Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Cerro de Pasco Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Cerro de Pasco

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,223 per month in Phuket vs $517 in Cerro de Pasco, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,237 per month in Phuket vs $842 in Cerro de Pasco, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,251 per month in Phuket vs $1,166 in Cerro de Pasco, rent included.

Phuket costs about 137% more than Cerro de Pasco, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Phuket and Cerro de Pasco are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 8% lower, Cerro de Pasco 61% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.51 ฿148

$2.86 PEN 9.66

57.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.62 ฿1,528

$28.10 PEN 95.0

65.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.49 ฿278

$6.76 PEN 22.85

25.59%

Cappuccino

$3.08 ฿101

$1.96 PEN 6.64

57.14%

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

$0.68 ฿22.26

$0.68 PEN 2.29

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.84

$0.44 PEN 1.48

-18.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 ฿79.5

$2.17 PEN 7.32

11.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 ฿119

$3.77 PEN 12.76

-3.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.19 ฿71.7

$1.42 PEN 4.81

54.23%

White Bread (500g)

$1.81 ฿59.5

$2.25 PEN 7.60

-19.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.23 ฿73.1

$1.25 PEN 4.23

78.40%

Eggs

$2.24 ฿73.3

$2.37 PEN 8.01

-5.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.60 ฿642

$7.79 PEN 26.34

151.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.72 ฿122

$5.52 PEN 18.65

-32.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.47 ฿441

$7.86 PEN 26.59

71.37%

Apples (1kg)

$3.36 ฿110

$1.96 PEN 6.63

71.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.0

$0.67 PEN 2.26

141.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿79.0

$0.43 PEN 1.46

460.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.99 ฿65.2

$1.13 PEN 3.82

76.11%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿50.2

$0.71 PEN 2.40

115.49%

Onion (1kg)

$1.45 ฿47.59

$0.49 PEN 1.64

195.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 ฿33.23

$0.82 PEN 2.77

23.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿15.86

$0.80 PEN 2.70

-40.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 ฿140

$5.68 PEN 19.22

-24.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.12 ฿627

$7.27 PEN 24.57

163.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 ฿60.2

$1.77 PEN 5.99

3.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 ฿89.8

$2.45 PEN 8.27

11.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.42 ฿46.44

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.72 ฿384

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.00 ฿98.4

$3.27 PEN 11.07

-8.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.05 ฿34.28

$2.13 PEN 7.19

-50.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.90 ฿456

$8.13 PEN 27.50

70.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 ฿42.28

$1.36 PEN 4.61

-5.15%

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

$28.0K ฿918.7K

$19.3K PEN 65.4K

45.03%

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

$33.5K ฿1.1M

$24.6K PEN 83.3K

35.96%

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

$122 ฿3,997

$56.2 PEN 190

117.16%

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

$13.93 ฿457

$12.81 PEN 43.31

8.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.87 ฿618

$24.12 PEN 81.6

-21.77%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.3 ฿2,008

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.84 ฿552

Cinema Ticket

$8.89 ฿291

$6.84 PEN 23.11

29.97%

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

$691 ฿22.7K

$218 PEN 736

217.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.2K ฿529.5K

$7,847 PEN 26.5K

105.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.8 ฿1,894

$50.1 PEN 170

15.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.39 ฿1,160

$35.67 PEN 121

-0.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 ฿3,716

$89.6 PEN 303

26.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.0 ฿2,720

$89.5 PEN 303

-7.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$607 ฿19.9K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$448 ฿14.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,029 ฿66.5K

$382 PEN 1,293

430.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,493 ฿48.9K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,585 ฿117.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,585 ฿84.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$505 ฿16.5K

$472 PEN 1,598

6.83%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

10.11

-47.28%

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

Last update for Phuket: June 13, 2026

Last update for Cerro de Pasco: June 16, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 7% higher in Phuket, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Phuket versus $28.00 in Cerro de Pasco. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $292 vs $191 – making Cerro de Pasco 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 Cerro de Pasco: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Phuket is pricier by about 137%, 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 $1,835 per month in Phuket and $775 in Cerro de Pasco. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Phuket and $28.00 in Cerro de Pasco. 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 $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Cerro de Pasco, where all-in costs run around $517, than in Phuket at $1,223. In Cerro de Pasco it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Cerro de Pasco – 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 Cerro de Pasco. 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.