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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,250 per month in Phuket vs $999 in Paramaribo, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,284 per month in Phuket vs $1,716 in Paramaribo, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,317 per month in Phuket vs $2,433 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 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.55 ฿153

$8.27 SRD 310

-44.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.18 ฿1,553

$42.85 SRD 1,606

7.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 ฿297

$10.58 SRD 397

-16.45%

Cappuccino

$3.06 ฿103

$2.70 SRD 101

13.33%

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

$0.73 ฿24.40

$1.24 SRD 46.36

-41.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 ฿13.39

$0.83 SRD 31.04

-51.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 ฿81.8

$3.07 SRD 115

-20.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.78 ฿127

$4.01 SRD 150

-5.74%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ฿76.0

$1.72 SRD 64.6

31.40%

White Bread (500g)

$1.81 ฿60.9

$1.28 SRD 47.88

41.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.25 ฿75.8

$1.67 SRD 62.6

34.73%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.5

$3.50 SRD 131

-35.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.51 ฿656

$12.35 SRD 463

57.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.65 ฿123

$5.55 SRD 208

-34.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.05 ฿439

$9.84 SRD 369

32.62%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿109

$4.44 SRD 167

-27.25%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 ฿54.4

$2.04 SRD 76.6

-20.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.38 ฿80.1

$3.13 SRD 117

-23.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿68.1

$5.39 SRD 202

-62.34%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿51.6

$1.28 SRD 48.16

19.53%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.5

$2.08 SRD 78.1

-27.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.91

$1.84 SRD 69.0

-46.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.39

$1.48 SRD 55.6

-64.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.44 ฿149

$5.58 SRD 209

-20.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.32 ฿616

$7.92 SRD 297

131.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.7

$2.28 SRD 85.3

-18.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 ฿90.1

$3.32 SRD 124

-19.28%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.41 ฿47.46

$0.46 SRD 17.19

206.52%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.70 ฿393

$89.4 SRD 3,352

-86.91%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.11 ฿105

$2.98 SRD 112

4.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿35.06

$2.54 SRD 95.3

-59.06%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.11 ฿474

$10.07 SRD 377

40.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 ฿44.10

$1.10 SRD 41.23

19.09%

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

$27.8K ฿935.4K

$24.6K SRD 920.9K

13.24%

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

$33.2K ฿1.1M

$25.3K SRD 947.6K

31.42%

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

$122 ฿4,118

$39.43 SRD 1,478

210.52%

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

$13.59 ฿457

$26.19 SRD 982

-48.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.70 ฿629

$29.06 SRD 1,089

-35.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.5 ฿2,034

$12.67 SRD 475

377.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.98 ฿571

$19.82 SRD 743

-14.33%

Cinema Ticket

$9.07 ฿305

$4.58 SRD 172

98.03%

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

$706 ฿23.8K

$61.8 SRD 2,317

1043.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿531.5K

$1,950 SRD 73.1K

710.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.6 ฿1,969

$36.10 SRD 1,353

62.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.36 ฿1,189

$28.89 SRD 1,083

22.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,883

$75.3 SRD 2,822

53.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.7 ฿2,816

$110 SRD 4,133

-24.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$626 ฿21.0K

$503 SRD 18.9K

24.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$445 ฿15.0K

$217 SRD 8,128

105.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,040 ฿68.6K

$1,091 SRD 40.9K

87.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 ฿50.2K

$568 SRD 21.3K

162.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,483 ฿117.1K

$465 SRD 17.4K

648.19%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,577 ฿86.7K

$407 SRD 15.2K

533.43%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$500 ฿16.8K

$276 SRD 10.3K

81.14%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Paramaribo: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $626 in Phuket versus $503 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 81% 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 $46.00 in Phuket versus $43.00 in Paramaribo. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $289 vs $286 – 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 $1,875 per month in Phuket and $1,499 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 $706 per month in Phuket and $61.8 in Paramaribo. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 1% 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 $999, than in Phuket at $1,250. 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 $999 versus $1,250 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.