🙂A single person spends $672 per month in Latacunga vs $1,232 in Phuket, rent included.
🙂A couple spends around $1,085 per month in Latacunga vs $2,255 in Phuket, rent included.
🙂A family of three spends $1,498 per month in Latacunga vs $3,279 in Phuket, rent included.
🙂Latacunga is about 45% cheaper than Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊Both Latacunga and Phuket are more affordable than the global median – Latacunga50% lower, Phuket8% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Latacunga
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.44$2.44
$4.63฿151
-47.30%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$27.80$27.80
$46.84฿1,532
-40.65%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.19$8.19
$8.84฿289
-7.35%
Cappuccino
$2.51$2.51
$3.00฿98.0
-16.33%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.85$0.85
$0.74฿24.25
14.86%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.62$0.62
$0.37฿11.95
67.57%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.95$2.95
$2.44฿79.8
20.90%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.55$4.55
$3.61฿118
26.04%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Latacunga
Phuket
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.13$1.13
$2.26฿73.9
-50.00%
White Bread(500g)
$1.68$1.68
$1.84฿60.1
-8.70%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.02$1.02
$2.24฿73.4
-54.46%
Eggs
$1.82$1.82
$2.32฿75.7
-21.55%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$4.91$4.91
$19.67฿643
-75.04%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$5.29$5.29
$3.65฿119
44.93%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$6.21$6.21
$13.10฿428
-52.60%
Apples(1kg)
$2.12$2.12
$3.39฿111
-37.46%
Banana(1kg)
$1.05$1.05
$1.64฿53.7
-35.98%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.06$1.06
$2.41฿79.0
-56.02%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.03$1.03
$2.03฿66.4
-49.26%
Potato(1kg)
$0.98$0.98
$1.56฿50.9
-37.18%
Onion(1kg)
$0.98$0.98
$1.50฿48.94
-34.67%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.48$0.48
$1.02฿33.50
-52.94%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.97$0.97
$0.49฿16.00
97.96%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$5.92$5.92
$4.45฿145
33.03%
Wine(Bottle)
$10.04$10.04
$18.88฿617
-46.82%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.51$1.51
$1.78฿58.1
-15.17%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.22$2.22
$2.75฿90.1
-19.27%
🚌 Getting Around
Latacunga
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.37$0.37
$1.40฿45.81
-73.57%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$23.46$23.46
$11.48฿376
104.36%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$1.46$1.46
$3.12฿102
-53.21%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.48$1.48
$1.00฿32.67
48.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$9.81$9.81
$14.09฿461
-30.38%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$0.66$0.66
$1.35฿44.19
-51.11%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$24.9K$24.9K
$27.2K฿888.9K
-8.32%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$28.8K$28.8K
$32.9K฿1.1M
-12.58%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Latacunga
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$36.88$36.88
$125฿4,087
-70.49%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.61$13.61
$13.57฿444
0.29%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$32.40$32.40
$18.52฿606
74.95%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Latacunga
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$29.99$29.99
$61.5฿2,010
-51.22%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$14.84$14.84
$16.84฿551
-11.88%
Cinema Ticket
$7.59$7.59
$9.19฿300
-17.41%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Latacunga
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$315$315
$698฿22.8K
-54.90%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$5,795$5,795
$15.6K฿509.9K
-62.83%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Latacunga
Phuket
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$52.9$52.9
$57.8฿1,889
-8.41%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$44.14$44.14
$35.24฿1,152
25.26%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$102$102
$113฿3,699
-9.63%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$110$110
$86.4฿2,825
27.09%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Latacunga
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$120$120
$616฿20.1K
-80.45%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$81.1$81.1
$446฿14.6K
-81.82%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$255$255
$2,048฿67.0K
-87.57%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$198$198
$1,492฿48.8K
-86.70%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$1,122$1,122
$3,779฿123.6K
-70.30%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$749$749
$2,649฿86.6K
-71.71%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Latacunga
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
-
$524฿17.1K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
9.35
5.33
75.42%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Latacunga: April 26, 2026
Last update for Phuket: April 27, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $120 in Latacunga versus $616 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 $28.00 in Latacunga versus $47.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $176 vs $292 – making Latacunga 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
Latacunga vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Latacunga and Phuket compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $672 in Latacunga, $1,232 in Phuket – roughly 83% apart. Phuket costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.
What salary covers living expenses in Latacunga compared to Phuket?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,008 per month in Latacunga and $1,847 in Phuket. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Latacunga and Phuket?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Latacunga, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Latacunga and Phuket?
Kindergarten costs $315 per month in Latacunga and $698 in Phuket. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Groceries cost about 66% more in Phuket, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Latacunga, where all-in costs run around $672, than in Phuket at $1,232. In Latacunga it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
How does quality of life compare between Latacunga and Phuket?
It depends on your priorities. Phuket has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $672 in Latacunga to $1,232 in Phuket. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Is Latacunga or Phuket safer for residents?
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.
How do I decide between Latacunga and Phuket?
If budget matters most, go with Latacunga. 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.