Not quite the same, paraffin is usually more refined and has perfume added, it burns cleaner and has a milder smell (also camoflaged by the perfume). The reason being, from what I've read / been told, is that most oil boilers don't benefit from paraffin, but where you have it indoors the smell of 28sec oil (kerosene) is very noticeable and generally not liked.
If using it for cleaning car parts or other things, I'm sure no one would care that much.
Our local place sells both kerosene and paraffin from pumps although it is 3 years since I bought any.