Cost of Living Comparison Between Cusco and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Cusco and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $747 in Cusco versus $1,265 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,171 in Cusco versus $2,297 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,596 in Cusco versus $3,329 in Phuket.

Living in Cusco costs roughly 41% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Cusco 44% lower, Phuket 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.81 PEN 9.56

$4.70 ฿153

-40.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.73 PEN 94.3

$45.37 ฿1,482

-38.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.64 PEN 19.20

$8.43 ฿275

-33.10%

Cappuccino

$2.02 PEN 6.86

$2.93 ฿95.6

-31.06%

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

$1.23 PEN 4.17

$0.69 ฿22.40

78.26%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.74 PEN 2.50

$0.37 ฿11.99

100.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.19 PEN 7.44

$2.41 ฿78.6

-9.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.23 PEN 14.39

$3.72 ฿122

13.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.46 PEN 4.95

$2.23 ฿72.9

-34.53%

White Bread (500g)

$3.01 PEN 10.24

$1.83 ฿59.8

64.48%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.33 PEN 4.53

$2.17 ฿70.8

-38.71%

Eggs

$3.87 PEN 13.15

$2.21 ฿72.3

75.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.76 PEN 16.20

$19.74 ฿645

-75.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.89 PEN 16.62

$3.63 ฿119

34.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.88 PEN 23.41

$13.53 ฿442

-49.15%

Apples (1kg)

$2.37 PEN 8.06

$3.28 ฿107

-27.74%

Banana (1kg)

$0.72 PEN 2.45

$1.61 ฿52.6

-55.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.27 PEN 4.32

$2.41 ฿78.6

-47.30%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.90 PEN 3.05

$2.08 ฿68.1

-56.73%

Potato (1kg)

$1.00 PEN 3.39

$1.53 ฿49.93

-34.64%

Onion (1kg)

$0.96 PEN 3.26

$1.48 ฿48.36

-35.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 PEN 2.37

$0.99 ฿32.29

-29.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.68 PEN 2.31

$0.51 ฿16.67

33.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.83 PEN 16.42

$4.41 ฿144

9.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.86 PEN 19.93

$19.38 ฿633

-69.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.98 PEN 6.74

$1.78 ฿58.1

11.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.06 PEN 10.42

$2.71 ฿88.6

12.92%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 PEN 0.91

$1.37 ฿44.79

-80.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.39 ฿372

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.69 PEN 5.74

$3.02 ฿98.6

-44.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.61 PEN 5.48

$0.99 ฿32.48

62.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.79 PEN 9.49

$14.10 ฿461

-80.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.51 PEN 5.13

$1.36 ฿44.51

11.03%

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

$18.8K PEN 63.9K

$28.2K ฿921.1K

-33.37%

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

$22.1K PEN 75.2K

$32.9K ฿1.1M

-32.80%

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

$33.09 PEN 113

$122 ฿3,975

-72.81%

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

$14.07 PEN 47.86

$13.57 ฿443

3.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.14 PEN 103

$18.31 ฿598

64.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.93 PEN 105

$60.2 ฿1,967

-48.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.14 ฿560

Cinema Ticket

$4.76 PEN 16.19

$8.69 ฿284

-45.22%

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

$693 ฿22.6K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ฿512.3K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.52 PEN 124

$59.5 ฿1,944

-38.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.63 PEN 97.4

$34.77 ฿1,136

-17.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$61.6 PEN 210

$115 ฿3,743

-46.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.4 PEN 239

$83.3 ฿2,720

-15.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$304 PEN 1,033

$613 ฿20.0K

-50.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$250 PEN 850

$437 ฿14.3K

-42.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$582 PEN 1,979

$2,094 ฿68.4K

-72.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$410 PEN 1,395

$1,509 ฿49.3K

-72.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,889 PEN 13.2K

$3,749 ฿122.5K

3.73%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,754 PEN 5,968

$2,616 ฿85.4K

-32.94%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$432 PEN 1,471

$508 ฿16.6K

-14.90%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

106.38%

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

Last update for Cusco: June 2, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $304 in Cusco and $613 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 18% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $28.00 in Cusco vs $45.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $194 vs $293 per month, with Cusco 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

Cusco vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cusco is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 69% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Phuket earns 18% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $304 in Cusco versus $613 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 51% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Cusco – a meal for two runs $28.00 versus $45.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $747 in Cusco versus $1,265 in Phuket, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Cusco but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Cusco the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Cusco 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, Cusco 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 Cusco gentler on the wallet – expenses run 69% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.