Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Iquitos Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Iquitos

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,232 per month in Phuket vs $641 in Iquitos, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,255 per month in Phuket vs $1,154 in Iquitos, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,279 per month in Phuket vs $1,666 in Iquitos, rent included.

Phuket costs about 92% more than Iquitos, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Phuket and Iquitos are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 8% lower, Iquitos 52% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.63 ฿151

$4.08 PEN 14.36

13.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.84 ฿1,532

$36.24 PEN 128

29.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 ฿289

$6.84 PEN 24.08

29.24%

Cappuccino

$3.00 ฿98.0

$3.36 PEN 11.82

-10.71%

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

$0.74 ฿24.25

$0.81 PEN 2.87

-8.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.95

$1.00 PEN 3.54

-63.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.44 ฿79.8

$2.84 PEN 10.00

-14.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.61 ฿118

$7.13 PEN 25.09

-49.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ฿73.9

$1.71 PEN 6.04

32.16%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 ฿60.1

$2.25 PEN 7.91

-18.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.24 ฿73.4

Eggs

$2.32 ฿75.7

$2.37 PEN 8.36

-2.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.67 ฿643

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.65 ฿119

$3.05 PEN 10.72

19.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.10 ฿428

Apples (1kg)

$3.39 ฿111

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.7

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿79.0

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿66.4

Potato (1kg)

$1.56 ฿50.9

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿48.94

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 ฿33.50

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.00

$0.87 PEN 3.06

-43.68%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.45 ฿145

Wine (Bottle)

$18.88 ฿617

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.75 ฿90.1

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.40 ฿45.81

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.48 ฿376

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.12 ฿102

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.00 ฿32.67

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.09 ฿461

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 ฿44.19

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

$27.2K ฿888.9K

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

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

$125 ฿4,087

$33.44 PEN 118

273.74%

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

$13.57 ฿444

$10.80 PEN 38.01

25.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.52 ฿606

$8.32 PEN 29.28

122.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.5 ฿2,010

$28.27 PEN 99.5

117.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.84 ฿551

$8.16 PEN 28.71

106.37%

Cinema Ticket

$9.19 ฿300

$5.48 PEN 19.30

67.70%

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

$698 ฿22.8K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.6K ฿509.9K

$2,667 PEN 9,389

484.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.8 ฿1,889

$81.7 PEN 288

-29.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.24 ฿1,152

$33.05 PEN 116

6.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 ฿3,699

$50.8 PEN 179

122.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.4 ฿2,825

$25.37 PEN 89.3

240.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$616 ฿20.1K

$329 PEN 1,159

87.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$446 ฿14.6K

$248 PEN 873

79.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,048 ฿67.0K

$828 PEN 2,916

147.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 ฿48.8K

$701 PEN 2,466

112.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,779 ฿123.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,649 ฿86.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$524 ฿17.1K

$575 PEN 2,026

-8.97%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

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

Last update for Phuket: April 27, 2026

Last update for Iquitos: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $616 in Phuket versus $329 in Iquitos. 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 10% higher in Iquitos, 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 $47.00 in Phuket versus $36.00 in Iquitos. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $292 vs $75.0 – making Iquitos 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 Iquitos: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Phuket is pricier by about 92%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,847 per month in Phuket and $962 in Iquitos. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 291% more in Phuket, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Phuket and $36.00 in Iquitos. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Iquitos, where all-in costs run around $641, than in Phuket at $1,232. In Iquitos it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Iquitos – 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 Iquitos. 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.