Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Huancayo and Phuket

For one person, living is cheaper in Huancayo: $488 a month against $1,208 in Phuket, rent and utilities included – about $8,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Huancayo
🇵🇪 Peru
$488
/mo nomad
Phuket
🇹🇭 Thailand
$1,208
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Huancayo and in Phuket

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Huancayo and in Phuket actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $488 per month in Huancayo vs $1,208 in Phuket, rent included.

  • Huancayo $488
  • Phuket $1,208

A couple spends around $825 per month in Huancayo vs $2,027 in Phuket, rent included.

  • Huancayo $825
  • Phuket $2,027

A family of three spends $1,162 per month in Huancayo vs $2,845 in Phuket, rent included.

  • Huancayo $1,162
  • Phuket $2,845

Huancayo is about 60% cheaper than Phuket, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Huancayo and Phuket are more affordable than the global median – Huancayo 64% lower, Phuket 11% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Huancayo
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.27 PEN 7.80
$4.40 ฿147
-48.41%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$34.56 PEN 119
$32.26 ฿1,078
7.13%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$6.86 PEN 23.54
$8.76 ฿293
-21.69%
Cappuccino
$3.29 PEN 11.31
$2.83 ฿94.5
16.25%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.12 PEN 3.83
$0.90 ฿30.14
24.44%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.64 PEN 2.20
$0.47 ฿15.56
36.17%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.59 PEN 8.91
$2.55 ฿85.2
1.57%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.29 PEN 14.73
$3.83 ฿128
12.01%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Huancayo
Phuket
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.15 PEN 3.93
$1.73 ฿57.7
-33.53%
White Bread (500g)
$1.05 PEN 3.60
$1.47 ฿49.11
-28.57%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.29 PEN 4.43
$1.51 ฿50.6
-14.57%
Eggs
$2.41 PEN 8.26
$2.17 ฿72.7
11.06%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$5.14 PEN 17.64
$19.70 ฿658
-73.91%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$5.97 PEN 20.49
$3.34 ฿112
78.74%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$5.20 PEN 17.87
$11.16 ฿373
-53.41%
Apples (1kg)
$1.41 PEN 4.86
$2.85 ฿95.1
-50.53%
Banana (1kg)
$1.03 PEN 3.53
$1.70 ฿56.9
-39.41%
Oranges (1kg)
$0.55 PEN 1.90
$2.19 ฿73.3
-74.89%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.19 PEN 4.10
$2.05 ฿68.4
-41.95%
Potato (1kg)
$0.85 PEN 2.93
$1.45 ฿48.57
-41.38%
Onion (1kg)
$0.89 PEN 3.05
$1.38 ฿46.16
-35.51%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.57 PEN 1.96
$1.07 ฿35.69
-46.73%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.89 PEN 3.07
$0.51 ฿16.91
74.51%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.70 PEN 19.57
$4.26 ฿142
33.80%
Wine (Bottle)
$5.09 PEN 17.47
$18.58 ฿621
-72.60%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.87 PEN 6.41
$1.78 ฿59.7
5.06%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.18 PEN 10.91
$2.85 ฿95.2
11.58%
🚌 Getting Around
Huancayo
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.59 PEN 2.03
$2.26 ฿75.6
-73.89%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$17.38 PEN 59.7
$22.10 ฿738
-21.36%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.84 PEN 6.32
$3.01 ฿101
-38.87%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.00 PEN 6.88
$1.06 ฿35.34
88.68%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$7.22 PEN 24.79
$3.86 ฿129
87.05%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.43 PEN 4.91
$1.45 ฿48.45
-1.38%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.7K PEN 74.6K
$26.3K ฿879.9K
-17.44%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$25.7K PEN 88.3K
$26.9K ฿900.4K
-4.59%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Huancayo
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$34.52 PEN 119
$96.4 ฿3,221
-64.18%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.76 PEN 40.39
$11.04 ฿369
6.52%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$11.82 PEN 40.59
$17.14 ฿573
-31.04%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Huancayo
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
-
$52.2 ฿1,744
-
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$11.16 ฿373
-
Cinema Ticket
$7.30 PEN 25.07
$7.81 ฿261
-6.53%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Huancayo
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$182 PEN 624
$556 ฿18.6K
-67.31%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$12.9K PEN 44.3K
$11.6K ฿387.0K
11.38%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Huancayo
Phuket
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$53.8 PEN 185
$64.2 ฿2,146
-16.20%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$35.51 PEN 122
$28.69 ฿959
23.77%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$85.3 PEN 293
$95.4 ฿3,187
-10.56%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$80.1 PEN 275
$88.0 ฿2,940
-8.91%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Huancayo
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$324 PEN 1,112
$737 ฿24.6K
-56.07%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
-
$462 ฿15.5K
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
-
$2,095 ฿70.0K
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
-
$1,201 ฿40.1K
-
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
-
$3,488 ฿116.6K
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
-
$2,523 ฿84.3K
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Huancayo
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$501 ฿16.7K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
8.94
5.57
60.50%

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

Last update for Huancayo: October 17, 2026

Last update for Phuket: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Groceries & Markets
Huancayo
$162
Phuket
$269 65.6% $106
Clothing & Footwear
Huancayo
$115
Phuket
$124 8.4% $9.7
Eating Out
Huancayo
$107
Phuket
$121 13.5% $14
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Huancayo
$58
Phuket
$125 114% $66
Getting Around
Huancayo
$32
Phuket
$39 24.8% $7.8
Sport & Entertainment
Huancayo
$15 *
Phuket
$68 364% $53
Accommodation & Living
Huancayo
- *
Phuket
$462

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $324 in Huancayo versus $737 in Phuket. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $35.00 in Huancayo versus $32.00 in Phuket. Groceries tell a different story – $162 in Huancayo vs $269 in Phuket – so Huancayo wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know
🇵🇪 Huancayo
🇹🇭 Phuket
🕒 Local time
06:43 6:43 AM
18:43 6:43 PM
12 h ahead of Huancayo
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
27,552
79,308
💱 Currency
Thai Baht THB ฿
Exchange rates and currency converter

THB, USD, EUR to PEN – Peruvian Sol Converter

Peruvian Sol exchange rates as of October 22, 2026: 1 USD = 3.43 PEN (1 PEN = 0.291 USD). 1 EUR = 3.86 PEN (1 PEN = 0.259 EUR).

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 22, 2026: 1 USD = 33.42 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.57 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Huancayo Phuket 19,170 km ≈ 24 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Huancayo
  • Phuket

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Huancayo vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Huancayo or Phuket?
Phuket costs about 148% more than Huancayo, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Huancayo and in Phuket?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $732 per month in Huancayo and $1,813 in Phuket. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Huancayo or Phuket?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Huancayo, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
How much does it cost to live in Huancayo compared to Phuket?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $488 in Huancayo and $1,208 in Phuket. That's a gap of about 148%.
How expensive is transport in Huancayo compared to Phuket?
Public transport costs about 27% less in Huancayo. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Huancayo or in Phuket?
A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Huancayo, where all-in costs run around $488, than in Phuket at $1,208. In Huancayo it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Huancayo or Phuket?
For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Huancayo costs $488 versus $1,208 in Phuket. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.
How safe is Huancayo compared to Phuket?
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.
Should I move to Huancayo or to Phuket?
If budget matters most, go with Huancayo. 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.

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