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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $354 in Tacna versus $1,261 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $465 in Tacna versus $2,286 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $576 in Tacna versus $3,310 in Phuket.

Living in Tacna costs roughly 72% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Tacna 74% lower, Phuket 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.99 PEN 6.75

$4.56 ฿149

-56.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.63 ฿1,519

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.47 ฿276

Cappuccino

$2.51 PEN 8.54

$3.03 ฿98.6

-17.16%

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

$0.69 ฿22.45

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 PEN 0.91

$0.37 ฿11.92

-27.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.49 ฿81.0

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

Milk (1 liter)

$0.87 PEN 2.95

$2.18 ฿71.0

-60.09%

White Bread (500g)

$1.35 PEN 4.59

$1.90 ฿62.0

-28.95%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.87 PEN 2.97

$2.20 ฿71.6

-60.45%

Eggs

$1.42 PEN 4.82

$2.22 ฿72.4

-36.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.27 PEN 14.51

$19.99 ฿651

-78.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.64 PEN 12.38

$3.66 ฿119

-0.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.49 PEN 28.87

$13.25 ฿432

-35.92%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿105

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.3

Oranges (1kg)

$2.39 ฿78.0

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿67.7

Potato (1kg)

$0.57 PEN 1.94

$1.59 ฿51.8

-64.15%

Onion (1kg)

$0.40 PEN 1.36

$1.48 ฿48.31

-72.97%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.27 PEN 0.91

$1.03 ฿33.54

-73.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.71 PEN 2.41

$0.52 ฿16.83

36.54%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 PEN 14.52

$4.25 ฿138

0.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.29 PEN 21.37

$18.79 ฿612

-66.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.51 PEN 8.55

$1.76 ฿57.2

42.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 ฿89.8

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 PEN 0.99

$1.36 ฿44.32

-78.68%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.36 ฿370

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 PEN 4.81

$3.14 ฿102

-54.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿33.74

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.77 ฿448

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ฿43.79

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

$27.7K ฿901.4K

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

$33.9K ฿1.1M

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

$124 ฿4,025

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

$19.20 PEN 65.3

$13.52 ฿440

42.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.89 PEN 84.6

$18.69 ฿609

33.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$28.24 PEN 96.0

$61.8 ฿2,013

-54.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.25 ฿562

Cinema Ticket

$2.53 PEN 8.59

$9.14 ฿298

-72.32%

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

$55.7 PEN 189

$703 ฿22.9K

-92.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.9K ฿517.0K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$19.54 PEN 66.4

$59.5 ฿1,937

-67.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.17 PEN 65.2

$35.07 ฿1,142

-45.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,754

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$25.10 PEN 85.4

$84.1 ฿2,737

-70.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$619 ฿20.1K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$65.4 PEN 222

$433 ฿14.1K

-84.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,062 ฿67.2K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,511 ฿49.2K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,646 ฿118.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,626 ฿85.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$466 PEN 1,586

$507 ฿16.5K

-8.01%

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 Tacna: June 8, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Phuket pays 9% 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

Tacna vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Tacna is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around. The 257% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Phuket earns 9% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Supermarket bills run roughly 134% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Childcare runs $55.7 in Tacna versus $703 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $354 in Tacna versus $1,261 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, Tacna and Phuket 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 257% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.