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: $1,232 in Phuket versus $453 in Tacna.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,054 in Phuket versus $653 in Tacna.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,876 in Phuket versus $853 in Tacna.

Living in Phuket is roughly 172% more expensive than in Tacna, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 10% lower, Tacna 67% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.41 ฿147

$3.05 PEN 10.24

44.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.26 ฿1,077

$14.86 PEN 49.88

117.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.93 ฿298

$4.94 PEN 16.59

80.77%

Cappuccino

$2.90 ฿96.6

$3.49 PEN 11.70

-16.91%

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

$0.88 ฿29.38

$1.22 PEN 4.11

-27.87%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.06

$0.46 PEN 1.56

4.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.35 ฿78.5

$2.90 PEN 9.74

-18.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿124

$3.56 PEN 11.93

4.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 ฿62.3

$1.16 PEN 3.88

61.21%

White Bread (500g)

$1.47 ฿48.94

$1.51 PEN 5.06

-2.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.8

$0.87 PEN 2.90

78.16%

Eggs

$2.10 ฿70.1

$1.75 PEN 5.88

20.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.59 ฿654

$4.49 PEN 15.07

336.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.42 ฿114

$4.69 PEN 15.73

-27.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.38 ฿380

$9.14 PEN 30.67

24.51%

Apples (1kg)

$2.98 ฿99.6

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 ฿56.2

$1.53 PEN 5.12

9.80%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.21 ฿73.7

$0.85 PEN 2.85

160.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.16 ฿72.1

Potato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿50.9

$0.78 PEN 2.60

94.87%

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 ฿44.67

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 ฿37.67

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ฿18.24

$0.77 PEN 2.58

-28.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.26 ฿142

$4.56 PEN 15.29

-6.58%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.09 ฿637

$6.49 PEN 21.79

194.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿59.4

$2.69 PEN 9.03

-33.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿92.9

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.23 ฿74.4

$0.29 PEN 0.96

668.97%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.74 ฿759

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 ฿101

$1.95 PEN 6.54

55.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 ฿34.15

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.89 ฿130

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿49.77

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

$26.6K ฿887.3K

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

$27.0K ฿902.2K

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

$102 ฿3,420

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

$11.33 ฿378

$18.95 PEN 63.6

-40.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.40 ฿581

$26.84 PEN 90.1

-35.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.1 ฿1,738

$29.96 PEN 101

73.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.07 ฿370

Cinema Ticket

$7.69 ฿257

$2.74 PEN 9.20

180.66%

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

$561 ฿18.7K

$59.2 PEN 199

846.39%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.5K ฿384.1K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.0 ฿2,104

$21.06 PEN 70.7

199.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.52 ฿986

$20.66 PEN 69.3

42.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.0 ฿3,272

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.5 ฿2,954

$26.68 PEN 89.5

231.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$738 ฿24.6K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.1K

$71.5 PEN 240

575.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,107 ฿70.3K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,226 ฿40.9K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,617 ฿120.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,603 ฿86.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.5K

$483 PEN 1,620

2.28%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

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

Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026

Last update for Tacna: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Phuket pays 2% 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: $32.00 in Phuket vs $15.00 in Tacna for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $274 vs $152 per month, with Tacna 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 Tacna: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Tacna is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 172% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 2% higher in Phuket, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Childcare runs $561 in Phuket versus $59.2 in Tacna. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Tacna – a meal for two runs $15.00 versus $32.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $453 in Tacna versus $1,232 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 172% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.