Cost of Living Comparison Between Iquitos and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Iquitos and Phuket

Name: Phuket
Address: Phuket, TH

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $678 per month in Iquitos vs $1,232 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,210 per month in Iquitos vs $2,054 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,741 per month in Iquitos vs $2,876 in Phuket, rent included.

Iquitos is about 45% cheaper than Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Iquitos and Phuket are more affordable than the global median – Iquitos 50% lower, Phuket 10% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.44 PEN 14.98

$4.41 ฿147

0.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.60 PEN 130

$32.26 ฿1,073

19.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.46 PEN 25.17

$8.93 ฿297

-16.46%

Cappuccino

$3.48 PEN 11.73

$2.90 ฿96.3

20.00%

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

$0.88 PEN 2.96

$0.88 ฿29.27

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.62 PEN 2.09

$0.48 ฿16.00

29.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 PEN 10.23

$2.35 ฿78.2

28.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.28 PEN 24.55

$3.72 ฿124

95.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.82 PEN 6.13

$1.87 ฿62.0

-2.67%

White Bread (500g)

$2.43 PEN 8.20

$1.47 ฿48.75

65.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.6

Eggs

$2.66 PEN 8.96

$2.10 ฿69.9

26.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.59 ฿651

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.31 PEN 11.16

$3.42 ฿114

-3.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.38 ฿378

Apples (1kg)

$2.98 ฿99.2

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 ฿56.0

Oranges (1kg)

$2.21 ฿73.5

Tomato (1kg)

$2.16 ฿71.9

Potato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿50.7

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 ฿44.49

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 ฿37.53

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.87 PEN 2.94

$0.55 ฿18.17

58.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.26 ฿142

Wine (Bottle)

$19.09 ฿635

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿59.2

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿92.5

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.23 ฿74.1

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.74 ฿756

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 ฿101

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 ฿34.02

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.89 ฿129

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿49.57

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

$26.6K ฿883.8K

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

$27.0K ฿898.7K

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

$35.89 PEN 121

$102 ฿3,407

-64.98%

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

$11.42 PEN 38.54

$11.33 ฿377

0.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.74 PEN 29.48

$17.40 ฿578

-49.77%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.65 PEN 100

$52.1 ฿1,732

-43.07%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.68 PEN 29.29

$11.07 ฿368

-21.59%

Cinema Ticket

$6.00 PEN 20.23

$7.69 ฿256

-21.98%

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

$561 ฿18.6K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,904 PEN 9,798

$11.5K ฿382.6K

-74.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.5 PEN 295

$63.0 ฿2,096

38.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.35 PEN 123

$29.52 ฿982

23.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$53.0 PEN 179

$98.0 ฿3,259

-45.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$27.22 PEN 91.9

$88.5 ฿2,943

-69.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$358 PEN 1,207

$738 ฿24.5K

-51.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$270 PEN 911

$482 ฿16.0K

-43.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$899 PEN 3,035

$2,107 ฿70.0K

-57.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$748 PEN 2,524

$1,226 ฿40.8K

-38.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,617 ฿120.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,603 ฿86.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$585 PEN 1,974

$494 ฿16.4K

18.51%

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 Iquitos: September 14, 2026

Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $358 in Iquitos versus $738 in Phuket. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 19% higher in Iquitos, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $39.00 in Iquitos versus $32.00 in Phuket. Groceries tell a different story – $80.0 in Iquitos vs $274 in Phuket – so Iquitos wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Iquitos vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Phuket is pricier by about 82%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,018 per month in Iquitos and $1,847 in Phuket. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Iquitos, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 242% more in Phuket, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $39.00 in Iquitos and $32.00 in Phuket. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Iquitos, where all-in costs run around $678, than in Phuket at $1,232. In Iquitos it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Iquitos – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Iquitos. 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.