Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Latacunga and Phuket

For one person, living is cheaper in Latacunga: $782 a month against $1,207 in Phuket, rent and utilities included – about $5,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Latacunga
🇪🇨 Ecuador
$782
/mo nomad
Phuket
🇹🇭 Thailand
$1,207
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Latacunga 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 Latacunga and in Phuket actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $782 per month in Latacunga vs $1,207 in Phuket, rent included.

  • Latacunga $782
  • Phuket $1,207

A couple spends around $1,269 per month in Latacunga vs $2,037 in Phuket, rent included.

  • Latacunga $1,269
  • Phuket $2,037

A family of three spends $1,756 per month in Latacunga vs $2,867 in Phuket, rent included.

  • Latacunga $1,756
  • Phuket $2,867

Latacunga is about 35% cheaper than Phuket, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Latacunga and Phuket are more affordable than the global median – Latacunga 42% lower, Phuket 11% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Latacunga
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.55 $2.55
$4.58 ฿154
-44.32%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$28.41 $28.41
$32.48 ฿1,091
-12.53%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.03 $9.03
$8.55 ฿287
5.61%
Cappuccino
$2.79 $2.79
$2.72 ฿91.5
2.57%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.87 $0.87
$0.94 ฿31.41
-7.45%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.48 $0.48
$0.49 ฿16.48
-2.04%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.05 $3.05
$2.59 ฿87.0
17.76%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.28 $4.28
$3.83 ฿129
11.75%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Latacunga
Phuket
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.18 $1.18
$1.74 ฿58.4
-32.18%
White Bread (500g)
$2.01 $2.01
$1.43 ฿48.07
40.56%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$0.98 $0.98
$1.53 ฿51.3
-35.95%
Eggs
$1.75 $1.75
$2.17 ฿73.1
-19.35%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$4.87 $4.87
$19.15 ฿643
-74.57%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$5.09 $5.09
$3.30 ฿111
54.24%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$9.37 $9.37
$11.14 ฿374
-15.89%
Apples (1kg)
$1.49 $1.49
$2.95 ฿99.0
-49.49%
Banana (1kg)
$1.18 $1.18
$1.68 ฿56.4
-29.76%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.03 $1.03
$2.30 ฿77.2
-55.22%
Tomato (1kg)
$0.96 $0.96
$2.13 ฿71.6
-54.93%
Potato (1kg)
$1.03 $1.03
$1.53 ฿51.4
-32.68%
Onion (1kg)
$0.91 $0.91
$1.36 ฿45.78
-33.09%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.52 $0.52
$1.12 ฿37.63
-53.57%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.02 $1.02
$0.55 ฿18.33
85.45%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.90 $5.90
$4.26 ฿143
38.50%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.09 $10.09
$18.19 ฿611
-44.53%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.46 $1.46
$1.74 ฿58.5
-16.09%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.22 $2.22
$2.79 ฿93.8
-20.43%
🚌 Getting Around
Latacunga
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.37 $0.37
$2.22 ฿74.4
-83.33%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$16.94 $16.94
$22.06 ฿741
-23.21%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.32 $1.32
$2.91 ฿97.8
-54.64%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.78 $1.78
$1.01 ฿33.97
76.24%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$12.05 $12.05
$3.83 ฿129
214.62%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.66 $0.66
$1.49 ฿50.1
-55.70%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$20.7K $20.7K
$26.7K ฿896.2K
-22.39%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$31.3K $31.3K
$26.7K ฿897.2K
17.01%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Latacunga
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$39.72 $39.72
$99.4 ฿3,338
-60.03%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$14.95 $14.95
$11.28 ฿379
32.54%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$26.59 $26.59
$17.36 ฿583
53.17%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Latacunga
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$27.47 $27.47
$52.3 ฿1,756
-47.47%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.83 $17.83
$10.85 ฿364
64.33%
Cinema Ticket
$7.57 $7.57
$7.57 ฿254
-
🧸 Childcare & Education
Latacunga
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$378 $378
$558 ฿18.8K
-32.24%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$5,776 $5,776
$11.5K ฿385.9K
-49.72%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Latacunga
Phuket
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$64.5 $64.5
$62.9 ฿2,112
2.54%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.29 $40.29
$28.58 ฿960
40.97%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$126 $126
$96.1 ฿3,229
31.39%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$91.6 $91.6
$88.1 ฿2,958
4.04%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Latacunga
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$295 $295
$729 ฿24.5K
-59.53%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$188 $188
$460 ฿15.5K
-59.06%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$723 $723
$2,096 ฿70.4K
-65.52%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$407 $407
$1,222 ฿41.1K
-66.73%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,068 $1,068
$3,459 ฿116.2K
-69.11%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$739 $739
$2,489 ฿83.6K
-70.32%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Latacunga
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$493 ฿16.6K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
10
5.57
79.53%

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

Last update for Latacunga: October 12, 2026

Last update for Phuket: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Latacunga
$188
Phuket
$460 144% $272
Groceries & Markets
Latacunga
$186
Phuket
$268 44.2% $82
Clothing & Footwear
Latacunga
$145
Phuket
$124 14.6% $21
Eating Out
Latacunga
$110
Phuket
$121 10.1% $11
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Latacunga
$81
Phuket
$128 57.5% $47
Sport & Entertainment
Latacunga
$43
Phuket
$67 58.3% $25
Getting Around
Latacunga
$29
Phuket
$39 36% $10

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $295 in Latacunga versus $729 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 $32.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $186 vs $268 – making Latacunga the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇪🇨 Latacunga
🇹🇭 Phuket
🕒 Local time
13:35 1:35 PM
01:35 1:35 AM
12 h ahead of Latacunga
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
57,127
79,308
💱 Currency
Thai Baht THB ฿
Exchange rates and currency converter

THB, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 15, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.893 EUR).

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 15, 2026: 1 USD = 33.59 THB (100 THB = 2.98 USD). 1 EUR = 37.61 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Latacunga Phuket 19,170 km ≈ 24 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Latacunga
  • 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
Latacunga vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Latacunga and in Phuket compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $782 in Latacunga, $1,207 in Phuket – roughly 54% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.
What salary covers living expenses in Latacunga compared to Phuket?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,173 per month in Latacunga and $1,811 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 $378 per month in Latacunga and $558 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 44% 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 $782, than in Phuket at $1,207. 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 $782 in Latacunga to $1,207 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.

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