Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Paracin Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Paracin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,253 per month in Phuket vs $1,138 in Paracin, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,043 per month in Phuket vs $1,678 in Paracin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,833 per month in Phuket vs $2,219 in Paracin, rent included.

Phuket costs about 10% more than Paracin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Phuket and Paracin are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 9% lower, Paracin 17% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.56 ฿150

$8.70 RSD 876

-47.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.62 ฿1,072

$34.77 RSD 3,499

-6.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.90 ฿293

$10.20 RSD 1,027

-12.75%

Cappuccino

$2.80 ฿92.2

$2.11 RSD 212

32.70%

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

$0.88 ฿28.93

$2.17 RSD 218

-59.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.08

$1.43 RSD 144

-65.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.39 ฿78.5

$2.55 RSD 256

-6.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.71 ฿122

$3.04 RSD 306

22.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.79 ฿58.7

$1.71 RSD 172

4.68%

White Bread (500g)

$1.44 ฿47.38

$0.87 RSD 87.8

65.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.58 ฿52.1

$1.95 RSD 196

-18.97%

Eggs

$2.13 ฿69.9

$2.58 RSD 260

-17.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.92 ฿655

$10.01 RSD 1,007

99.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.43 ฿113

$7.32 RSD 737

-53.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.33 ฿372

$10.00 RSD 1,007

13.30%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 ฿96.9

$0.94 RSD 94.2

213.83%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 ฿56.6

$1.77 RSD 178

-2.82%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.32 ฿76.4

$2.53 RSD 254

-8.30%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿68.4

$2.30 RSD 232

-9.57%

Potato (1kg)

$1.47 ฿48.33

$1.38 RSD 139

6.52%

Onion (1kg)

$1.36 ฿44.64

$0.78 RSD 78.2

74.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 ฿36.12

$0.72 RSD 72.4

52.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 ฿18.89

$0.68 RSD 68.3

-16.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 ฿140

$4.58 RSD 461

-6.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.42 ฿605

$7.42 RSD 747

148.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.87 ฿61.5

$0.87 RSD 87.5

114.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 ฿96.0

$1.12 RSD 113

160.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.22 ฿72.9

$0.77 RSD 77.1

188.31%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.90 ฿753

$32.77 RSD 3,298

-30.12%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 ฿99.6

$1.66 RSD 167

82.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.07 ฿35.31

$0.98 RSD 99.0

9.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.93 ฿129

$8.27 RSD 832

-52.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿49.04

$1.89 RSD 190

-21.16%

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

$27.1K ฿891.7K

$31.5K RSD 3.2M

-13.96%

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

$27.5K ฿902.3K

$26.2K RSD 2.6M

4.97%

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

$103 ฿3,379

$188 RSD 18.9K

-45.35%

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

$10.99 ฿361

$27.23 RSD 2,740

-59.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.51 ฿576

$28.61 RSD 2,879

-38.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.5 ฿1,760

$30.69 RSD 3,088

74.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.20 ฿368

$13.95 RSD 1,404

-19.71%

Cinema Ticket

$7.48 ฿246

$4.92 RSD 495

52.03%

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

$557 ฿18.3K

$248 RSD 25.0K

124.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K ฿389.6K

$7,989 RSD 803.9K

48.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.1 ฿2,106

$92.5 RSD 9,305

-30.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.07 ฿956

$47.14 RSD 4,743

-38.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.0 ฿3,154

$115 RSD 11.5K

-16.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.3 ฿2,970

$123 RSD 12.4K

-26.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$730 ฿24.0K

$325 RSD 32.7K

124.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$500 ฿16.4K

$275 RSD 27.7K

81.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,090 ฿68.7K

$449 RSD 45.2K

365.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 ฿39.7K

$386 RSD 38.9K

213.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,596 ฿118.2K

$2,107 RSD 212.0K

70.65%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,512 ฿82.6K

$1,604 RSD 161.4K

56.65%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$503 ฿16.5K

$693 RSD 69.7K

-27.32%

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: August 31, 2026

Last update for Paracin: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $730 in Phuket versus $325 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 38% 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 $33.00 in Phuket versus $35.00 in Paracin. Groceries tell a different story – $273 in Phuket vs $216 in Paracin – so Paracin wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Yes – Phuket is pricier by about 10%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,880 per month in Phuket and $1,707 in Paracin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,253 in Phuket and $1,138 in Paracin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 43% less in Paracin. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Paracin, where all-in costs run around $1,138, than in Phuket at $1,253. In Paracin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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.

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 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.