Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Huancayo Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Huancayo

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,265 per month in Phuket vs $476 in Huancayo, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,297 per month in Phuket vs $804 in Huancayo, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,329 per month in Phuket vs $1,133 in Huancayo, rent included.

Phuket costs about 166% more than Huancayo, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Phuket and Huancayo are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 6% lower, Huancayo 65% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.70 ฿153

$2.20 PEN 7.49

113.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.37 ฿1,482

$33.86 PEN 115

33.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.43 ฿275

$6.99 PEN 23.78

20.60%

Cappuccino

$2.93 ฿95.6

$2.53 PEN 8.59

15.81%

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

$0.69 ฿22.40

$0.99 PEN 3.38

-30.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.99

$0.66 PEN 2.25

-43.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 ฿78.6

$2.23 PEN 7.59

8.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿122

$3.80 PEN 12.91

-2.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 ฿72.9

$1.14 PEN 3.88

95.61%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 ฿59.8

$0.92 PEN 3.14

98.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 ฿70.8

$1.32 PEN 4.49

64.39%

Eggs

$2.21 ฿72.3

$2.32 PEN 7.89

-4.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.74 ฿645

$5.04 PEN 17.14

291.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿119

$5.44 PEN 18.52

-33.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.53 ฿442

$4.88 PEN 16.61

177.25%

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 ฿107

$1.37 PEN 4.65

139.42%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ฿52.6

$1.12 PEN 3.80

43.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿78.6

$0.57 PEN 1.96

322.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿68.1

$1.09 PEN 3.72

90.83%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.93

$0.81 PEN 2.76

88.89%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.36

$0.80 PEN 2.73

85.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 ฿32.29

$0.57 PEN 1.95

73.68%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.67

$0.82 PEN 2.77

-37.80%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 ฿144

$5.54 PEN 18.85

-20.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.38 ฿633

$5.32 PEN 18.10

264.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

$1.70 PEN 5.77

4.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 ฿88.6

$2.96 PEN 10.07

-8.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.37 ฿44.79

$0.53 PEN 1.81

158.49%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.39 ฿372

$16.51 PEN 56.2

-31.01%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ฿98.6

$1.76 PEN 5.98

71.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 ฿32.48

$2.18 PEN 7.42

-54.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.10 ฿461

$8.54 PEN 29.05

65.11%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 ฿44.51

$1.31 PEN 4.46

3.82%

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

$28.2K ฿921.1K

$19.7K PEN 66.9K

43.41%

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$24.8K PEN 84.5K

32.49%

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

$122 ฿3,975

$33.15 PEN 113

267.12%

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

$13.57 ฿443

$10.94 PEN 37.21

24.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.31 ฿598

$11.00 PEN 37.42

66.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.2 ฿1,967

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.14 ฿560

Cinema Ticket

$8.69 ฿284

$6.84 PEN 23.27

27.05%

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

$693 ฿22.6K

$217 PEN 737

220.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ฿512.3K

$7,980 PEN 27.1K

96.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,944

$49.90 PEN 170

19.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.77 ฿1,136

$36.52 PEN 124

-4.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,743

$90.9 PEN 309

26.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.3 ฿2,720

$88.0 PEN 299

-5.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$613 ฿20.0K

$302 PEN 1,028

103.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$437 ฿14.3K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,094 ฿68.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,509 ฿49.3K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,749 ฿122.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,616 ฿85.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.6K

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: June 2, 2026

Last update for Huancayo: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $613 in Phuket versus $302 in Huancayo. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $45.00 in Phuket versus $34.00 in Huancayo. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $293 vs $155 – making Huancayo 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 Huancayo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket costs about 166% more than Huancayo, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,898 per month in Phuket and $713 in Huancayo. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,265 in Phuket and $476 in Huancayo. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 45% less in Huancayo. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Huancayo, where all-in costs run around $476, than in Phuket at $1,265. In Huancayo it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Huancayo costs $476 versus $1,265 in Phuket. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Huancayo. 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.