Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Cuenca

For one person, living is cheaper in Cuenca: $989 a month against $1,207 in Phuket, rent and utilities included – about $2,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

59

Cost of Living Index in Phuket
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Phuket Living Index
48

Cost of Living Index in Cuenca
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Cuenca Living Index

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Phuket

🇹🇭 Thailand

$1,207

/mo nomad

Cuenca

🇪🇨 Ecuador

$989

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Phuket and in Cuenca

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Phuket and in Cuenca actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,207 per month in Phuket vs $989 in Cuenca, rent included.

Phuket $1,207
Cuenca $989

A couple spends around $2,037 per month in Phuket vs $1,482 in Cuenca, rent included.

Phuket $2,037
Cuenca $1,482

A family of three spends $2,867 per month in Phuket vs $1,976 in Cuenca, rent included.

Phuket $2,867
Cuenca $1,976

Phuket costs about 22% more than Cuenca, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Phuket and Cuenca are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 11% lower, Cuenca 27% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.58 ฿153

$3.59 $3.59

27.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.48 ฿1,086

$29.50 $29.50

10.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.55 ฿286

$7.79 $7.79

9.76%

Cappuccino

$2.72 ฿91.0

$2.65 $2.65

2.64%

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

$0.94 ฿31.25

$0.83 $0.83

13.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.39

$0.71 $0.71

-30.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.59 ฿86.6

$2.04 $2.04

26.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.83 ฿128

$3.18 $3.18

20.44%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 ฿58.1

$1.01 $1.01

72.28%

White Bread (500g)

$1.43 ฿47.82

$2.17 $2.17

-34.10%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.53 ฿51.0

$1.87 $1.87

-18.18%

Eggs

$2.17 ฿72.7

$2.27 $2.27

-4.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.15 ฿640

$7.09 $7.09

170.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.30 ฿110

$5.90 $5.90

-44.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.14 ฿372

$7.47 $7.47

49.13%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 ฿98.5

$2.03 $2.03

45.32%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 ฿56.1

$1.09 $1.09

54.13%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.30 ฿76.8

$1.36 $1.36

69.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.13 ฿71.3

$1.40 $1.40

52.14%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿51.1

$1.54 $1.54

-0.65%

Onion (1kg)

$1.36 ฿45.55

$1.08 $1.08

25.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.12 ฿37.44

$0.75 $0.75

49.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ฿18.24

$1.13 $1.13

-51.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.26 ฿142

$5.29 $5.29

-19.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.19 ฿608

$10.07 $10.07

80.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 ฿58.2

$1.51 $1.51

15.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.79 ฿93.3

$2.99 $2.99

-6.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.22 ฿74.1

$0.36 $0.36

516.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.06 ฿737

$15.94 $15.94

38.39%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.91 ฿97.3

$1.36 $1.36

113.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.01 ฿33.79

$1.07 $1.07

-5.61%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.83 ฿128

$10.83 $10.83

-64.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿49.85

$0.87 $0.87

71.26%

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

$26.7K ฿891.6K

$24.5K $24.5K

8.87%

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

$26.7K ฿892.7K

$29.6K $29.6K

-9.88%

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

$99.4 ฿3,321

$39.83 $39.83

149.49%

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

$11.28 ฿377

$13.33 $13.33

-15.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.36 ฿580

$26.61 $26.61

-34.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.3 ฿1,747

$30.02 $30.02

74.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.85 ฿362

$5.18 $5.18

109.46%

Cinema Ticket

$7.57 ฿253

$7.22 $7.22

4.85%

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

$558 ฿18.7K

$227 $227

146.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.5K ฿383.9K

$6,764 $6,764

69.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.9 ฿2,102

$67.8 $67.8

-7.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.58 ฿955

$46.84 $46.84

-38.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.1 ฿3,213

$125 $125

-23.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.1 ฿2,943

$71.5 $71.5

23.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$729 ฿24.4K

$529 $529

37.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$460 ฿15.4K

$386 $386

19.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,096 ฿70.0K

$709 $709

195.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,222 ฿40.8K

$608 $608

100.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,459 ฿115.6K

$1,221 $1,221

183.20%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,489 ฿83.2K

$857 $857

190.42%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$493 ฿16.5K

$561 $561

-12.06%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

11.16

-50.09%

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

Last update for Phuket: October 13, 2026

Last update for Cuenca: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Phuket

$460 38.1%

Cuenca

$386 39.1% 16% $74

Groceries & Markets

Phuket

$268 22.2%

Cuenca

$208 21% 22.4% $60

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Phuket

$128 10.6%

Cuenca

$80 8.1% 37.7% $48

Clothing & Footwear

Phuket

$124 10.3%

Cuenca

$140 14.2% 12.9% $16

Eating Out

Phuket

$121 10.1%

Cuenca

$107 10.8% 12.1% $15

Sport & Entertainment

Phuket

$67 5.6%

Cuenca

$44 4.5% 34.1% $23

Getting Around

Phuket

$39 3.2%

Cuenca

$24 2.4% 38% $15

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $729 in Phuket versus $529 in Cuenca. 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 14% higher in Cuenca, 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 $32.00 in Phuket versus $30.00 in Cuenca. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $268 vs $208 – making Cuenca the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Phuket

🇪🇨 Cuenca

🕒 Local time

00:48 12:48 AM

12:48 12:48 PM

12 h behind Phuket

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

79,308

495,776

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.99 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇭 Thai Baht (฿)

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 33.42 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.57 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Phuket Cuenca 19,390 km ≈ 25 h nonstop flight

From you

Phuket
Cuenca

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Cuenca: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Phuket is pricier by about 22%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,811 per month in Phuket and $1,483 in Cuenca. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Cuenca, 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 $32.00 in Phuket and $30.00 in Cuenca. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,207 in Phuket and $989 in Cuenca. That's a gap of about 22%.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Cuenca, where all-in costs run around $989, than in Phuket at $1,207. In Cuenca it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Cuenca – 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 Cuenca. 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.