Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Pucallpa Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Pucallpa

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,264 in Phuket versus $448 in Pucallpa.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,256 in Phuket versus $754 in Pucallpa.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,248 in Phuket versus $1,061 in Pucallpa.

Living in Phuket is roughly 182% more expensive than in Pucallpa, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 5% lower, Pucallpa 66% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.48 ฿150

$2.26 PEN 7.70

98.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.59 ฿1,525

$10.91 PEN 37.10

317.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.76 ฿293

$4.98 PEN 16.92

75.90%

Cappuccino

$2.97 ฿99.3

$1.98 PEN 6.74

50.00%

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

$0.69 ฿22.96

$0.93 PEN 3.17

-25.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 ฿13.07

$0.29 PEN 1.00

34.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.53 ฿84.7

$1.72 PEN 5.83

47.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.75 ฿125

$2.25 PEN 7.64

66.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.15 ฿71.8

$1.01 PEN 3.44

112.87%

White Bread (500g)

$1.82 ฿60.7

$3.56 PEN 12.11

-48.88%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.18 ฿73.1

$1.09 PEN 3.69

100.00%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.2

$1.72 PEN 5.84

30.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$20.00 ฿669

$1.99 PEN 6.75

905.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿121

$3.78 PEN 12.85

-3.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.56 ฿453

$3.38 PEN 11.49

301.18%

Apples (1kg)

$3.24 ฿109

$2.27 PEN 7.72

42.73%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ฿54.7

$1.42 PEN 4.82

15.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.33 ฿78.0

$1.42 PEN 4.83

64.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.07 ฿69.3

$2.49 PEN 8.46

-16.87%

Potato (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.8

$0.96 PEN 3.25

61.46%

Onion (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.67

$1.90 PEN 6.46

-23.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.94

$0.77 PEN 2.61

27.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.13

$0.96 PEN 3.25

-50.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 ฿146

$4.32 PEN 14.69

0.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.57 ฿621

$7.74 PEN 26.33

139.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.1

$2.17 PEN 7.37

-14.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.65 ฿88.8

$3.41 PEN 11.60

-22.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.42 ฿47.40

$1.09 PEN 3.70

30.28%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.57 ฿387

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 ฿106

$1.35 PEN 4.60

134.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.03 ฿34.51

$0.52 PEN 1.77

98.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.89 ฿465

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ฿44.96

$1.16 PEN 3.95

15.52%

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

$27.8K ฿929.6K

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

$33.4K ฿1.1M

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

$123 ฿4,116

$49.39 PEN 168

149.14%

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

$13.77 ฿461

$15.11 PEN 51.4

-8.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.33 ฿613

$41.42 PEN 141

-55.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.7 ฿2,030

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.16 ฿574

Cinema Ticket

$8.87 ฿297

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

$688 ฿23.0K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿527.8K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.3 ฿1,984

$49.77 PEN 169

19.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.69 ฿1,160

$33.26 PEN 113

4.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,853

$33.57 PEN 114

243.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.8 ฿2,802

$62.7 PEN 213

33.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$621 ฿20.8K

$109 PEN 372

467.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$446 ฿14.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,034 ฿68.0K

$226 PEN 770

798.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,496 ฿50.0K

$118 PEN 402

1164.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,455 ฿115.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,531 ฿84.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.5K

$419 PEN 1,424

17.84%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Pucallpa: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $621 in Phuket and $109 in Pucallpa. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 18% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $46.00 in Phuket vs $11.00 in Pucallpa for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $291 vs $184 per month, with Pucallpa cheaper across the board.

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 Pucallpa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Pucallpa is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 182% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 18% higher in Phuket, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $621 in Phuket versus $109 in Pucallpa. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 58% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Pucallpa – a meal for two runs $11.00 versus $46.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $448 in Pucallpa versus $1,264 in Phuket, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Pucallpa but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Pucallpa the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Pucallpa is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Phuket, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Phuket and Pucallpa are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Pucallpa gentler on the wallet – expenses run 182% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.