Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Chiclayo Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Chiclayo

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,261 per month in Phuket vs $740 in Chiclayo, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,286 per month in Phuket vs $1,242 in Chiclayo, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,310 per month in Phuket vs $1,743 in Chiclayo, rent included.

Phuket costs about 70% more than Chiclayo, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Phuket and Chiclayo are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 6% lower, Chiclayo 45% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.56 ฿149

$4.72 PEN 16.03

-3.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.63 ฿1,519

$33.45 PEN 114

39.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.47 ฿276

$8.57 PEN 29.13

-1.17%

Cappuccino

$3.03 ฿98.6

$4.16 PEN 14.14

-27.16%

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

$0.69 ฿22.45

$0.81 PEN 2.75

-14.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.92

$0.47 PEN 1.61

-21.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.49 ฿81.0

$2.58 PEN 8.77

-3.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

Milk (1 liter)

$2.18 ฿71.0

$1.43 PEN 4.87

52.45%

White Bread (500g)

$1.90 ฿62.0

$1.69 PEN 5.74

12.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.20 ฿71.6

$1.64 PEN 5.57

34.15%

Eggs

$2.22 ฿72.4

$3.05 PEN 10.38

-27.21%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.99 ฿651

$6.29 PEN 21.37

217.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.66 ฿119

$6.16 PEN 20.93

-40.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.25 ฿432

$8.29 PEN 28.19

59.83%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿105

$1.96 PEN 6.66

64.80%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.3

$1.65 PEN 5.60

3.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.39 ฿78.0

$1.12 PEN 3.82

113.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿67.7

$1.58 PEN 5.37

31.65%

Potato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$0.94 PEN 3.19

69.15%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.31

$1.37 PEN 4.66

8.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 ฿33.54

$0.71 PEN 2.42

45.07%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿16.83

$0.67 PEN 2.26

-22.39%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.25 ฿138

$4.20 PEN 14.28

1.19%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.79 ฿612

$14.14 PEN 48.07

32.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 ฿57.2

$1.30 PEN 4.42

35.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 ฿89.8

$1.58 PEN 5.39

74.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.36 ฿44.32

$0.48 PEN 1.64

183.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.36 ฿370

$27.53 PEN 93.6

-58.74%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 ฿102

$2.60 PEN 8.85

20.77%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿33.74

$1.13 PEN 3.85

-7.96%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.77 ฿448

$4.90 PEN 16.67

181.02%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ฿43.79

$1.22 PEN 4.15

9.84%

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

$27.7K ฿901.4K

$23.2K PEN 78.8K

19.46%

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

$33.9K ฿1.1M

$22.7K PEN 77.2K

49.07%

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

$124 ฿4,025

$38.30 PEN 130

222.69%

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

$13.52 ฿440

$14.93 PEN 50.7

-9.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.69 ฿609

$34.67 PEN 118

-46.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.8 ฿2,013

$32.92 PEN 112

87.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.25 ฿562

$32.88 PEN 112

-47.54%

Cinema Ticket

$9.14 ฿298

$5.71 PEN 19.41

60.07%

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

$703 ฿22.9K

$226 PEN 768

210.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.9K ฿517.0K

$3,380 PEN 11.5K

369.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,937

$44.39 PEN 151

33.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.07 ฿1,142

$36.43 PEN 124

-3.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,754

$83.0 PEN 282

38.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.1 ฿2,737

$38.88 PEN 132

116.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$619 ฿20.1K

$125 PEN 425

394.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$433 ฿14.1K

$140 PEN 475

209.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,062 ฿67.2K

$315 PEN 1,072

554.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,511 ฿49.2K

$367 PEN 1,247

312.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,646 ฿118.7K

$1,103 PEN 3,748

230.67%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,626 ฿85.5K

$1,059 PEN 3,599

147.98%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$507 ฿16.5K

$457 PEN 1,555

10.83%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

-46.70%

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

Last update for Phuket: June 7, 2026

Last update for Chiclayo: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $619 in Phuket versus $125 in Chiclayo. 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 11% 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 $33.00 in Chiclayo. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $293 vs $211 – making Chiclayo 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 Chiclayo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,261 in Phuket, $740 in Chiclayo – roughly 70% apart. Phuket costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,892 per month in Phuket and $1,110 in Chiclayo. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Chiclayo, 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 $47.00 in Phuket and $33.00 in Chiclayo. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,261 in Phuket and $740 in Chiclayo. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiclayo, where all-in costs run around $740, than in Phuket at $1,261. In Chiclayo it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Phuket has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $740 in Chiclayo to $1,261 in Phuket. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Chiclayo. 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.