Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Paulinia Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Paulinia

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,264 in Phuket versus $865 in Paulinia.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,256 in Phuket versus $1,380 in Paulinia.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,248 in Phuket versus $1,896 in Paulinia.

Living in Phuket is roughly 46% more expensive than in Paulinia, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 5% lower, Paulinia 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.48 ฿150

$7.11 R$36.06

-36.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.59 ฿1,521

$31.88 R$162

43.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.76 ฿292

$6.87 R$34.87

27.51%

Cappuccino

$2.97 ฿99.0

$2.08 R$10.56

42.79%

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

$0.69 ฿22.90

$1.28 R$6.48

-46.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 ฿13.04

$0.87 R$4.42

-55.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.53 ฿84.4

$1.78 R$9.04

42.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.75 ฿125

$2.84 R$14.40

32.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.15 ฿71.6

$0.95 R$4.82

126.32%

White Bread (500g)

$1.82 ฿60.6

$1.52 R$7.73

19.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.18 ฿72.9

$1.40 R$7.08

55.71%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.0

$2.41 R$12.24

-6.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$20.00 ฿667

$12.41 R$63.0

61.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿121

$4.08 R$20.69

-11.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.56 ฿452

$8.66 R$43.95

56.58%

Apples (1kg)

$3.24 ฿108

$1.61 R$8.16

101.24%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ฿54.6

$1.38 R$6.99

18.84%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.33 ฿77.8

$1.42 R$7.22

64.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.07 ฿69.1

$1.66 R$8.44

24.70%

Potato (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.6

$1.25 R$6.36

24.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.54

$1.29 R$6.52

13.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.86

$1.01 R$5.12

-2.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.09

$0.67 R$3.41

-28.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 ฿145

$2.13 R$10.82

104.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.57 ฿620

$7.91 R$40.14

134.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿61.9

$1.31 R$6.65

41.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.65 ฿88.6

$2.08 R$10.53

27.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.42 ฿47.28

$0.88 R$4.44

61.36%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.57 ฿386

$38.23 R$194

-69.74%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 ฿106

$1.16 R$5.90

173.28%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.03 ฿34.41

$0.58 R$2.95

77.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.89 ฿463

$7.87 R$39.94

76.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ฿44.84

$1.07 R$5.41

25.23%

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

$27.8K ฿927.1K

$22.2K R$112.5K

25.35%

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

$33.4K ฿1.1M

$28.5K R$144.5K

17.24%

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

$123 ฿4,105

$86.4 R$438

42.40%

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

$13.77 ฿459

$16.57 R$84.1

-16.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.33 ฿611

$22.12 R$112

-17.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.7 ฿2,025

$36.40 R$185

66.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.16 ฿573

$21.83 R$111

-21.39%

Cinema Ticket

$8.87 ฿296

$7.63 R$38.71

16.25%

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

$688 ฿22.9K

$330 R$1,676

108.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿526.4K

$8,131 R$41.3K

94.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.3 ฿1,978

$47.23 R$240

25.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.69 ฿1,157

$44.24 R$224

-21.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,843

$80.7 R$409

42.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.8 ฿2,794

$63.4 R$322

32.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$621 ฿20.7K

$311 R$1,579

99.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$446 ฿14.9K

$219 R$1,111

103.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,034 ฿67.8K

$576 R$2,925

252.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,496 ฿49.9K

$438 R$2,223

241.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,455 ฿115.3K

$1,604 R$8,139

115.41%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,531 ฿84.4K

$1,189 R$6,035

112.82%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

-55.58%

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

Last update for Phuket: July 27, 2026

Last update for Paulinia: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $621 in Phuket and $311 in Paulinia. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $46.00 in Phuket vs $32.00 in Paulinia for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $291 vs $199 per month, with Paulinia cheaper across the board.

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 Paulinia: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket and Paulinia differ by about 46% in total monthly costs ($1,264 vs $865 including rent). Paulinia is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,896 in Phuket and $1,298 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $621 in Phuket versus $311 in Paulinia. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Paulinia – a meal for two runs $32.00 versus $46.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,264 per month in Phuket versus $865 in Paulinia – a 46% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $865 in Paulinia versus $1,264 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.

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.

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.

Expats usually find Paulinia gentler on the wallet – expenses run 46% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.