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: $699 in Cusco versus $1,253 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,042 in Cusco versus $2,043 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,385 in Cusco versus $2,833 in Phuket.

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

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.51 PEN 8.43

$4.56 ฿152

-44.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$20.88 PEN 70.2

$32.62 ฿1,086

-35.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.44 PEN 21.62

$8.90 ฿296

-27.64%

Cappuccino

$2.23 PEN 7.50

$2.80 ฿93.4

-20.36%

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

$0.80 PEN 2.70

$0.88 ฿29.31

-9.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.34 PEN 1.14

$0.49 ฿16.29

-30.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.03 PEN 6.81

$2.39 ฿79.5

-15.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.33 PEN 14.56

$3.71 ฿124

16.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.33 PEN 4.48

$1.79 ฿59.5

-25.70%

White Bread (500g)

$2.37 PEN 7.98

$1.44 ฿48.00

64.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.31 PEN 4.42

$1.58 ฿52.8

-17.09%

Eggs

$3.61 PEN 12.12

$2.13 ฿70.8

69.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.77 PEN 16.02

$19.92 ฿663

-76.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.36 PEN 14.67

$3.43 ฿114

27.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.32 PEN 24.60

$11.33 ฿377

-35.39%

Apples (1kg)

$2.64 PEN 8.88

$2.95 ฿98.2

-10.51%

Banana (1kg)

$0.80 PEN 2.67

$1.72 ฿57.3

-53.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.47 PEN 4.96

$2.32 ฿77.4

-36.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.88 PEN 2.94

$2.08 ฿69.3

-57.69%

Potato (1kg)

$1.06 PEN 3.56

$1.47 ฿48.96

-27.89%

Onion (1kg)

$1.08 PEN 3.63

$1.36 ฿45.22

-20.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.54 PEN 1.83

$1.10 ฿36.59

-50.91%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.71 PEN 2.38

$0.57 ฿19.13

24.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 ฿142

Wine (Bottle)

$6.03 PEN 20.25

$18.42 ฿613

-67.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.97 PEN 6.62

$1.87 ฿62.3

5.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.26 PEN 14.33

$2.92 ฿97.3

45.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.31 PEN 1.05

$2.22 ฿73.9

-86.04%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.90 ฿762

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.83 PEN 6.15

$3.03 ฿101

-39.60%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.88 PEN 6.32

$1.07 ฿35.77

75.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.94 PEN 9.88

$3.93 ฿131

-25.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.56 PEN 5.23

$1.49 ฿49.68

4.70%

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

$27.1K ฿903.4K

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

$27.5K ฿914.1K

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

$29.75 PEN 100.0

$103 ฿3,423

-71.06%

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

$14.73 PEN 49.51

$10.99 ฿366

34.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$44.70 PEN 150

$17.51 ฿583

155.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.37 PEN 119

$53.5 ฿1,783

-33.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.20 ฿373

Cinema Ticket

$4.39 PEN 14.77

$7.48 ฿249

-41.31%

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

$557 ฿18.5K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K ฿394.7K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$39.00 PEN 131

$64.1 ฿2,134

-39.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.68 PEN 113

$29.07 ฿968

15.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$54.7 PEN 184

$96.0 ฿3,195

-42.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.0 PEN 252

$90.3 ฿3,008

-17.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$151 PEN 509

$730 ฿24.3K

-79.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$180 PEN 605

$500 ฿16.6K

-64.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$363 PEN 1,220

$2,090 ฿69.6K

-82.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$267 PEN 897

$1,209 ฿40.3K

-77.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,955 PEN 13.3K

$3,596 ฿119.7K

9.99%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,776 PEN 5,967

$2,512 ฿83.7K

-29.33%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$433 PEN 1,454

$503 ฿16.8K

-14.05%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

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

Last update for Cusco: August 30, 2026

Last update for Phuket: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $151 in Cusco and $730 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 16% 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: $21.00 in Cusco vs $33.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $190 vs $273 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, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 79% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 16% lower in Phuket. 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: $151 in Cusco versus $730 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 44% 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 $21.00 versus $33.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $699 in Cusco versus $1,253 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 79% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.