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 $565 in Cerro de Pasco, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,054 per month in Phuket vs $899 in Cerro de Pasco, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,876 per month in Phuket vs $1,233 in Cerro de Pasco, rent included.

Phuket costs about 118% more than Cerro de Pasco, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Phuket and Cerro de Pasco are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 10% lower, Cerro de Pasco 59% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.41 ฿147

$2.96 PEN 9.98

48.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.26 ฿1,074

$29.49 PEN 99.5

9.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.93 ฿297

$7.05 PEN 23.77

26.67%

Cappuccino

$2.90 ฿96.4

$2.10 PEN 7.08

38.10%

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

$0.88 ฿29.30

$0.75 PEN 2.54

17.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.01

$0.46 PEN 1.56

4.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.35 ฿78.3

$2.64 PEN 8.91

-10.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿124

$4.53 PEN 15.30

-17.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 ฿62.1

$1.58 PEN 5.34

18.35%

White Bread (500g)

$1.47 ฿48.81

$2.44 PEN 8.22

-39.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.7

$1.27 PEN 4.29

22.05%

Eggs

$2.10 ฿70.0

$2.42 PEN 8.16

-13.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.59 ฿652

$9.50 PEN 32.06

106.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.42 ฿114

$6.19 PEN 20.87

-44.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.38 ฿379

$8.39 PEN 28.30

35.64%

Apples (1kg)

$2.98 ฿99.3

$2.01 PEN 6.78

48.26%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 ฿56.1

$0.75 PEN 2.53

124.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.21 ฿73.5

$0.47 PEN 1.57

370.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.16 ฿72.0

$1.18 PEN 3.98

83.05%

Potato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿50.8

$0.72 PEN 2.43

111.11%

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 ฿44.55

$0.53 PEN 1.79

152.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 ฿37.57

$0.90 PEN 3.05

25.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ฿18.19

$0.91 PEN 3.07

-39.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.26 ฿142

$5.92 PEN 19.98

-28.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.09 ฿635

$7.28 PEN 24.57

162.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿59.2

$1.92 PEN 6.47

-7.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿92.6

$2.73 PEN 9.22

1.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.23 ฿74.2

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.74 ฿757

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 ฿101

$4.04 PEN 13.62

-25.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 ฿34.06

$2.12 PEN 7.16

-51.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.89 ฿130

$7.51 PEN 25.35

-48.20%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿49.63

$1.73 PEN 5.85

-13.87%

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

$26.6K ฿884.9K

$22.1K PEN 74.6K

20.16%

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

$27.0K ฿899.8K

$26.1K PEN 87.9K

3.69%

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

$102 ฿3,411

$70.7 PEN 239

44.94%

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

$11.33 ฿377

$17.03 PEN 57.5

-33.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.40 ฿579

$28.25 PEN 95.3

-38.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.1 ฿1,734

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.07 ฿369

Cinema Ticket

$7.69 ฿256

$7.55 PEN 25.48

1.85%

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

$561 ฿18.7K

$181 PEN 609

210.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.5K ฿383.0K

$13.6K PEN 45.8K

-15.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.0 ฿2,098

$53.8 PEN 181

17.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.52 ฿983

$36.34 PEN 123

-18.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.0 ฿3,263

$85.5 PEN 289

14.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.5 ฿2,946

$81.5 PEN 275

8.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$738 ฿24.6K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.1K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,107 ฿70.1K

$421 PEN 1,422

399.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,226 ฿40.8K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,617 ฿120.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,603 ฿86.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.4K

$483 PEN 1,631

2.10%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

8.94

-37.70%

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

Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026

Last update for Cerro de Pasco: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 2% 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 $32.00 in Phuket versus $29.00 in Cerro de Pasco. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $274 vs $209 – 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 118%, 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 $847 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 $32.00 in Phuket and $29.00 in Cerro de Pasco. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 31% 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 $565, 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.