Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Paro

For one person, living is cheaper in Paro: $150 a month against $1,190 in Phuket, rent and utilities included – about $12,500 less a year.

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Cost of Living Index in Phuket
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Phuket Living Index

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Phuket

🇹🇭 Thailand

$1,190

/mo nomad

Paro

🇧🇹 Bhutan

$150

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Phuket and in Paro

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Phuket and in Paro actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,190 per month in Phuket vs $150 in Paro, rent included.

Phuket $1,190
Paro $150

A couple spends around $2,006 per month in Phuket vs $301 in Paro, rent included.

Phuket $2,006
Paro $301

A family of three spends $2,822 per month in Phuket vs $453 in Paro, rent included.

Phuket $2,822
Paro $453

Phuket costs about 695% more than Paro, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Phuket and Paro are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 11% lower, Paro 89% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.35 ฿146

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.45 ฿1,087

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.42 ฿282

Cappuccino

$2.81 ฿94.0

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

$0.87 ฿29.29

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.46 ฿15.39

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.59 ฿86.6

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.64 ฿122

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿57.2

White Bread (500g)

$1.45 ฿48.42

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 ฿52.3

Eggs

$2.10 ฿70.3

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.53 ฿654

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.40 ฿114

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.14 ฿373

Apples (1kg)

$2.83 ฿94.8

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 ฿54.3

Oranges (1kg)

$2.22 ฿74.5

Tomato (1kg)

$2.15 ฿71.9

Potato (1kg)

$1.49 ฿49.95

Onion (1kg)

$1.33 ฿44.40

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 ฿35.72

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿17.01

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.38 ฿147

Wine (Bottle)

$18.77 ฿629

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 ฿58.3

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿92.9

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.17 ฿72.6

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.28 ฿746

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ฿101

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.06 ฿35.43

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.71 ฿124

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 ฿47.88

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

$26.3K ฿882.1K

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

$26.2K ฿877.3K

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

$96.7 ฿3,236

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

$11.41 ฿382

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.11 ฿573

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.8 ฿1,768

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.07 ฿371

$3.49 BTN 338

217.19%

Cinema Ticket

$7.65 ฿256

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

$555 ฿18.6K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.3K ฿377.7K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.4 ฿2,123

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.61 ฿958

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.7 ฿3,238

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.6 ฿2,967

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$735 ฿24.6K

$197 BTN 19.1K

272.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$458 ฿15.3K

$148 BTN 14.4K

208.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,102 ฿70.4K

$495 BTN 48.0K

324.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,187 ฿39.7K

$447 BTN 43.3K

165.72%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,493 ฿116.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,491 ฿83.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$501 ฿16.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

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

Last update for Phuket: October 4, 2026

Last update for Paro: October 4, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Phuket

$458 38.1%

Paro

–

Groceries & Markets

Phuket

$268 22.3%

Paro

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Phuket

$125 10.4%

Paro

–

Clothing & Footwear

Phuket

$125 10.4%

Paro

–

Eating Out

Phuket

$119 9.9%

Paro

–

Sport & Entertainment

Phuket

$68 5.7%

Paro

–

Getting Around

Phuket

$39 3.3%

Paro

–

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $735 in Phuket versus $197 in Paro. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Phuket

🇧🇹 Paro

🕒 Local time

13:42 1:42 PM

12:42 12:42 PM

1 h behind Phuket

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

79,308

11,448

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

Bhutanese Ngultrum BTN Nu.

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.99 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

1,000 BTN = 10.32 USD

1,000 BTN = 9.2 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

BTN, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇭 Thai Baht (฿)

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 33.48 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.55 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

Bhutanese Ngultrum exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 96.88 BTN (100 BTN = 1.03 USD). 1 EUR = 109 BTN (1,000 BTN = 9.2 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Phuket Paro 2,370 km ≈ 3 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Phuket
Paro

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Paro: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,190 in Phuket, $150 in Paro – roughly 695% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,785 per month in Phuket and $225 in Paro. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Paro, where all-in costs run around $150, than in Phuket at $1,190. In Paro it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Phuket has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $150 in Paro to $1,190 in Phuket. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Paro. 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.