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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,247 per month in Phuket vs $1,124 in Paracin, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,276 per month in Phuket vs $1,660 in Paracin, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,306 per month in Phuket vs $2,195 in Paracin, rent included.

Phuket costs about 11% more than Paracin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Phuket and Paracin are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 7% lower, Paracin 17% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.59 ฿147

$8.80 RSD 875

-47.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.83 ฿1,501

$29.91 RSD 2,976

56.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.70 ฿279

$9.58 RSD 953

-9.19%

Cappuccino

$2.92 ฿93.7

$1.96 RSD 195

48.98%

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

$0.68 ฿21.92

$1.98 RSD 197

-65.66%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 ฿12.70

$1.31 RSD 131

-69.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.51 ฿80.4

$2.53 RSD 251

-0.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.80 ฿122

$2.88 RSD 286

31.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.16 ฿69.3

$1.70 RSD 169

27.06%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 ฿60.3

$0.85 RSD 84.7

121.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.16 ฿69.2

$1.98 RSD 197

9.09%

Eggs

$2.22 ฿71.2

$2.67 RSD 265

-16.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.57 ฿627

$9.44 RSD 939

107.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.80 ฿122

$7.02 RSD 698

-45.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.41 ฿430

$10.05 RSD 1,000

33.43%

Apples (1kg)

$3.26 ฿104

$0.98 RSD 97.1

232.65%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ฿51.7

$1.70 RSD 169

-5.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.31 ฿74.0

$2.52 RSD 250

-8.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 ฿66.0

$2.13 RSD 212

-3.29%

Potato (1kg)

$1.61 ฿51.5

$1.42 RSD 141

13.38%

Onion (1kg)

$1.44 ฿46.26

$0.76 RSD 76.1

89.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 ฿33.01

$0.76 RSD 75.9

35.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿15.39

$0.72 RSD 71.6

-33.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.50 ฿144

$4.35 RSD 433

3.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.18 ฿615

$7.59 RSD 755

152.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.82 ฿58.4

$0.90 RSD 90.0

102.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.69 ฿86.2

$1.17 RSD 116

129.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.38 ฿44.16

$0.94 RSD 93.2

46.81%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.76 ฿377

$27.90 RSD 2,777

-57.85%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.11 ฿99.6

$1.50 RSD 150

107.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.00 ฿32.18

$0.67 RSD 67.1

49.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.74 ฿441

$6.82 RSD 678

101.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 ฿41.61

$1.74 RSD 173

-25.29%

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

$27.4K ฿877.0K

$30.6K RSD 3.0M

-10.63%

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

$33.0K ฿1.1M

$26.8K RSD 2.7M

23.09%

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

$125 ฿4,004

$177 RSD 17.7K

-29.64%

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

$13.74 ฿440

$26.63 RSD 2,650

-48.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.61 ฿597

$33.04 RSD 3,287

-43.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.6 ฿1,941

$30.81 RSD 3,065

96.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.15 ฿550

$16.46 RSD 1,637

4.19%

Cinema Ticket

$9.01 ฿289

$6.20 RSD 617

45.32%

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

$698 ฿22.4K

$232 RSD 23.1K

200.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.1K ฿516.5K

$5,113 RSD 508.7K

215.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.2 ฿1,898

$90.4 RSD 8,996

-34.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.86 ฿1,118

$45.10 RSD 4,487

-22.71%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$114 ฿3,662

$113 RSD 11.2K

1.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.8 ฿2,751

$120 RSD 12.0K

-28.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$619 ฿19.8K

$375 RSD 37.3K

64.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$437 ฿14.0K

$298 RSD 29.6K

46.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,075 ฿66.5K

$568 RSD 56.5K

265.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,509 ฿48.4K

$407 RSD 40.5K

270.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,764 ฿120.7K

$2,149 RSD 213.8K

75.15%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,694 ฿86.4K

$1,588 RSD 158.0K

69.62%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$528 ฿16.9K

$689 RSD 68.6K

-23.30%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

7.45

-28.46%

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

Last update for Phuket: April 13, 2026

Last update for Paracin: April 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $619 in Phuket versus $375 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 30% 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 $47 in Phuket versus $30 in Paracin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $292 vs $213 – making Paracin 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

Phuket vs Paracin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Phuket is pricier by about 11%, 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 $1,870 per month in Phuket and $1,687 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 $1,247 in Phuket and $1,124 in Paracin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 137% 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 $1,124, than in Phuket at $1,247. 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.