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 $1,105 in Paramaribo, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,089 per month in Phuket vs $1,782 in Paramaribo, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,913 per month in Phuket vs $2,459 in Paramaribo, rent included.

Phuket costs about 14% more than Paramaribo, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Phuket and Paramaribo are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 8% lower, Paramaribo 20% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.66 ฿154

$13.29 SRD 504

-64.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.22 ฿1,065

$52.7 SRD 1,996

-38.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.68 ฿287

$11.16 SRD 423

-22.22%

Cappuccino

$2.90 ฿95.8

$2.84 SRD 108

2.11%

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

$0.84 ฿27.89

$1.37 SRD 51.9

-38.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.16

$0.83 SRD 31.40

-40.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.48 ฿82.0

$2.67 SRD 101

-7.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿123

$3.86 SRD 146

-3.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 ฿62.3

$1.78 SRD 67.4

6.18%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 ฿46.54

$1.40 SRD 52.9

0.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.6

$1.61 SRD 60.9

0.62%

Eggs

$2.24 ฿74.1

$2.96 SRD 112

-24.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.84 ฿656

$11.19 SRD 424

77.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.48 ฿115

$6.30 SRD 239

-44.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.37 ฿376

$10.23 SRD 388

11.14%

Apples (1kg)

$2.90 ฿95.8

$4.80 SRD 182

-39.58%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 ฿57.0

$2.40 SRD 90.8

-28.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.27 ฿75.1

$3.69 SRD 140

-38.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.13 ฿70.4

$6.05 SRD 229

-64.79%

Potato (1kg)

$1.47 ฿48.72

$1.42 SRD 53.8

3.52%

Onion (1kg)

$1.42 ฿46.92

$1.99 SRD 75.4

-28.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 ฿36.25

$1.48 SRD 56.2

-25.68%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 ฿19.76

$1.44 SRD 54.7

-58.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.31 ฿142

$5.76 SRD 218

-25.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.60 ฿615

$7.81 SRD 296

138.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿59.5

$2.07 SRD 78.3

-13.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 ฿98.0

$3.76 SRD 143

-21.01%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.25 ฿74.2

$0.77 SRD 29.01

192.21%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.49 ฿776

$89.8 SRD 3,401

-73.83%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.10 ฿102

$3.03 SRD 115

2.31%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.08 ฿35.56

$2.02 SRD 76.4

-46.53%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.87 ฿128

$9.87 SRD 374

-60.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 ฿47.16

$1.12 SRD 42.49

27.68%

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

$27.8K ฿918.0K

$24.6K SRD 930.4K

13.13%

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

$27.0K ฿891.5K

$24.8K SRD 939.9K

8.75%

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

$105 ฿3,462

$37.20 SRD 1,409

181.72%

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

$11.39 ฿376

$25.20 SRD 955

-54.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.54 ฿580

$30.83 SRD 1,168

-43.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.3 ฿1,795

$13.39 SRD 507

305.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.44 ฿378

$20.69 SRD 784

-44.71%

Cinema Ticket

$7.78 ฿257

$5.12 SRD 194

51.95%

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

$576 ฿19.0K

$64.0 SRD 2,425

800.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.6K ฿382.7K

$1,747 SRD 66.2K

562.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.6 ฿2,103

$38.45 SRD 1,456

65.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.10 ฿961

$26.47 SRD 1,003

9.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.2 ฿3,179

$73.1 SRD 2,769

31.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.0 ฿2,974

$106 SRD 4,006

-14.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$733 ฿24.2K

$481 SRD 18.2K

52.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$501 ฿16.5K

$262 SRD 9,917

91.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,126 ฿70.2K

$1,158 SRD 43.9K

83.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,252 ฿41.4K

$492 SRD 18.6K

154.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,534 ฿116.8K

$466 SRD 17.6K

658.92%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,622 ฿86.6K

$396 SRD 15.0K

562.95%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.8K

$284 SRD 10.8K

78.81%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

-65.19%

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

Last update for Phuket: September 6, 2026

Last update for Paramaribo: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $733 in Phuket versus $481 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 79% 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 $32.00 in Phuket versus $53.0 in Paramaribo. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $275 vs $294 – making Phuket 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 14% more than Paramaribo, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. 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 $1,658 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 $576 per month in Phuket and $64.0 in Paramaribo. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 7% cheaper in Phuket – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Paramaribo, where all-in costs run around $1,105, 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 $1,105 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.