Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Huancayo

For one person, living is cheaper in Huancayo: $488 a month against $1,208 in Phuket, rent and utilities included – about $8,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Phuket
🇹🇭 Thailand
$1,208
/mo nomad
Huancayo
🇵🇪 Peru
$488
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Phuket and in Huancayo

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 Huancayo actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,208 per month in Phuket vs $488 in Huancayo, rent included.

  • Phuket $1,208
  • Huancayo $488

A couple spends around $2,027 per month in Phuket vs $825 in Huancayo, rent included.

  • Phuket $2,027
  • Huancayo $825

A family of three spends $2,845 per month in Phuket vs $1,162 in Huancayo, rent included.

  • Phuket $2,845
  • Huancayo $1,162

Phuket costs about 148% more than Huancayo, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Phuket and Huancayo are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 11% lower, Huancayo 64% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Huancayo
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.40 ฿147
$2.27 PEN 7.80
93.83%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.26 ฿1,078
$34.56 PEN 119
-6.66%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.76 ฿293
$6.86 PEN 23.54
27.70%
Cappuccino
$2.83 ฿94.5
$3.29 PEN 11.31
-13.98%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.90 ฿30.14
$1.12 PEN 3.83
-19.64%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.47 ฿15.56
$0.64 PEN 2.20
-26.56%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.55 ฿85.2
$2.59 PEN 8.91
-1.54%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.83 ฿128
$4.29 PEN 14.73
-10.72%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Huancayo
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.73 ฿57.7
$1.15 PEN 3.93
50.43%
White Bread (500g)
$1.47 ฿49.11
$1.05 PEN 3.60
40.00%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.51 ฿50.6
$1.29 PEN 4.43
17.05%
Eggs
$2.17 ฿72.7
$2.41 PEN 8.26
-9.96%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$19.70 ฿658
$5.14 PEN 17.64
283.27%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.34 ฿112
$5.97 PEN 20.49
-44.05%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$11.16 ฿373
$5.20 PEN 17.87
114.62%
Apples (1kg)
$2.85 ฿95.1
$1.41 PEN 4.86
102.13%
Banana (1kg)
$1.70 ฿56.9
$1.03 PEN 3.53
65.05%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.19 ฿73.3
$0.55 PEN 1.90
298.18%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.05 ฿68.4
$1.19 PEN 4.10
72.27%
Potato (1kg)
$1.45 ฿48.57
$0.85 PEN 2.93
70.59%
Onion (1kg)
$1.38 ฿46.16
$0.89 PEN 3.05
55.06%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.07 ฿35.69
$0.57 PEN 1.96
87.72%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.51 ฿16.91
$0.89 PEN 3.07
-42.70%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.26 ฿142
$5.70 PEN 19.57
-25.26%
Wine (Bottle)
$18.58 ฿621
$5.09 PEN 17.47
265.03%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.78 ฿59.7
$1.87 PEN 6.41
-4.81%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.85 ฿95.2
$3.18 PEN 10.91
-10.38%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Huancayo
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.26 ฿75.6
$0.59 PEN 2.03
283.05%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$22.10 ฿738
$17.38 PEN 59.7
27.16%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.01 ฿101
$1.84 PEN 6.32
63.59%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.06 ฿35.34
$2.00 PEN 6.88
-47.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$3.86 ฿129
$7.22 PEN 24.79
-46.54%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.45 ฿48.45
$1.43 PEN 4.91
1.40%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.3K ฿879.9K
$21.7K PEN 74.6K
21.13%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.9K ฿900.4K
$25.7K PEN 88.3K
4.81%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Huancayo
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$96.4 ฿3,221
$34.52 PEN 119
179.20%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.04 ฿369
$11.76 PEN 40.39
-6.12%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$17.14 ฿573
$11.82 PEN 40.59
45.01%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Huancayo
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$52.2 ฿1,744
-
-
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$11.16 ฿373
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$7.81 ฿261
$7.30 PEN 25.07
6.99%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Huancayo
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$556 ฿18.6K
$182 PEN 624
205.86%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$11.6K ฿387.0K
$12.9K PEN 44.3K
-10.22%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Huancayo
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$64.2 ฿2,146
$53.8 PEN 185
19.33%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$28.69 ฿959
$35.51 PEN 122
-19.21%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$95.4 ฿3,187
$85.3 PEN 293
11.81%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$88.0 ฿2,940
$80.1 PEN 275
9.78%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Huancayo
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$737 ฿24.6K
$324 PEN 1,112
127.63%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$462 ฿15.5K
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,095 ฿70.0K
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,201 ฿40.1K
-
-
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,488 ฿116.6K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,523 ฿84.3K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Huancayo
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$501 ฿16.7K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.57
8.94
-37.70%

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

Last update for Phuket: October 19, 2026

Last update for Huancayo: October 17, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Phuket
$462
Huancayo
- * 100%
Groceries & Markets
Phuket
$269
Huancayo
$162 39.6% $106
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
$125
Huancayo
$58 53.4% $66
Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
$124
Huancayo
$115 7.8% $9.7
Eating Out
Phuket
$121
Huancayo
$107 11.9% $14
Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
$68
Huancayo
$15 * 78.5% $53
Getting Around
Phuket
$39
Huancayo
$32 19.9% $7.8

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $737 in Phuket versus $324 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 $32.00 in Phuket versus $35.00 in Huancayo. Groceries tell a different story – $269 in Phuket vs $162 in Huancayo – so Huancayo wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know
🇹🇭 Phuket
🇵🇪 Huancayo
🕒 Local time
20:56 8:56 PM
08:56 8:56 AM
12 h behind Phuket
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
79,308
27,552
💱 Currency
Thai Baht THB ฿
Exchange rates and currency converter

PEN, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 22, 2026: 1 USD = 33.42 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.57 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

Peruvian Sol exchange rates as of October 22, 2026: 1 USD = 3.43 PEN (1 PEN = 0.291 USD). 1 EUR = 3.86 PEN (1 PEN = 0.259 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Phuket Huancayo 19,170 km ≈ 24 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Phuket
  • Huancayo

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 Huancayo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Phuket or Huancayo?
Phuket costs about 148% more than Huancayo, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Phuket and in Huancayo?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,813 per month in Phuket and $732 in Huancayo. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Phuket or Huancayo?
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.
How much does it cost to live in Phuket compared to Huancayo?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,208 in Phuket and $488 in Huancayo. That's a gap of about 148%.
How expensive is transport in Phuket compared to Huancayo?
Public transport costs about 27% less in Huancayo. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Phuket or in Huancayo?
A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Huancayo, where all-in costs run around $488, than in Phuket at $1,208. In Huancayo it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Phuket or Huancayo?
For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Huancayo costs $488 versus $1,208 in Phuket. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.
How safe is Phuket compared to Huancayo?
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.
Should I move to Phuket or to Huancayo?
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.

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