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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,253 per month in Phuket vs $726 in Arequipa, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,043 per month in Phuket vs $1,150 in Arequipa, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,833 per month in Phuket vs $1,573 in Arequipa, rent included.

Phuket costs about 73% more than Arequipa, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Phuket and Arequipa are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 9% lower, Arequipa 47% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.56 ฿150

$3.59 PEN 12.04

27.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.62 ฿1,072

$29.83 PEN 100

9.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.90 ฿293

$5.85 PEN 19.63

52.14%

Cappuccino

$2.80 ฿92.2

$2.61 PEN 8.75

7.28%

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

$0.88 ฿28.93

$0.83 PEN 2.79

6.02%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.08

$0.36 PEN 1.22

36.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.39 ฿78.5

$2.21 PEN 7.40

8.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.71 ฿122

$4.34 PEN 14.56

-14.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.79 ฿58.7

$1.37 PEN 4.59

30.66%

White Bread (500g)

$1.44 ฿47.38

$1.45 PEN 4.85

-0.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.58 ฿52.1

$1.53 PEN 5.13

3.27%

Eggs

$2.13 ฿69.9

$2.36 PEN 7.91

-9.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.92 ฿655

$6.46 PEN 21.66

208.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.43 ฿113

$4.47 PEN 14.98

-23.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.33 ฿372

$7.44 PEN 24.95

52.28%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 ฿96.9

$1.83 PEN 6.14

61.20%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 ฿56.6

$1.25 PEN 4.20

37.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.32 ฿76.4

$1.16 PEN 3.91

100.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿68.4

$1.02 PEN 3.43

103.92%

Potato (1kg)

$1.47 ฿48.33

$0.67 PEN 2.26

119.40%

Onion (1kg)

$1.36 ฿44.64

$0.72 PEN 2.42

88.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 ฿36.12

$0.56 PEN 1.89

96.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 ฿18.89

$0.77 PEN 2.57

-25.97%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 ฿140

$5.22 PEN 17.51

-18.20%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.42 ฿605

$5.29 PEN 17.74

248.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.87 ฿61.5

$2.89 PEN 9.69

-35.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 ฿96.0

$2.40 PEN 8.04

21.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.22 ฿72.9

$0.29 PEN 0.97

665.52%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.90 ฿753

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 ฿99.6

$2.10 PEN 7.05

44.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.07 ฿35.31

$2.05 PEN 6.86

-47.80%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.93 ฿129

$12.85 PEN 43.08

-69.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿49.04

$1.52 PEN 5.08

-1.97%

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

$27.1K ฿891.7K

$18.6K PEN 62.3K

46.10%

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

$27.5K ฿902.3K

$26.0K PEN 87.3K

5.42%

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

$103 ฿3,379

$24.42 PEN 81.9

320.97%

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

$10.99 ฿361

$10.19 PEN 34.16

7.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.51 ฿576

$23.41 PEN 78.5

-25.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.5 ฿1,760

$25.53 PEN 85.6

109.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.20 ฿368

$8.36 PEN 28.04

33.97%

Cinema Ticket

$7.48 ฿246

$7.50 PEN 25.16

-0.27%

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

$557 ฿18.3K

$75.6 PEN 253

637.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K ฿389.6K

$6,836 PEN 22.9K

73.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.1 ฿2,106

$49.44 PEN 166

29.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.07 ฿956

$26.25 PEN 88.0

10.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.0 ฿3,154

$69.3 PEN 232

38.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.3 ฿2,970

$59.7 PEN 200

51.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$730 ฿24.0K

$362 PEN 1,214

101.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$500 ฿16.4K

$240 PEN 804

108.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,090 ฿68.7K

$731 PEN 2,452

185.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 ฿39.7K

$421 PEN 1,412

187.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,596 ฿118.2K

$1,995 PEN 6,688

80.29%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,512 ฿82.6K

$1,016 PEN 3,406

147.37%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$503 ฿16.5K

$656 PEN 2,198

-23.21%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

-62.87%

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

Last update for Phuket: August 31, 2026

Last update for Arequipa: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $730 in Phuket versus $362 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 30% 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 $33.00 in Phuket versus $30.00 in Arequipa. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $273 vs $179 – 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 73% 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 $1,880 per month in Phuket and $1,089 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 $33.00 in Phuket and $30.00 in Arequipa. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 53% 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 $726, than in Phuket at $1,253. 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 $726 versus $1,253 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.