Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Cuenca Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Cuenca

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,264 per month in Phuket vs $1,444 in Cuenca, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,256 per month in Phuket vs $2,087 in Cuenca, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,248 per month in Phuket vs $2,731 in Cuenca, rent included.

Phuket is about 12% cheaper than Cuenca, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Phuket sits 5% below the global median, while Cuenca is 8% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.48 ฿150

$16.56 €14.34

-72.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.59 ฿1,521

$45.95 €39.79

-0.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.76 ฿292

$9.33 €8.08

-6.11%

Cappuccino

$2.97 ฿99.0

$2.27 €1.96

30.84%

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

$0.69 ฿22.90

$2.03 €1.76

-66.01%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 ฿13.04

$1.51 €1.30

-74.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.53 ฿84.4

$2.35 €2.04

7.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.75 ฿125

$3.49 €3.02

7.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.15 ฿71.6

$1.06 €0.92

102.83%

White Bread (500g)

$1.82 ฿60.6

$1.39 €1.20

30.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.18 ฿72.9

$1.43 €1.24

52.45%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.0

$2.61 €2.26

-13.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$20.00 ฿667

$15.88 €13.75

25.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿121

$9.87 €8.55

-63.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.56 ฿452

$13.83 €11.98

-1.95%

Apples (1kg)

$3.24 ฿108

$3.00 €2.60

8.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ฿54.6

$1.59 €1.38

3.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.33 ฿77.8

$1.50 €1.30

55.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.07 ฿69.1

$3.39 €2.94

-38.94%

Potato (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.6

$1.78 €1.54

-12.92%

Onion (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.54

$2.05 €1.77

-28.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.86

$1.42 €1.23

-30.99%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.09

$1.08 €0.94

-55.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 ฿145

$5.84 €5.06

-25.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.57 ฿620

$4.42 €3.83

320.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿61.9

$1.23 €1.07

51.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.65 ฿88.6

$1.72 €1.49

54.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.42 ฿47.28

$1.24 €1.08

14.52%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.57 ฿386

$33.47 €28.99

-65.43%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 ฿106

$4.70 €4.07

-32.55%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.03 ฿34.41

$0.99 €0.86

4.04%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.89 ฿463

$28.51 €24.69

-51.28%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ฿44.84

$1.81 €1.56

-25.97%

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

$27.8K ฿927.1K

$38.4K €33.2K

-27.55%

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

$33.4K ฿1.1M

$30.6K €26.5K

9.23%

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

$123 ฿4,105

$132 €114

-6.74%

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

$13.77 ฿459

$18.97 €16.43

-27.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.33 ฿611

$28.13 €24.36

-34.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.7 ฿2,025

$45.76 €39.63

32.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.16 ฿573

$14.36 €12.43

19.50%

Cinema Ticket

$8.87 ฿296

$8.42 €7.30

5.34%

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

$688 ฿22.9K

$344 €298

100.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿526.4K

$9,795 €8,483

61.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.3 ฿1,978

$71.0 €61.5

-16.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.69 ฿1,157

$39.72 €34.40

-12.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,843

$99.9 €86.5

15.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.8 ฿2,794

$114 €98.4

-26.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$621 ฿20.7K

$692 €599

-10.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$446 ฿14.9K

$518 €449

-13.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,034 ฿67.8K

$810 €701

151.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,496 ฿49.9K

$644 €558

132.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,455 ฿115.3K

$3,417 €2,959

1.12%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,531 ฿84.4K

$2,198 €1,904

15.15%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.5K

$1,440 €1,247

-65.72%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

3.62

47.24%

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

Last update for Phuket: July 27, 2026

Last update for Cuenca: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $621 in Phuket versus $692 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 192% higher in Cuenca, 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 $46.00 in Phuket versus $46.00 in Cuenca. Groceries tell a different story – $291 in Phuket vs $273 in Cuenca – so Cuenca wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Monthly costs with rent: $1,264 in Phuket, $1,444 in Cuenca – roughly 14% apart. Cuenca costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,896 per month in Phuket and $2,166 in Cuenca. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Phuket, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $688 per month in Phuket and $344 in Cuenca. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 6% cheaper in Cuenca – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Phuket, where all-in costs run around $1,264, than in Cuenca at $1,444. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Cuenca 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 $1,264 in Phuket to $1,444 in Cuenca. 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 Phuket. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Cuenca makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.