😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,232 in Phuket versus $878 in Paulinia.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,255 in Phuket versus $1,384 in Paulinia.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,279 in Phuket versus $1,889 in Paulinia.
😐Living in Phuket is roughly 40% more expensive than Paulinia, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket8% lower, Paulinia34% lower.
Moneda
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Paulinia
Diferencia
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.63฿151
$7.42R$37.02
-37.60%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.84฿1,532
$32.36R$161
44.75%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.84฿289
$6.75R$33.68
30.96%
Cappuccino
$3.00฿98.0
$2.06R$10.30
45.63%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.74฿24.25
$1.27R$6.35
-41.73%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.37฿11.95
$0.91R$4.56
-59.34%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.44฿79.8
$1.75R$8.73
39.43%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.61฿118
$2.76R$13.78
30.80%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Paulinia
Diferencia
Milk(1 liter)
$2.26฿73.9
$1.02R$5.11
121.57%
White Bread(500g)
$1.84฿60.1
$1.55R$7.74
18.71%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.24฿73.4
$1.38R$6.87
62.32%
Eggs
$2.32฿75.7
$2.34R$11.68
-0.85%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$19.67฿643
$12.75R$63.6
54.27%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.65฿119
$4.03R$20.13
-9.43%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$13.10฿428
$8.91R$44.44
47.03%
Apples(1kg)
$3.39฿111
$1.67R$8.33
102.99%
Banana(1kg)
$1.64฿53.7
$1.38R$6.87
18.84%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.41฿79.0
$1.37R$6.83
75.91%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.03฿66.4
$1.72R$8.59
18.02%
Potato(1kg)
$1.56฿50.9
$1.28R$6.39
21.88%
Onion(1kg)
$1.50฿48.94
$1.23R$6.11
21.95%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.02฿33.50
$1.02R$5.07
-
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.49฿16.00
$0.67R$3.36
-26.87%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.45฿145
$2.19R$10.92
103.20%
Wine(Bottle)
$18.88฿617
$8.36R$41.69
125.84%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.78฿58.1
$1.37R$6.85
29.93%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.75฿90.1
$2.07R$10.35
32.85%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Paulinia
Diferencia
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.40฿45.81
$0.87R$4.34
60.92%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$11.48฿376
$39.15R$195
-70.68%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.12฿102
$1.15R$5.75
171.30%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.00฿32.67
$0.62R$3.10
61.29%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$14.09฿461
$7.89R$39.35
78.58%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.35฿44.19
$1.08R$5.39
25.00%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.2K฿888.9K
$22.2KR$110.6K
22.65%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$32.9K฿1.1M
$28.7KR$143.4K
14.53%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Paulinia
Diferencia
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$125฿4,087
$85.4R$426
46.35%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.57฿444
$16.21R$80.9
-16.29%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.52฿606
$22.57R$113
-17.94%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Paulinia
Diferencia
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$61.5฿2,010
$36.66R$183
67.70%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.84฿551
$21.39R$107
-21.27%
Cinema Ticket
$9.19฿300
$7.84R$39.14
17.22%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Paulinia
Diferencia
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$698฿22.8K
$329R$1,644
111.94%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$15.6K฿509.9K
$7,999R$39.9K
94.93%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Paulinia
Diferencia
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$57.8฿1,889
$45.57R$227
26.75%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$35.24฿1,152
$45.84R$229
-23.12%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$113฿3,699
$79.8R$398
41.83%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$86.4฿2,825
$62.5R$312
38.19%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Paulinia
Diferencia
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$616฿20.1K
$313R$1,563
96.59%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$446฿14.6K
$212R$1,060
109.95%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,048฿67.0K
$583R$2,909
251.26%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,492฿48.8K
$431R$2,149
246.45%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,779฿123.6K
$1,645R$8,211
129.63%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,649฿86.6K
$1,179R$5,885
124.57%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Paulinia
Diferencia
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$524฿17.1K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.33
12
-55.58%
Los datos de CityCost se basan en IA y aportaciones de usuarios. Puede haber pequeñas variaciones.
Última actualización para Phuket: April 27, 2026
Última actualización para Paulinia: April 27, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $616 in Phuket and $313 in Paulinia. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
🛒Dining out: $47.00 in Phuket vs $32.00 in Paulinia for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $292 vs $203 per month, with Paulinia cheaper across the board.
Comparación de velocidades medias de internet por ciudad (actualizado April 2026)
El gráfico resalta el umbral de precisión para velocidades de internet móvil y fija, actualizado trimestralmente.
Índice del coste de vida para nómadas digitales
Phuket vs Paulinia: Coste de vida - preguntas frecuentes
What is the total cost difference between living in Phuket and Paulinia?
Phuket and Paulinia differ by about 40% in total monthly costs ($1,232 vs $878 including rent). Paulinia is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
What salary covers living expenses in Phuket compared to Paulinia?
You'd need roughly $1,847 in Phuket and $1,318 in Paulinia to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
How do apartment prices compare in Phuket and Paulinia?
Rent for a central apartment: $616 in Phuket versus $313 in Paulinia. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
Dining out is cheaper in Paulinia – a meal for two runs $32.00 versus $47.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Which city is more expensive overall: Phuket or Paulinia?
All in, you'll spend $1,232 per month in Phuket versus $878 in Paulinia – a 40% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
At $878 in Paulinia versus $1,232 in Phuket, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Paulinia but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Paulinia the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Phuket and Paulinia?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.
Is Phuket or Paulinia safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Phuket and Paulinia are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Where should expats move: Phuket or Paulinia?
Expats usually find Paulinia gentler on the wallet – expenses run 40% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.