Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiclayo and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiclayo and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $796 per month in Chiclayo vs $1,232 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,338 per month in Chiclayo vs $2,054 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,880 per month in Chiclayo vs $2,876 in Phuket, rent included.

Chiclayo is about 35% cheaper than Phuket, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Chiclayo and Phuket are more affordable than the global median – Chiclayo 42% lower, Phuket 10% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.35 PEN 17.96

$4.41 ฿147

21.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.27 PEN 122

$32.26 ฿1,077

12.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.02 PEN 30.26

$8.93 ฿298

1.01%

Cappuccino

$4.43 PEN 14.85

$2.90 ฿96.6

52.76%

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

$0.92 PEN 3.08

$0.88 ฿29.38

4.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.44 PEN 1.46

$0.48 ฿16.06

-8.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.16 PEN 30.73

$2.35 ฿78.5

289.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿124

Milk (1 liter)

$2.01 PEN 6.74

$1.87 ฿62.3

7.49%

White Bread (500g)

$2.65 PEN 8.89

$1.47 ฿48.94

80.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.66 PEN 8.92

$1.55 ฿51.8

71.61%

Eggs

$1.82 PEN 6.12

$2.10 ฿70.1

-13.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.67 PEN 32.46

$19.59 ฿654

-50.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.70 PEN 32.54

$3.42 ฿114

183.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.80 PEN 26.17

$11.38 ฿380

-31.46%

Apples (1kg)

$2.98 ฿99.6

Banana (1kg)

$1.95 PEN 6.55

$1.68 ฿56.2

16.07%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.21 ฿73.7

Tomato (1kg)

$1.95 PEN 6.56

$2.16 ฿72.1

-9.72%

Potato (1kg)

$1.33 PEN 4.45

$1.52 ฿50.9

-12.50%

Onion (1kg)

$2.02 PEN 6.77

$1.34 ฿44.67

50.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.87 PEN 2.93

$1.13 ฿37.67

-23.01%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.93 PEN 3.11

$0.55 ฿18.24

69.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.49 PEN 15.08

$4.26 ฿142

5.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.05 PEN 50.5

$19.09 ฿637

-21.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.46 PEN 4.88

$1.78 ฿59.4

-17.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.21 PEN 4.05

$2.78 ฿92.9

-56.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.53 PEN 1.76

$2.23 ฿74.4

-76.23%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.84 PEN 100

$22.74 ฿759

31.22%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.36 PEN 14.64

$3.03 ฿101

43.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 ฿34.15

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.89 PEN 19.78

$3.89 ฿130

51.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 PEN 4.55

$1.49 ฿49.77

-9.40%

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

$25.2K PEN 84.7K

$26.6K ฿887.3K

-5.09%

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

$25.0K PEN 83.7K

$27.0K ฿902.2K

-7.67%

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

$50.5 PEN 170

$102 ฿3,420

-50.71%

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

$45.51 PEN 153

$11.33 ฿378

301.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.43 PEN 78.6

$17.40 ฿581

34.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.29 PEN 152

$52.1 ฿1,738

-13.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.50 PEN 119

$11.07 ฿370

220.69%

Cinema Ticket

$7.63 PEN 25.59

$7.69 ฿257

-0.78%

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

$351 PEN 1,179

$561 ฿18.7K

-37.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,231 PEN 17.6K

$11.5K ฿384.1K

-54.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.0 ฿2,104

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.52 ฿986

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.0 ฿3,272

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.5 ฿2,954

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$177 PEN 594

$738 ฿24.6K

-76.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$148 PEN 496

$482 ฿16.1K

-69.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$443 PEN 1,486

$2,107 ฿70.3K

-78.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$422 PEN 1,417

$1,226 ฿40.9K

-65.55%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,116 PEN 3,744

$3,617 ฿120.7K

-69.16%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,107 PEN 3,714

$2,603 ฿86.9K

-57.48%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$474 PEN 1,591

$494 ฿16.5K

-3.93%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

79.53%

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

Last update for Chiclayo: September 13, 2026

Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $177 in Chiclayo versus $738 in Phuket. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 4% higher in Phuket, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $36.00 in Chiclayo versus $32.00 in Phuket. Groceries tell a different story – $249 in Chiclayo vs $274 in Phuket – so Chiclayo wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Chiclayo vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $796 in Chiclayo, $1,232 in Phuket – roughly 55% apart. Phuket costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,195 per month in Chiclayo and $1,847 in Phuket. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $36.00 in Chiclayo and $32.00 in Phuket. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $796 in Chiclayo and $1,232 in Phuket. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiclayo, where all-in costs run around $796, than in Phuket at $1,232. In Chiclayo 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 $796 in Chiclayo to $1,232 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 Chiclayo. 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.