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 $1,232 per month in Phuket vs $515 in Cerro de Pasco, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,255 per month in Phuket vs $852 in Cerro de Pasco, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,279 per month in Phuket vs $1,189 in Cerro de Pasco, rent included.

Phuket costs about 139% 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 62% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.63 ฿151

$2.76 PEN 9.73

67.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.84 ฿1,532

$27.58 PEN 97.1

69.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 ฿289

$7.12 PEN 25.07

24.16%

Cappuccino

$3.00 ฿98.0

$1.92 PEN 6.76

56.25%

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

$0.74 ฿24.25

$0.71 PEN 2.50

4.23%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.95

$0.40 PEN 1.41

-7.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.44 ฿79.8

$2.25 PEN 7.92

8.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.61 ฿118

$3.88 PEN 13.66

-6.96%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ฿73.9

$1.42 PEN 5.01

59.15%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 ฿60.1

$2.19 PEN 7.71

-15.98%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.24 ฿73.4

$1.24 PEN 4.36

80.65%

Eggs

$2.32 ฿75.7

$2.30 PEN 8.08

0.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.67 ฿643

$7.81 PEN 27.50

151.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.65 ฿119

$5.68 PEN 19.99

-35.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.10 ฿428

$7.76 PEN 27.31

68.81%

Apples (1kg)

$3.39 ฿111

$2.07 PEN 7.28

63.77%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.7

$0.67 PEN 2.36

144.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿79.0

$0.40 PEN 1.42

502.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿66.4

$1.14 PEN 4.02

78.07%

Potato (1kg)

$1.56 ฿50.9

$0.71 PEN 2.51

119.72%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿48.94

$0.51 PEN 1.80

194.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 ฿33.50

$0.81 PEN 2.85

25.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.00

$0.84 PEN 2.96

-41.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.45 ฿145

$5.65 PEN 19.89

-21.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.88 ฿617

$7.08 PEN 24.92

166.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

$1.76 PEN 6.21

1.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.75 ฿90.1

$2.47 PEN 8.71

11.34%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.40 ฿45.81

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.48 ฿376

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.12 ฿102

$3.42 PEN 12.05

-8.77%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.00 ฿32.67

$2.11 PEN 7.44

-52.61%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.09 ฿461

$8.08 PEN 28.46

74.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 ฿44.19

$1.36 PEN 4.78

-0.74%

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

$27.2K ฿888.9K

$19.7K PEN 69.4K

37.96%

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$24.5K PEN 86.3K

34.23%

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

$125 ฿4,087

$56.8 PEN 200

120.04%

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

$13.57 ฿444

$12.63 PEN 44.47

7.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.52 ฿606

$23.62 PEN 83.2

-21.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.5 ฿2,010

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.84 ฿551

Cinema Ticket

$9.19 ฿300

$6.83 PEN 24.04

34.55%

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

$698 ฿22.8K

$216 PEN 762

222.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.6K ฿509.9K

$7,926 PEN 27.9K

96.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.8 ฿1,889

$49.94 PEN 176

15.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.24 ฿1,152

$36.38 PEN 128

-3.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 ฿3,699

$89.8 PEN 316

25.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.4 ฿2,825

$89.9 PEN 316

-3.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$616 ฿20.1K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$446 ฿14.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,048 ฿67.0K

$391 PEN 1,375

424.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 ฿48.8K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,779 ฿123.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,649 ฿86.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$524 ฿17.1K

$460 PEN 1,617

14.00%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Cerro de Pasco: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 14% 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 139%, 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 $1,847 per month in Phuket and $772 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 $515, than in Phuket at $1,232. 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.