Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Paramaribo Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Paramaribo

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,265 per month in Phuket vs $1,015 in Paramaribo, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,297 per month in Phuket vs $1,740 in Paramaribo, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,329 per month in Phuket vs $2,464 in Paramaribo, rent included.

Phuket costs about 25% more than Paramaribo, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Phuket and Paramaribo are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 6% lower, Paramaribo 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.70 ฿153

$8.42 SRD 311

-44.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.37 ฿1,482

$43.33 SRD 1,598

4.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.43 ฿275

$10.32 SRD 381

-18.31%

Cappuccino

$2.93 ฿95.6

$2.66 SRD 98.1

10.15%

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

$0.69 ฿22.40

$1.18 SRD 43.71

-41.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.99

$0.79 SRD 28.97

-53.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 ฿78.6

$2.95 SRD 109

-18.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿122

$4.16 SRD 154

-10.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 ฿72.9

$1.80 SRD 66.5

23.89%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 ฿59.8

$1.26 SRD 46.65

45.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 ฿70.8

$1.67 SRD 61.8

29.94%

Eggs

$2.21 ฿72.3

$3.46 SRD 128

-36.13%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.74 ฿645

$12.61 SRD 465

56.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿119

$5.71 SRD 211

-36.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.53 ฿442

$9.77 SRD 361

38.49%

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 ฿107

$4.39 SRD 162

-25.28%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ฿52.6

$1.96 SRD 72.5

-17.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿78.6

$3.25 SRD 120

-25.85%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿68.1

$5.51 SRD 203

-62.25%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.93

$1.28 SRD 47.11

19.53%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.36

$2.01 SRD 74.2

-26.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 ฿32.29

$1.91 SRD 70.3

-48.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.67

$1.53 SRD 56.3

-66.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 ฿144

$5.71 SRD 211

-22.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.38 ฿633

$7.84 SRD 289

147.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

$2.21 SRD 81.7

-19.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 ฿88.6

$3.28 SRD 121

-17.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.37 ฿44.79

$0.45 SRD 16.68

204.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.39 ฿372

$91.4 SRD 3,370

-87.53%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ฿98.6

$3.02 SRD 111

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 ฿32.48

$2.46 SRD 90.7

-59.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.10 ฿461

$9.93 SRD 366

41.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 ฿44.51

$1.14 SRD 41.87

19.30%

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

$28.2K ฿921.1K

$25.1K SRD 925.9K

12.37%

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$25.3K SRD 931.6K

30.29%

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

$122 ฿3,975

$39.72 SRD 1,465

206.39%

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

$13.57 ฿443

$25.69 SRD 948

-47.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.31 ฿598

$29.40 SRD 1,085

-37.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.2 ฿1,967

$12.83 SRD 473

369.37%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.14 ฿560

$20.21 SRD 745

-15.19%

Cinema Ticket

$8.69 ฿284

$4.57 SRD 169

90.15%

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

$693 ฿22.6K

$63.4 SRD 2,338

994.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ฿512.3K

$1,939 SRD 71.5K

708.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,944

$35.87 SRD 1,323

65.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.77 ฿1,136

$28.12 SRD 1,037

23.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,743

$76.3 SRD 2,816

50.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.3 ฿2,720

$111 SRD 4,107

-25.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$613 ฿20.0K

$496 SRD 18.3K

23.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$437 ฿14.3K

$214 SRD 7,878

104.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,094 ฿68.4K

$1,087 SRD 40.1K

92.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,509 ฿49.3K

$570 SRD 21.0K

164.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,749 ฿122.5K

$479 SRD 17.7K

682.86%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,616 ฿85.4K

$395 SRD 14.6K

561.79%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.6K

$278 SRD 10.3K

82.63%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

-66.69%

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

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Last update for Paramaribo: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $613 in Phuket versus $496 in Paramaribo. 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 83% higher in Phuket, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $45.00 in Phuket versus $43.00 in Paramaribo. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $293 vs $288 – making Paramaribo 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 Paramaribo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket costs about 25% more than Paramaribo, with the gap driven mainly by Getting Around. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,898 per month in Phuket and $1,523 in Paramaribo. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Paramaribo, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $693 per month in Phuket and $63.4 in Paramaribo. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 2% more in Phuket, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Paramaribo, where all-in costs run around $1,015, than in Phuket at $1,265. In Paramaribo it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Paramaribo costs $1,015 versus $1,265 in Phuket. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Paramaribo. 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.