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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,190 per month in Phuket vs $453 in Moquegua, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,006 per month in Phuket vs $751 in Moquegua, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,822 per month in Phuket vs $1,050 in Moquegua, rent included.

Phuket costs about 162% more than Moquegua, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Phuket and Moquegua are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 11% lower, Moquegua 66% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.35 ฿146

$3.46 PEN 11.93

25.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.45 ฿1,090

$27.61 PEN 95.1

17.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.42 ฿283

$5.82 PEN 20.03

44.67%

Cappuccino

$2.81 ฿94.2

$2.56 PEN 8.82

9.77%

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

$0.87 ฿29.38

$0.82 PEN 2.82

6.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.46 ฿15.44

$0.37 PEN 1.27

24.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.59 ฿86.8

$2.16 PEN 7.44

19.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.64 ฿122

$4.37 PEN 15.05

-16.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿57.3

$1.33 PEN 4.59

28.57%

White Bread (500g)

$1.45 ฿48.56

$1.37 PEN 4.73

5.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 ฿52.4

$1.54 PEN 5.31

1.30%

Eggs

$2.10 ฿70.5

$2.33 PEN 8.01

-9.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.53 ฿656

$6.24 PEN 21.50

212.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.40 ฿114

$4.63 PEN 15.95

-26.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.14 ฿374

$7.37 PEN 25.38

51.15%

Apples (1kg)

$2.83 ฿95.1

$1.81 PEN 6.22

56.35%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 ฿54.5

$1.21 PEN 4.17

33.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.22 ฿74.7

$1.20 PEN 4.13

85.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.15 ฿72.1

$1.05 PEN 3.63

104.76%

Potato (1kg)

$1.49 ฿50.1

$0.69 PEN 2.38

115.94%

Onion (1kg)

$1.33 ฿44.53

$0.69 PEN 2.39

92.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 ฿35.82

$0.55 PEN 1.89

94.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿17.06

$0.74 PEN 2.56

-31.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.38 ฿147

$5.28 PEN 18.19

-17.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.77 ฿630

$5.11 PEN 17.58

267.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 ฿58.5

$2.72 PEN 9.38

-36.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿93.2

$2.25 PEN 7.75

23.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.17 ฿72.8

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.28 ฿748

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ฿101

$2.05 PEN 7.06

47.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.06 ฿35.53

$2.02 PEN 6.97

-47.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.71 ฿125

$13.02 PEN 44.83

-71.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 ฿48.03

$1.52 PEN 5.25

-5.92%

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

$26.3K ฿884.7K

$18.5K PEN 63.8K

42.17%

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

$26.2K ฿879.9K

$25.2K PEN 86.9K

3.79%

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

$96.7 ฿3,246

$23.82 PEN 82.0

305.79%

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

$11.41 ฿383

$10.37 PEN 35.73

10.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.11 ฿574

$23.27 PEN 80.2

-26.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.8 ฿1,773

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.07 ฿372

Cinema Ticket

$7.65 ฿257

$7.33 PEN 25.26

4.37%

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

$555 ฿18.6K

$74.5 PEN 257

644.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.3K ฿378.8K

$6,749 PEN 23.2K

67.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.4 ฿2,130

$48.42 PEN 167

30.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.61 ฿961

$26.56 PEN 91.5

7.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.7 ฿3,248

$68.0 PEN 234

42.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.6 ฿2,975

$58.4 PEN 201

51.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$735 ฿24.7K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$458 ฿15.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,102 ฿70.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,187 ฿39.9K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,493 ฿117.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,491 ฿83.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$501 ฿16.8K

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: October 4, 2026

Last update for Moquegua: October 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $32.00 in Phuket versus $28.00 in Moquegua. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $268 vs $176 – 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 162%, 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 $1,785 per month in Phuket and $680 in Moquegua. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,190 in Phuket and $453 in Moquegua. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $555 per month in Phuket and $74.5 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 $453, than in Phuket at $1,190. 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.