Cost of Living Comparison Between Huancayo and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Huancayo and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $476 per month in Huancayo vs $1,265 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $804 per month in Huancayo vs $2,297 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,133 per month in Huancayo vs $3,329 in Phuket, rent included.

Huancayo is about 62% cheaper than Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Huancayo and Phuket are more affordable than the global median – Huancayo 65% lower, Phuket 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.20 PEN 7.49

$4.70 ฿153

-53.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.86 PEN 115

$45.37 ฿1,482

-25.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.99 PEN 23.78

$8.43 ฿275

-17.08%

Cappuccino

$2.53 PEN 8.59

$2.93 ฿95.6

-13.65%

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

$0.99 PEN 3.38

$0.69 ฿22.40

43.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.66 PEN 2.25

$0.37 ฿11.99

78.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.23 PEN 7.59

$2.41 ฿78.6

-7.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.80 PEN 12.91

$3.72 ฿122

2.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 PEN 3.88

$2.23 ฿72.9

-48.88%

White Bread (500g)

$0.92 PEN 3.14

$1.83 ฿59.8

-49.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 PEN 4.49

$2.17 ฿70.8

-39.17%

Eggs

$2.32 PEN 7.89

$2.21 ฿72.3

4.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.04 PEN 17.14

$19.74 ฿645

-74.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.44 PEN 18.52

$3.63 ฿119

49.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.88 PEN 16.61

$13.53 ฿442

-63.93%

Apples (1kg)

$1.37 PEN 4.65

$3.28 ฿107

-58.23%

Banana (1kg)

$1.12 PEN 3.80

$1.61 ฿52.6

-30.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.57 PEN 1.96

$2.41 ฿78.6

-76.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.09 PEN 3.72

$2.08 ฿68.1

-47.60%

Potato (1kg)

$0.81 PEN 2.76

$1.53 ฿49.93

-47.06%

Onion (1kg)

$0.80 PEN 2.73

$1.48 ฿48.36

-45.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.57 PEN 1.95

$0.99 ฿32.29

-42.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.82 PEN 2.77

$0.51 ฿16.67

60.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.54 PEN 18.85

$4.41 ฿144

25.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.32 PEN 18.10

$19.38 ฿633

-72.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 PEN 5.77

$1.78 ฿58.1

-4.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.96 PEN 10.07

$2.71 ฿88.6

9.23%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.53 PEN 1.81

$1.37 ฿44.79

-61.31%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$16.51 PEN 56.2

$11.39 ฿372

44.95%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.76 PEN 5.98

$3.02 ฿98.6

-41.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.18 PEN 7.42

$0.99 ฿32.48

120.20%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.54 PEN 29.05

$14.10 ฿461

-39.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 PEN 4.46

$1.36 ฿44.51

-3.68%

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

$19.7K PEN 66.9K

$28.2K ฿921.1K

-30.27%

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

$24.8K PEN 84.5K

$32.9K ฿1.1M

-24.52%

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

$33.15 PEN 113

$122 ฿3,975

-72.76%

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

$10.94 PEN 37.21

$13.57 ฿443

-19.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.00 PEN 37.42

$18.31 ฿598

-39.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.2 ฿1,967

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.14 ฿560

Cinema Ticket

$6.84 PEN 23.27

$8.69 ฿284

-21.29%

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

$217 PEN 737

$693 ฿22.6K

-68.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,980 PEN 27.1K

$15.7K ฿512.3K

-49.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.90 PEN 170

$59.5 ฿1,944

-16.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.52 PEN 124

$34.77 ฿1,136

5.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.9 PEN 309

$115 ฿3,743

-20.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.0 PEN 299

$83.3 ฿2,720

5.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$302 PEN 1,028

$613 ฿20.0K

-50.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$437 ฿14.3K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,094 ฿68.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,509 ฿49.3K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,749 ฿122.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,616 ฿85.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.11

5.33

89.68%

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

Last update for Huancayo: May 31, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $302 in Huancayo versus $613 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 $34.00 in Huancayo versus $45.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $155 vs $293 – making Huancayo the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Phuket costs about 166% more than Huancayo, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $713 per month in Huancayo and $1,898 in Phuket. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $476 in Huancayo and $1,265 in Phuket. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 45% less in Huancayo. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Huancayo, where all-in costs run around $476, than in Phuket at $1,265. In Huancayo it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Huancayo costs $476 versus $1,265 in Phuket. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 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.