Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Moquegua Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Moquegua

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,261 per month in Phuket vs $468 in Moquegua, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,078 per month in Phuket vs $784 in Moquegua, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,896 per month in Phuket vs $1,099 in Moquegua, rent included.

Phuket costs about 170% more than Moquegua, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Phuket and Moquegua are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 8% lower, Moquegua 66% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.43 ฿145

$3.69 PEN 12.37

20.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.07 ฿1,151

$29.34 PEN 98.4

19.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.96 ฿294

$6.05 PEN 20.28

48.10%

Cappuccino

$3.00 ฿98.4

$2.47 PEN 8.26

21.46%

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

$0.77 ฿25.33

$0.80 PEN 2.68

-3.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.47 ฿15.44

$0.42 PEN 1.40

11.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.40 ฿78.6

$2.33 PEN 7.80

3.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.75 ฿123

$6.03 PEN 20.21

-37.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.82 ฿59.8

$1.37 PEN 4.60

32.85%

White Bread (500g)

$1.42 ฿46.65

$1.42 PEN 4.77

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 ฿50.8

$1.51 PEN 5.06

2.65%

Eggs

$2.13 ฿69.9

$2.32 PEN 7.78

-8.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.76 ฿648

$6.51 PEN 21.81

203.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.48 ฿114

$4.67 PEN 15.66

-25.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.09 ฿364

$7.45 PEN 24.98

48.86%

Apples (1kg)

$2.91 ฿95.5

$1.81 PEN 6.07

60.77%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 ฿54.6

$1.27 PEN 4.26

30.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.27 ฿74.5

$1.17 PEN 3.93

94.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.10 ฿68.8

$1.02 PEN 3.43

105.88%

Potato (1kg)

$1.47 ฿48.24

$0.68 PEN 2.29

116.18%

Onion (1kg)

$1.41 ฿46.29

$0.69 PEN 2.31

104.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.09 ฿35.78

$0.56 PEN 1.88

94.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 ฿17.58

$0.76 PEN 2.55

-28.95%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.48 ฿147

$5.06 PEN 16.98

-11.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.72 ฿614

$5.31 PEN 17.79

252.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 ฿60.4

$3.07 PEN 10.28

-40.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.95 ฿96.7

$2.39 PEN 8.00

23.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.26 ฿74.1

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.07 ฿757

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.04 ฿99.9

$2.11 PEN 7.08

44.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.09 ฿35.82

$2.04 PEN 6.84

-46.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.82 ฿125

$13.04 PEN 43.72

-70.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿48.79

$1.55 PEN 5.18

-3.87%

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

$27.4K ฿900.3K

$19.2K PEN 64.5K

42.65%

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

$27.5K ฿902.7K

$26.1K PEN 87.6K

5.24%

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

$102 ฿3,340

$24.11 PEN 80.8

322.27%

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

$11.28 ฿370

$10.20 PEN 34.20

10.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.75 ฿582

$23.71 PEN 79.5

-25.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.2 ฿1,777

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.96 ฿360

Cinema Ticket

$7.85 ฿258

$7.26 PEN 24.35

8.13%

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

$577 ฿18.9K

$77.3 PEN 259

646.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.6K ฿381.6K

$6,825 PEN 22.9K

70.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$65.4 ฿2,144

$49.52 PEN 166

31.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.89 ฿948

$27.22 PEN 91.3

6.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.1 ฿3,250

$69.6 PEN 233

42.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.3 ฿2,961

$60.4 PEN 202

49.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$756 ฿24.8K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$487 ฿16.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,085 ฿68.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,207 ฿39.6K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,591 ฿117.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,610 ฿85.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$502 ฿16.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

-62.87%

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

Last update for Phuket: August 18, 2026

Last update for Moquegua: August 16, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $35.00 in Phuket versus $29.00 in Moquegua. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $272 vs $181 – making Moquegua 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 Moquegua: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Phuket is pricier by about 170%, 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 $1,891 per month in Phuket and $701 in Moquegua. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,261 in Phuket and $468 in Moquegua. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $577 per month in Phuket and $77.3 in Moquegua. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Moquegua, where all-in costs run around $468, than in Phuket at $1,261. In Moquegua it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Moquegua – 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 Moquegua. 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.