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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,250 per month in Phuket vs $471 in Huancayo, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,284 per month in Phuket vs $806 in Huancayo, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,317 per month in Phuket vs $1,142 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

$4.55 ฿153

$2.25 PEN 7.62

102.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.18 ฿1,553

$33.57 PEN 114

37.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 ฿297

$7.09 PEN 24.03

24.68%

Cappuccino

$3.06 ฿103

$2.62 PEN 8.89

16.79%

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

$0.73 ฿24.40

$0.94 PEN 3.18

-22.34%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 ฿13.39

$0.66 PEN 2.22

-39.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 ฿81.8

$2.27 PEN 7.71

7.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.78 ฿127

$3.81 PEN 12.90

-0.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ฿76.0

$1.08 PEN 3.66

109.26%

White Bread (500g)

$1.81 ฿60.9

$0.94 PEN 3.20

92.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.25 ฿75.8

$1.29 PEN 4.38

74.42%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.5

$2.30 PEN 7.79

-2.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.51 ฿656

$5.10 PEN 17.27

282.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.65 ฿123

$5.59 PEN 18.93

-34.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.05 ฿439

$5.09 PEN 17.24

156.39%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿109

$1.35 PEN 4.59

139.26%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 ฿54.4

$1.08 PEN 3.65

50.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.38 ฿80.1

$0.54 PEN 1.83

340.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿68.1

$1.09 PEN 3.70

86.24%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿51.6

$0.85 PEN 2.88

80.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.5

$0.81 PEN 2.75

85.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.91

$0.59 PEN 1.98

66.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.39

$0.86 PEN 2.90

-39.53%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.44 ฿149

$5.43 PEN 18.40

-18.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.32 ฿616

$5.20 PEN 17.62

252.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.7

$1.71 PEN 5.80

8.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 ฿90.1

$3.00 PEN 10.15

-10.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.41 ฿47.46

$0.54 PEN 1.83

161.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.70 ฿393

$16.38 PEN 55.5

-28.57%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.11 ฿105

$1.84 PEN 6.22

69.02%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿35.06

$2.19 PEN 7.42

-52.51%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.11 ฿474

$8.51 PEN 28.85

65.80%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 ฿44.10

$1.36 PEN 4.61

-3.68%

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

$27.8K ฿935.4K

$19.7K PEN 66.9K

40.89%

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

$33.2K ฿1.1M

$24.6K PEN 83.5K

34.77%

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

$122 ฿4,118

$32.83 PEN 111

272.95%

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

$13.59 ฿457

$11.16 PEN 37.83

21.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.70 ฿629

$11.05 PEN 37.45

69.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.5 ฿2,034

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.98 ฿571

Cinema Ticket

$9.07 ฿305

$6.79 PEN 23.00

33.58%

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

$706 ฿23.8K

$216 PEN 733

226.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿531.5K

$8,090 PEN 27.4K

95.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.6 ฿1,969

$50.1 PEN 170

16.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.36 ฿1,189

$36.36 PEN 123

-2.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,883

$90.3 PEN 306

27.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.7 ฿2,816

$89.5 PEN 303

-6.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$626 ฿21.0K

$305 PEN 1,035

104.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$445 ฿15.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,040 ฿68.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 ฿50.2K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,483 ฿117.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,577 ฿86.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$500 ฿16.8K

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Huancayo: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $626 in Phuket versus $305 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 $46.00 in Phuket versus $34.00 in Huancayo. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $289 vs $156 – 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 $1,875 per month in Phuket and $706 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 $1,250 in Phuket and $471 in Huancayo. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 40% 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 $471, than in Phuket at $1,250. 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 $471 versus $1,250 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.