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: $739 in Cusco versus $1,250 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,164 in Cusco versus $2,284 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,589 in Cusco versus $3,317 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 45% lower, Phuket 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.73 PEN 9.24

$4.55 ฿153

-40.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.05 PEN 95.1

$46.18 ฿1,550

-39.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.64 PEN 19.11

$8.84 ฿297

-36.20%

Cappuccino

$2.00 PEN 6.78

$3.06 ฿103

-34.64%

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

$1.23 PEN 4.16

$0.73 ฿24.36

68.49%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 PEN 2.48

$0.40 ฿13.37

82.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.23 PEN 7.57

$2.43 ฿81.6

-8.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.29 PEN 14.55

$3.78 ฿127

13.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.45 PEN 4.90

$2.26 ฿75.8

-35.84%

White Bread (500g)

$2.88 PEN 9.78

$1.81 ฿60.8

59.12%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.27 PEN 4.31

$2.25 ฿75.7

-43.56%

Eggs

$3.80 PEN 12.89

$2.25 ฿75.4

68.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.64 PEN 15.74

$19.51 ฿655

-76.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.82 PEN 16.33

$3.65 ฿122

32.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.78 PEN 22.97

$13.05 ฿438

-48.05%

Apples (1kg)

$2.45 PEN 8.31

$3.23 ฿109

-24.15%

Banana (1kg)

$0.72 PEN 2.45

$1.62 ฿54.3

-55.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.32 PEN 4.49

$2.38 ฿80.0

-44.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.88 PEN 3.00

$2.03 ฿68.0

-56.65%

Potato (1kg)

$1.00 PEN 3.38

$1.53 ฿51.5

-34.64%

Onion (1kg)

$0.99 PEN 3.34

$1.50 ฿50.4

-34.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.65 PEN 2.19

$0.98 ฿32.85

-33.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.70 PEN 2.36

$0.52 ฿17.36

34.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.75 PEN 16.08

$4.44 ฿149

6.98%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.83 PEN 19.76

$18.32 ฿615

-68.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.90 PEN 6.45

$1.86 ฿62.6

2.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.16 PEN 10.71

$2.68 ฿90.0

17.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 PEN 0.99

$1.41 ฿47.37

-79.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.70 ฿393

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.64 PEN 5.56

$3.11 ฿104

-47.27%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.66 PEN 5.64

$1.04 ฿35.00

59.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.79 PEN 9.46

$14.11 ฿474

-80.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 PEN 5.06

$1.31 ฿44.02

13.74%

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

$19.1K PEN 64.8K

$27.8K ฿933.8K

-31.27%

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

$21.9K PEN 74.2K

$33.2K ฿1.1M

-34.11%

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

$33.89 PEN 115

$122 ฿4,110

-72.32%

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

$14.14 PEN 47.92

$13.59 ฿456

4.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.07 PEN 105

$18.70 ฿628

66.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.62 PEN 104

$60.5 ฿2,031

-49.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.98 ฿570

Cinema Ticket

$5.00 PEN 16.94

$9.07 ฿305

-44.87%

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

$706 ฿23.7K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿530.5K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.06 PEN 122

$58.6 ฿1,965

-38.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.00 PEN 98.3

$35.36 ฿1,187

-17.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$61.9 PEN 210

$115 ฿3,876

-46.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.3 PEN 245

$83.7 ฿2,811

-13.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$303 PEN 1,028

$626 ฿21.0K

-51.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$247 PEN 838

$445 ฿14.9K

-44.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$588 PEN 1,993

$2,040 ฿68.5K

-71.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$424 PEN 1,436

$1,492 ฿50.1K

-71.61%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,891 PEN 13.2K

$3,483 ฿116.9K

11.74%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,798 PEN 6,096

$2,577 ฿86.5K

-30.20%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$427 PEN 1,448

$500 ฿16.8K

-14.54%

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: July 14, 2026

Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $303 in Cusco and $626 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 17% 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 $46.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $192 vs $289 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, salaries run 17% 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: $303 in Cusco versus $626 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 $46.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $739 in Cusco versus $1,250 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.