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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,265 per month in Phuket vs $1,143 in Paracin, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,297 per month in Phuket vs $1,672 in Paracin, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,329 per month in Phuket vs $2,201 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 6% lower, Paracin 15% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.70 ฿153

$9.13 RSD 921

-48.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.37 ฿1,482

$30.09 RSD 3,033

50.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.43 ฿275

$9.69 RSD 976

-13.00%

Cappuccino

$2.93 ฿95.6

$1.94 RSD 196

51.03%

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

$0.69 ฿22.40

$2.00 RSD 202

-65.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.99

$1.35 RSD 136

-72.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 ฿78.6

$2.43 RSD 245

-0.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿122

$2.98 RSD 301

24.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 ฿72.9

$1.71 RSD 172

30.41%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 ฿59.8

$0.80 RSD 80.6

128.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 ฿70.8

$2.00 RSD 202

8.50%

Eggs

$2.21 ฿72.3

$2.66 RSD 269

-16.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.74 ฿645

$9.20 RSD 927

114.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿119

$7.27 RSD 733

-50.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.53 ฿442

$9.89 RSD 997

36.80%

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 ฿107

$0.97 RSD 98.2

238.14%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ฿52.6

$1.69 RSD 171

-4.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿78.6

$2.45 RSD 247

-1.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿68.1

$2.16 RSD 217

-3.70%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.93

$1.43 RSD 144

6.99%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.36

$0.81 RSD 81.3

82.72%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 ฿32.29

$0.70 RSD 71.0

41.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.67

$0.68 RSD 68.4

-25.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 ฿144

$4.32 RSD 435

2.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.38 ฿633

$7.34 RSD 740

164.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

$0.93 RSD 93.7

91.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 ฿88.6

$1.11 RSD 112

144.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.37 ฿44.79

$0.97 RSD 98.0

41.24%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.39 ฿372

$27.41 RSD 2,762

-58.45%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ฿98.6

$1.52 RSD 153

98.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 ฿32.48

$0.65 RSD 65.1

52.31%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.10 ฿461

$7.06 RSD 712

99.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 ฿44.51

$1.77 RSD 178

-23.16%

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

$28.2K ฿921.1K

$30.3K RSD 3.1M

-6.85%

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$26.7K RSD 2.7M

23.00%

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

$122 ฿3,975

$177 RSD 17.8K

-31.23%

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

$13.57 ฿443

$27.67 RSD 2,789

-50.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.31 ฿598

$33.48 RSD 3,374

-45.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.2 ฿1,967

$30.50 RSD 3,074

97.44%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.14 ฿560

$16.63 RSD 1,676

3.07%

Cinema Ticket

$8.69 ฿284

$6.00 RSD 605

44.83%

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

$693 ฿22.6K

$232 RSD 23.4K

198.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ฿512.3K

$5,007 RSD 504.6K

213.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,944

$88.9 RSD 8,958

-33.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.77 ฿1,136

$45.67 RSD 4,603

-23.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,743

$113 RSD 11.4K

1.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.3 ฿2,720

$121 RSD 12.2K

-31.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$613 ฿20.0K

$381 RSD 38.4K

60.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$437 ฿14.3K

$297 RSD 29.9K

47.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,094 ฿68.4K

$564 RSD 56.8K

271.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,509 ฿49.3K

$409 RSD 41.2K

269.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,749 ฿122.5K

$2,113 RSD 213.0K

77.42%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,616 ฿85.4K

$1,534 RSD 154.6K

70.51%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.6K

$683 RSD 68.9K

-25.65%

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: June 2, 2026

Last update for Paracin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $613 in Phuket versus $381 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 34% 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 $45.00 in Phuket versus $30.00 in Paracin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $293 vs $211 – 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 $1,898 per month in Phuket and $1,715 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 $1,265 in Phuket and $1,143 in Paracin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 141% 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 $1,143, than in Phuket at $1,265. 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.