Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Tacna Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Tacna

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,264 in Phuket versus $353 in Tacna.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,256 in Phuket versus $465 in Tacna.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,248 in Phuket versus $577 in Tacna.

Living in Phuket is roughly 258% more expensive than in Tacna, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 5% lower, Tacna 73% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.48 ฿150

$1.89 PEN 6.41

137.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.59 ฿1,521

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.76 ฿292

Cappuccino

$2.97 ฿99.0

$2.48 PEN 8.43

19.76%

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

$0.69 ฿22.90

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 ฿13.04

$0.29 PEN 0.99

34.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.53 ฿84.4

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.75 ฿125

Milk (1 liter)

$2.15 ฿71.6

$0.92 PEN 3.12

133.70%

White Bread (500g)

$1.82 ฿60.6

$1.38 PEN 4.68

31.88%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.18 ฿72.9

$0.87 PEN 2.94

150.57%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.0

$1.41 PEN 4.80

59.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$20.00 ฿667

$4.19 PEN 14.22

377.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿121

$3.55 PEN 12.04

2.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.56 ฿452

$8.36 PEN 28.37

62.20%

Apples (1kg)

$3.24 ฿108

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ฿54.6

Oranges (1kg)

$2.33 ฿77.8

Tomato (1kg)

$2.07 ฿69.1

Potato (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.6

$0.54 PEN 1.84

187.04%

Onion (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.54

$0.44 PEN 1.50

231.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.86

$0.29 PEN 0.99

237.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.09

$0.72 PEN 2.46

-33.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 ฿145

$4.22 PEN 14.32

3.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.57 ฿620

$6.59 PEN 22.36

181.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿61.9

$2.44 PEN 8.28

-23.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.65 ฿88.6

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.42 ฿47.28

$0.29 PEN 0.99

389.66%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.57 ฿386

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 ฿106

$1.37 PEN 4.66

131.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.03 ฿34.41

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.89 ฿463

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ฿44.84

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

$27.8K ฿927.1K

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 ฿4,105

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

$13.77 ฿459

$19.64 PEN 66.7

-29.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.33 ฿611

$24.84 PEN 84.3

-26.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.7 ฿2,025

$28.28 PEN 96.0

114.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.16 ฿573

Cinema Ticket

$8.87 ฿296

$2.46 PEN 8.35

260.57%

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

$688 ฿22.9K

$56.3 PEN 191

1122.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿526.4K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.3 ฿1,978

$19.09 PEN 64.8

210.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.69 ฿1,157

$19.62 PEN 66.6

76.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,843

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.8 ฿2,794

$25.17 PEN 85.5

232.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$621 ฿20.7K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$446 ฿14.9K

$65.8 PEN 223

578.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,034 ฿67.8K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,496 ฿49.9K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,455 ฿115.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,531 ฿84.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.5K

$462 PEN 1,567

6.93%

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 Tacna: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Phuket pays 7% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

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 Tacna: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Tacna is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 258% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 7% higher in Phuket, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Supermarket bills run roughly 132% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Childcare runs $688 in Phuket versus $56.3 in Tacna. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $353 in Tacna versus $1,264 in Phuket, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Tacna but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Tacna the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Tacna 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 Tacna 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 Tacna gentler on the wallet – expenses run 258% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.