$1.99$1.99
-10.55%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.75฿90.1
$3.96$3.96
-30.56%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Paola, KS
Diferencia
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.40฿45.81
$1.96$1.96
-28.57%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$11.48฿376
-
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.12฿102
$4.83$4.83
-35.40%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.00฿32.67
$1.25$1.25
-20.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$14.09฿461
$22.30$22.30
-36.82%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.35฿44.19
$0.76$0.76
77.63%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.2K฿888.9K
$29.5K$29.5K
-7.77%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$32.9K฿1.1M
$25.5K$25.5K
28.97%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Paola, KS
Diferencia
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$125฿4,087
$179$179
-30.33%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.57฿444
$51.4$51.4
-73.59%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.52฿606
$60.8$60.8
-69.55%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Paola, KS
Diferencia
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$61.5฿2,010
$42.66$42.66
44.12%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.84฿551
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$9.19฿300
$14.76$14.76
-37.74%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Paola, KS
Diferencia
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$698฿22.8K
$1,179$1,179
-40.77%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$15.6K฿509.9K
$13.0K$13.0K
19.99%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Paola, KS
Diferencia
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$57.8฿1,889
$54.7$54.7
5.69%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$35.24฿1,152
$33.79$33.79
4.29%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$113฿3,699
$94.7$94.7
19.44%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$86.4฿2,825
$86.4$86.4
-0.01%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Paola, KS
Diferencia
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$616฿20.1K
$1,598$1,598
-61.45%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$446฿14.6K
$1,379$1,379
-67.66%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,048฿67.0K
$2,579$2,579
-20.61%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,492฿48.8K
$2,224$2,224
-32.90%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,779฿123.6K
$2,859$2,859
32.15%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,649฿86.6K
$2,059$2,059
28.65%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Paola, KS
Diferencia
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$524฿17.1K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.33
6.35
-16.06%
Los datos de CityCost se basan en IA y aportaciones de usuarios. Puede haber pequeñas variaciones.
Última actualización para Phuket: April 27, 2026
Última actualización para Paola, KS: April 28, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $616 in Phuket versus $1,598 in Paola, KS. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.
🛒A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Phuket versus $61.0 in Paola, KS. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $292 vs $364 – making Phuket the more affordable choice for daily food spending.
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
Phuket vs Paola, KS: Coste de vida - preguntas frecuentes
Which city is more expensive, Phuket or Paola, KS?
Paola, KS costs about 107% more than Phuket, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Phuket vs Paola, KS?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,847 per month in Phuket and $3,823 in Paola, KS. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Phuket or Paola, KS?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Phuket, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
How do dining costs compare in Phuket vs Paola, KS?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Phuket and $61.0 in Paola, KS. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Are groceries more expensive in Phuket or Paola, KS?
Groceries cost about 25% more in Paola, KS, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Can you live on $1,500/month in Phuket or Paola, KS?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Phuket, where all-in costs run around $1,232, than in Paola, KS at $2,549. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Paola, KS it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Phuket or Paola, KS?
For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Phuket costs $1,232 versus $2,549 in Paola, KS. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.
How safe is Phuket compared to Paola, KS?
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.
Should I move to Phuket or Paola, KS?
If budget matters most, go with Phuket. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Paola, KS makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.