Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Paradise Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Paradise

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,265 in Phuket versus $1,652 in Paradise.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,297 in Phuket versus $2,131 in Paradise.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,329 in Phuket versus $2,610 in Paradise.

Living in Phuket costs roughly 23% less than in Paradise, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

The two cities straddle the global median: Phuket is 6% below, Paradise is 23% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.70 ฿153

$9.54 GYD 1,983

-50.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.37 ฿1,482

$65.6 GYD 13.6K

-30.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.43 ฿275

$8.44 GYD 1,754

-0.12%

Cappuccino

$2.93 ฿95.6

$4.25 GYD 884

-31.06%

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

$0.69 ฿22.40

$1.17 GYD 244

-41.03%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.99

$0.70 GYD 146

-47.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 ฿78.6

$2.22 GYD 462

8.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿122

$2.45 GYD 509

51.84%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 ฿72.9

$3.68 GYD 764

-39.40%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 ฿59.8

$1.87 GYD 388

-2.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 ฿70.8

$1.79 GYD 373

21.23%

Eggs

$2.21 ฿72.3

$3.57 GYD 743

-38.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.74 ฿645

$10.20 GYD 2,121

93.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿119

$5.94 GYD 1,236

-38.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.53 ฿442

$9.27 GYD 1,927

45.95%

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 ฿107

$3.87 GYD 804

-15.25%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ฿52.6

$2.22 GYD 462

-27.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿78.6

$2.33 GYD 485

3.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿68.1

$2.45 GYD 508

-15.10%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.93

$1.44 GYD 299

6.25%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.36

$2.01 GYD 418

-26.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 ฿32.29

$1.31 GYD 272

-24.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.67

$1.64 GYD 340

-68.90%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 ฿144

$2.25 GYD 468

96.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.38 ฿633

$11.02 GYD 2,291

75.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

$1.66 GYD 346

7.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 ฿88.6

$2.44 GYD 506

11.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.37 ฿44.79

$0.59 GYD 123

132.20%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.39 ฿372

$29.51 GYD 6,135

-61.40%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ฿98.6

$2.43 GYD 505

24.28%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 ฿32.48

$3.40 GYD 706

-70.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.10 ฿461

$9.66 GYD 2,008

45.96%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 ฿44.51

$1.08 GYD 224

25.93%

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

$28.2K ฿921.1K

$16.0K GYD 3.3M

75.92%

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$18.0K GYD 3.7M

83.08%

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

$122 ฿3,975

$76.2 GYD 15.8K

59.75%

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

$13.57 ฿443

$27.83 GYD 5,787

-51.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.31 ฿598

$68.7 GYD 14.3K

-73.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.2 ฿1,967

$50.2 GYD 10.4K

20.06%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.14 ฿560

Cinema Ticket

$8.69 ฿284

$6.36 GYD 1,323

36.64%

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

$693 ฿22.6K

$919 GYD 191.0K

-24.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ฿512.3K

$20.6K GYD 4.3M

-23.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,944

$32.45 GYD 6,746

83.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.77 ฿1,136

$48.01 GYD 9,982

-27.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,743

$63.3 GYD 13.2K

81.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.3 ฿2,720

$63.2 GYD 13.1K

31.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$613 ฿20.0K

$300 GYD 62.3K

104.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$437 ฿14.3K

$799 GYD 166.2K

-45.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,094 ฿68.4K

$1,201 GYD 249.7K

74.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,509 ฿49.3K

$658 GYD 136.7K

129.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,749 ฿122.5K

$3,380 GYD 702.7K

10.92%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,616 ฿85.4K

$458 GYD 95.2K

471.21%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.6K

$733 GYD 152.4K

-30.70%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

7.11

-25.04%

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

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Last update for Paradise: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $613 in Phuket and $300 in Paradise. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Paradise pays 44% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $45.00 in Phuket vs $66.0 in Paradise. Groceries flip the comparison at $293 vs $288, with Paradise cheaper for home cooking.

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 Paradise: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 31% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Paradise earns 44% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $613 in Phuket versus $300 in Paradise. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Phuket – a meal for two runs $45.00 versus $66.0 in Paradise. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,265 per month in Phuket versus $1,652 in Paradise – a 31% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,265 in Phuket versus $1,652 in Paradise, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Paradise. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Phuket is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Paradise, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Phuket and Paradise are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Phuket gentler on the wallet – expenses run 31% less than in Paradise. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.