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: $1,232 in Phuket versus $1,666 in Paradise.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,054 in Phuket versus $2,164 in Paradise.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,876 in Phuket versus $2,663 in Paradise.

Living in Phuket costs roughly 26% less than in Paradise, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

The two cities straddle the global median: Phuket is 10% below, Paradise is 22% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.41 ฿147

$9.84 GYD 2,046

-55.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.26 ฿1,077

$64.2 GYD 13.4K

-49.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.93 ฿298

$8.54 GYD 1,775

4.57%

Cappuccino

$2.90 ฿96.6

$4.50 GYD 935

-35.56%

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

$0.88 ฿29.38

$1.22 GYD 254

-27.87%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.06

$0.69 GYD 143

-30.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.35 ฿78.5

$2.21 GYD 459

6.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿124

$2.43 GYD 505

53.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 ฿62.3

$3.58 GYD 745

-47.77%

White Bread (500g)

$1.47 ฿48.94

$1.86 GYD 387

-20.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.8

$1.84 GYD 383

-15.76%

Eggs

$2.10 ฿70.1

$3.39 GYD 705

-38.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.59 ฿654

$9.88 GYD 2,053

98.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.42 ฿114

$5.76 GYD 1,198

-40.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.38 ฿380

$9.17 GYD 1,906

24.10%

Apples (1kg)

$2.98 ฿99.6

$4.03 GYD 838

-26.05%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 ฿56.2

$2.22 GYD 461

-24.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.21 ฿73.7

$2.39 GYD 497

-7.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.16 ฿72.1

$2.54 GYD 528

-14.96%

Potato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿50.9

$1.38 GYD 286

10.14%

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 ฿44.67

$1.99 GYD 413

-32.66%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 ฿37.67

$1.35 GYD 282

-16.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ฿18.24

$1.68 GYD 349

-67.26%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.26 ฿142

$2.18 GYD 453

95.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.09 ฿637

$10.97 GYD 2,281

74.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿59.4

$1.67 GYD 347

6.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿92.9

$2.41 GYD 501

15.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.23 ฿74.4

$0.58 GYD 121

284.48%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.74 ฿759

$29.37 GYD 6,106

-22.57%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 ฿101

$2.45 GYD 509

23.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 ฿34.15

$3.40 GYD 706

-70.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.89 ฿130

$9.73 GYD 2,024

-60.02%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿49.77

$1.08 GYD 224

37.96%

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

$26.6K ฿887.3K

$15.7K GYD 3.3M

69.69%

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

$27.0K ฿902.2K

$18.2K GYD 3.8M

48.42%

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

$102 ฿3,420

$77.1 GYD 16.0K

32.97%

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

$11.33 ฿378

$27.63 GYD 5,744

-58.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.40 ฿581

$68.9 GYD 14.3K

-74.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.1 ฿1,738

$50.9 GYD 10.6K

2.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.07 ฿370

Cinema Ticket

$7.69 ฿257

$6.20 GYD 1,288

24.03%

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

$561 ฿18.7K

$905 GYD 188.1K

-38.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.5K ฿384.1K

$20.0K GYD 4.2M

-42.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.0 ฿2,104

$32.18 GYD 6,689

95.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.52 ฿986

$46.46 GYD 9,658

-36.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.0 ฿3,272

$61.6 GYD 12.8K

59.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.5 ฿2,954

$63.2 GYD 13.1K

40.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$738 ฿24.6K

$299 GYD 62.1K

146.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.1K

$801 GYD 166.6K

-39.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,107 ฿70.3K

$1,180 GYD 245.4K

78.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,226 ฿40.9K

$662 GYD 137.6K

85.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,617 ฿120.7K

$3,411 GYD 709.2K

6.03%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,603 ฿86.9K

$470 GYD 97.6K

454.19%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.5K

$716 GYD 148.8K

-31.05%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

7.11

-21.66%

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

Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026

Last update for Paradise: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $738 in Phuket and $299 in Paradise. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Paradise pays 45% 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: $32.00 in Phuket vs $64.0 in Paradise for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $274 vs $286 per month, with Phuket cheaper across the board.

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 Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 35% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 45% lower in Paradise. 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: $738 in Phuket versus $299 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 $32.00 versus $64.0 in Paradise. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,232 per month in Phuket versus $1,666 in Paradise – a 35% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,232 in Phuket versus $1,666 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 35% less than in Paradise. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.