Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Paracin

For one person, living is cheaper in Paracin: $1,118 a month against $1,208 in Phuket, rent and utilities included – about $1,100 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Phuket outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

Phuket
🇹🇭 Thailand
$1,208
/mo nomad
Paracin
🇷🇸 Serbia
$1,118
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Phuket and in Paracin

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Phuket and in Paracin actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,208 per month in Phuket vs $1,118 in Paracin, rent included.

  • Phuket $1,208
  • Paracin $1,118

A couple spends around $2,027 per month in Phuket vs $1,638 in Paracin, rent included.

  • Phuket $2,027
  • Paracin $1,638

A family of three spends $2,845 per month in Phuket vs $2,158 in Paracin, rent included.

  • Phuket $2,845
  • Paracin $2,158

Phuket costs about 8% more than Paracin, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Phuket and Paracin are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 11% lower, Paracin 17% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Paracin
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.40 ฿147
$9.17 RSD 956
-52.02%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.26 ฿1,078
$34.08 RSD 3,553
-5.34%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.76 ฿293
$9.82 RSD 1,024
-10.79%
Cappuccino
$2.83 ฿94.5
$1.91 RSD 199
48.17%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.90 ฿30.14
$2.04 RSD 213
-55.88%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.47 ฿15.56
$1.47 RSD 153
-68.03%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.55 ฿85.2
$2.42 RSD 253
5.37%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.83 ฿128
$2.83 RSD 295
35.34%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Paracin
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.73 ฿57.7
$1.58 RSD 165
9.49%
White Bread (500g)
$1.47 ฿49.11
$0.80 RSD 83.1
83.75%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.51 ฿50.6
$1.91 RSD 199
-20.94%
Eggs
$2.17 ฿72.7
$2.54 RSD 265
-14.57%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$19.70 ฿658
$10.77 RSD 1,123
82.92%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.34 ฿112
$7.12 RSD 742
-53.09%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$11.16 ฿373
$9.78 RSD 1,020
14.11%
Apples (1kg)
$2.85 ฿95.1
$0.97 RSD 101
193.81%
Banana (1kg)
$1.70 ฿56.9
$1.71 RSD 178
-0.58%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.19 ฿73.3
$2.37 RSD 247
-7.59%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.05 ฿68.4
$2.22 RSD 231
-7.66%
Potato (1kg)
$1.45 ฿48.57
$1.34 RSD 140
8.21%
Onion (1kg)
$1.38 ฿46.16
$0.68 RSD 71.4
102.94%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.07 ฿35.69
$0.69 RSD 71.5
55.07%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.51 ฿16.91
$0.64 RSD 67.1
-20.31%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.26 ฿142
$4.21 RSD 439
1.19%
Wine (Bottle)
$18.58 ฿621
$7.02 RSD 732
164.67%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.78 ฿59.7
$0.88 RSD 91.8
102.27%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.85 ฿95.2
$1.08 RSD 112
163.89%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Paracin
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.26 ฿75.6
$1.00 RSD 104
126.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$22.10 ฿738
$31.49 RSD 3,283
-29.82%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.01 ฿101
$1.74 RSD 182
72.99%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.06 ฿35.34
$0.93 RSD 97.2
13.98%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$3.86 ฿129
$9.22 RSD 961
-58.13%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.45 ฿48.45
$1.80 RSD 188
-19.44%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.3K ฿879.9K
$26.7K RSD 2.8M
-1.56%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.9K ฿900.4K
$20.4K RSD 2.1M
31.94%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Paracin
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$96.4 ฿3,221
$185 RSD 19.3K
-47.85%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.04 ฿369
$26.73 RSD 2,787
-58.70%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$17.14 ฿573
$30.74 RSD 3,205
-44.24%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Paracin
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$52.2 ฿1,744
$28.84 RSD 3,007
80.93%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$11.16 ฿373
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$7.81 ฿261
$5.56 RSD 580
40.47%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Paracin
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$556 ฿18.6K
$245 RSD 25.5K
127.12%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$11.6K ฿387.0K
$6,691 RSD 697.5K
73.07%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Paracin
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$64.2 ฿2,146
$88.1 RSD 9,179
-27.09%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$28.69 ฿959
$47.54 RSD 4,956
-39.65%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$95.4 ฿3,187
$114 RSD 11.9K
-16.39%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$88.0 ฿2,940
$118 RSD 12.3K
-25.66%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Paracin
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$737 ฿24.6K
$287 RSD 29.9K
157.15%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$462 ฿15.5K
$260 RSD 27.1K
78.06%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,095 ฿70.0K
$429 RSD 44.7K
388.53%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,201 ฿40.1K
$379 RSD 39.5K
216.73%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,488 ฿116.6K
$2,134 RSD 222.4K
63.44%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,523 ฿84.3K
$1,549 RSD 161.4K
62.91%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Paracin
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$501 ฿16.7K
$662 RSD 69.0K
-24.38%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.57
4.84
15.08%

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

Last update for Phuket: October 19, 2026

Last update for Paracin: October 17, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Phuket
$462
Paracin
$260 43.8% $203
Groceries & Markets
Phuket
$269
Paracin
$211 21.5% $58
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
$125
Paracin
$242 94.5% $118
Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
$124
Paracin
$166 33.2% $41
Eating Out
Phuket
$121
Paracin
$158 30% $36
Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
$68
Paracin
$40 41.1% $28
Getting Around
Phuket
$39
Paracin
$42 6.2% $2.5

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $737 in Phuket versus $287 in Paracin. 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 32% higher in Paracin, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $32.00 in Phuket versus $34.00 in Paracin. Groceries tell a different story – $269 in Phuket vs $211 in Paracin – so Paracin wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know
🇹🇭 Phuket
🇷🇸 Paracin
🕒 Local time
14:18 2:18 PM
09:18 9:18 AM
5 h behind Phuket
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
79,308
22,349
💱 Currency
Thai Baht THB ฿
Exchange rates and currency converter

RSD, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 21, 2026: 1 USD = 33.42 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.57 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

Serbian Dinar exchange rates as of October 21, 2026: 1 USD = 104 RSD (1,000 RSD = 9.59 USD). 1 EUR = 117 RSD (1,000 RSD = 8.53 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Phuket Paracin 8,360 km ≈ 11 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Phuket
  • Paracin

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Phuket vs Paracin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Paracin cheaper than Phuket?
Yes – Phuket is pricier by about 8%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,813 per month in Phuket and $1,677 in Paracin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Paracin, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
What are total monthly expenses in Phuket and in Paracin?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,208 in Phuket and $1,118 in Paracin. That's a gap of about 8%.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
Public transport costs about 42% less in Paracin. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Phuket or in Paracin?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Paracin, where all-in costs run around $1,118, than in Phuket at $1,208. In Paracin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Phuket or Paracin more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Paracin – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is safer, Phuket or Paracin?
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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Paracin. 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.

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