Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Arequipa Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Arequipa

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,265 per month in Phuket vs $649 in Arequipa, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,297 per month in Phuket vs $1,065 in Arequipa, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,329 per month in Phuket vs $1,482 in Arequipa, rent included.

Phuket costs about 95% more than Arequipa, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Phuket and Arequipa are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 6% lower, Arequipa 52% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.70 ฿153

$4.13 PEN 14.06

13.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.37 ฿1,482

$28.09 PEN 95.5

61.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.43 ฿275

$5.64 PEN 19.18

49.47%

Cappuccino

$2.93 ฿95.6

$2.54 PEN 8.62

15.35%

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

$0.69 ฿22.40

$0.82 PEN 2.78

-15.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.99

$0.37 PEN 1.25

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 ฿78.6

$2.16 PEN 7.33

11.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿122

$5.85 PEN 19.90

-36.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 ฿72.9

$1.61 PEN 5.48

38.51%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 ฿59.8

$1.28 PEN 4.35

42.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 ฿70.8

$1.23 PEN 4.19

76.42%

Eggs

$2.21 ฿72.3

$2.15 PEN 7.29

2.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.74 ฿645

$5.52 PEN 18.75

257.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿119

$5.17 PEN 17.59

-29.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.53 ฿442

$7.76 PEN 26.38

74.36%

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 ฿107

$1.49 PEN 5.07

120.13%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ฿52.6

$1.17 PEN 3.97

37.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿78.6

$1.19 PEN 4.04

102.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿68.1

$0.77 PEN 2.61

170.13%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.93

$0.55 PEN 1.86

178.18%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.36

$0.54 PEN 1.84

174.07%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 ฿32.29

$0.45 PEN 1.51

120.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.67

$0.72 PEN 2.44

-29.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 ฿144

$4.87 PEN 16.56

-9.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.38 ฿633

$5.04 PEN 17.12

284.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

$2.46 PEN 8.38

-27.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 ฿88.6

$2.31 PEN 7.87

17.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.37 ฿44.79

$0.29 PEN 0.99

372.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.39 ฿372

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ฿98.6

$2.06 PEN 7.02

46.60%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 ฿32.48

$2.06 PEN 7.01

-51.94%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.10 ฿461

$12.77 PEN 43.43

10.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 ฿44.51

$1.54 PEN 5.24

-11.69%

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

$28.2K ฿921.1K

$18.6K PEN 63.2K

51.79%

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$25.5K PEN 86.6K

29.14%

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

$122 ฿3,975

$39.14 PEN 133

210.94%

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

$13.57 ฿443

$10.57 PEN 35.94

28.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.31 ฿598

$31.04 PEN 106

-41.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.2 ฿1,967

$21.22 PEN 72.1

183.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.14 ฿560

$8.34 PEN 28.37

105.52%

Cinema Ticket

$8.69 ฿284

$4.49 PEN 15.27

93.54%

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

$693 ฿22.6K

$60.0 PEN 204

1054.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ฿512.3K

$6,277 PEN 21.3K

149.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,944

$37.00 PEN 126

60.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.77 ฿1,136

$22.10 PEN 75.1

57.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,743

$62.8 PEN 214

82.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.3 ฿2,720

$56.3 PEN 191

48.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$613 ฿20.0K

$240 PEN 817

155.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$437 ฿14.3K

$158 PEN 538

176.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,094 ฿68.4K

$540 PEN 1,836

287.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,509 ฿49.3K

$386 PEN 1,314

290.58%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,749 ฿122.5K

$1,956 PEN 6,650

91.71%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,616 ฿85.4K

$993 PEN 3,377

163.39%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.6K

$650 PEN 2,210

-21.81%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

-64.47%

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

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Last update for Arequipa: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $613 in Phuket versus $240 in Arequipa. 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 28% higher in Arequipa, 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 $45.00 in Phuket versus $28.00 in Arequipa. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $293 vs $171 – making Arequipa 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

Phuket vs Arequipa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket costs about 95% more than Arequipa, 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 $1,898 per month in Phuket and $974 in Arequipa. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $45.00 in Phuket and $28.00 in Arequipa. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 71% 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 $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Arequipa, where all-in costs run around $649, than in Phuket at $1,265. In Arequipa it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Arequipa costs $649 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 Arequipa. 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.