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 $350 in Tacna.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,255 in Phuket versus $458 in Tacna.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,279 in Phuket versus $567 in Tacna.

Living in Phuket is roughly 252% more expensive than Tacna, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 8% lower, Tacna 74% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.63 ฿151

$1.88 PEN 6.63

146.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.84 ฿1,532

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 ฿289

Cappuccino

$3.00 ฿98.0

$2.57 PEN 9.06

16.73%

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

$0.74 ฿24.25

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.95

$0.27 PEN 0.94

37.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.44 ฿79.8

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.61 ฿118

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ฿73.9

$0.87 PEN 3.07

159.77%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 ฿60.1

$1.36 PEN 4.80

35.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.24 ฿73.4

$0.91 PEN 3.20

146.15%

Eggs

$2.32 ฿75.7

$1.36 PEN 4.80

70.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.67 ฿643

$4.07 PEN 14.33

383.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.65 ฿119

$3.59 PEN 12.65

1.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.10 ฿428

$8.55 PEN 30.10

53.22%

Apples (1kg)

$3.39 ฿111

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.7

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿79.0

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿66.4

Potato (1kg)

$1.56 ฿50.9

$0.53 PEN 1.88

194.34%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿48.94

$0.44 PEN 1.54

240.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 ฿33.50

$0.27 PEN 0.94

277.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.00

$0.71 PEN 2.48

-30.99%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.45 ฿145

$4.14 PEN 14.58

7.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.88 ฿617

$6.13 PEN 21.59

207.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

$2.43 PEN 8.55

-26.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.75 ฿90.1

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.40 ฿45.81

$0.27 PEN 0.95

418.52%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.48 ฿376

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.12 ฿102

$1.43 PEN 5.03

118.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.00 ฿32.67

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.09 ฿461

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 ฿44.19

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

$27.2K ฿888.9K

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

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

$125 ฿4,087

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

$13.57 ฿444

$19.53 PEN 68.7

-30.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.52 ฿606

$24.59 PEN 86.6

-24.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.5 ฿2,010

$28.76 PEN 101

113.77%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.84 ฿551

Cinema Ticket

$9.19 ฿300

$2.53 PEN 8.89

263.24%

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

$698 ฿22.8K

$54.5 PEN 192

1180.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.6K ฿509.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.8 ฿1,889

$19.58 PEN 68.9

194.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.24 ฿1,152

$19.48 PEN 68.6

80.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 ฿3,699

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.4 ฿2,825

$24.75 PEN 87.1

249.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$616 ฿20.1K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$446 ฿14.6K

$67.2 PEN 237

563.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,048 ฿67.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 ฿48.8K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,779 ฿123.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,649 ฿86.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$524 ฿17.1K

$455 PEN 1,601

15.14%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Tacna: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Phuket pays 15% 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 252% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Phuket pays 15% more on average, 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 136% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Childcare runs $698 in Phuket versus $54.5 in Tacna. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $350 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 252% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.