Cost of Living Comparison Between Cajamarca and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Cajamarca and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $706 in Cajamarca versus $1,253 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,178 in Cajamarca versus $2,043 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,649 in Cajamarca versus $2,833 in Phuket.

Living in Cajamarca costs roughly 44% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Cajamarca 49% lower, Phuket 9% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.47 PEN 11.66

$4.56 ฿150

-23.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.10 PEN 101

$32.62 ฿1,073

-7.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.04 PEN 20.32

$8.90 ฿293

-32.13%

Cappuccino

$2.74 PEN 9.22

$2.80 ฿92.2

-2.14%

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

$0.82 PEN 2.76

$0.88 ฿28.94

-6.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.61 PEN 2.04

$0.49 ฿16.08

24.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.40 PEN 8.08

$2.39 ฿78.5

0.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 PEN 11.80

$3.71 ฿122

-5.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 PEN 4.64

$1.79 ฿58.8

-22.91%

White Bread (500g)

$3.22 PEN 10.82

$1.44 ฿47.40

123.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.30 PEN 4.36

$1.58 ฿52.1

-17.72%

Eggs

$2.23 PEN 7.50

$2.13 ฿69.9

4.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.80 PEN 26.24

$19.92 ฿655

-60.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.35 PEN 21.34

$3.43 ฿113

85.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.95 PEN 43.55

$11.33 ฿372

14.30%

Apples (1kg)

$1.13 PEN 3.79

$2.95 ฿97.0

-61.69%

Banana (1kg)

$0.78 PEN 2.64

$1.72 ฿56.6

-54.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.29 PEN 4.33

$2.32 ฿76.5

-44.40%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.11 PEN 3.74

$2.08 ฿68.4

-46.63%

Potato (1kg)

$0.75 PEN 2.52

$1.47 ฿48.34

-48.98%

Onion (1kg)

$1.04 PEN 3.50

$1.36 ฿44.65

-23.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.76 PEN 2.55

$1.10 ฿36.13

-30.91%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.76 PEN 2.57

$0.57 ฿18.89

33.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.76 PEN 29.46

$4.27 ฿140

105.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.28 PEN 34.56

$18.42 ฿606

-44.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.61 PEN 8.78

$1.87 ฿61.5

39.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.51 PEN 8.43

$2.92 ฿96.1

-14.04%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 PEN 2.02

$2.22 ฿73.0

-72.97%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.74 PEN 29.38

$22.90 ฿753

-61.83%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.82 PEN 6.13

$3.03 ฿99.6

-39.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.33 PEN 4.48

$1.07 ฿35.32

24.30%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.32 PEN 17.88

$3.93 ฿129

35.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.53 PEN 5.13

$1.49 ฿49.06

2.68%

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

$24.2K PEN 81.4K

$27.1K ฿892.0K

-10.80%

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

$25.8K PEN 86.8K

$27.5K ฿902.6K

-6.03%

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

$49.37 PEN 166

$103 ฿3,380

-51.97%

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

$9.79 PEN 32.94

$10.99 ฿361

-10.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.16 PEN 98.1

$17.51 ฿576

66.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.10 PEN 101

$53.5 ฿1,760

-43.77%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.17 PEN 71.2

$11.20 ฿368

89.02%

Cinema Ticket

$4.76 PEN 16.02

$7.48 ฿246

-36.36%

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

$137 PEN 461

$557 ฿18.3K

-75.39%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,411 PEN 14.8K

$11.9K ฿389.7K

-62.78%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.8 PEN 177

$64.1 ฿2,107

-17.64%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.83 PEN 100

$29.07 ฿956

2.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$81.1 PEN 273

$96.0 ฿3,155

-15.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$81.5 PEN 274

$90.3 ฿2,970

-9.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$206 PEN 691

$730 ฿24.0K

-71.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$105 PEN 354

$500 ฿16.4K

-78.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$542 PEN 1,822

$2,090 ฿68.7K

-74.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$313 PEN 1,053

$1,209 ฿39.8K

-74.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,339 PEN 7,866

$3,596 ฿118.2K

-34.96%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,512 ฿82.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$740 PEN 2,487

$503 ฿16.6K

46.92%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.5

5.57

88.51%

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

Last update for Cajamarca: August 29, 2026

Last update for Phuket: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $206 in Cajamarca and $730 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cajamarca pays 47% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $30.00 in Cajamarca vs $33.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $230 vs $273 per month, with Cajamarca 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

Cajamarca vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cajamarca is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 77% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 47% higher in Cajamarca, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $206 in Cajamarca versus $730 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Cajamarca runs roughly 162% less than in Phuket. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $137 in Cajamarca versus $557 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $706 in Cajamarca versus $1,253 in Phuket, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Cajamarca but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Cajamarca the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Cajamarca is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Phuket, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Cajamarca and Phuket 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 Cajamarca gentler on the wallet – expenses run 77% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.