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

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

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

Living in Tacna costs roughly 63% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.05 PEN 10.24

$4.41 ฿147

-30.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$14.86 PEN 49.88

$32.26 ฿1,077

-53.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.94 PEN 16.59

$8.93 ฿298

-44.68%

Cappuccino

$3.49 PEN 11.70

$2.90 ฿96.6

20.34%

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

$1.22 PEN 4.11

$0.88 ฿29.38

38.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.46 PEN 1.56

$0.48 ฿16.06

-4.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.90 PEN 9.74

$2.35 ฿78.5

23.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.56 PEN 11.93

$3.72 ฿124

-4.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.16 PEN 3.88

$1.87 ฿62.3

-37.97%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 PEN 5.06

$1.47 ฿48.94

2.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.87 PEN 2.90

$1.55 ฿51.8

-43.87%

Eggs

$1.75 PEN 5.88

$2.10 ฿70.1

-16.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 PEN 15.07

$19.59 ฿654

-77.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.69 PEN 15.73

$3.42 ฿114

37.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.14 PEN 30.67

$11.38 ฿380

-19.68%

Apples (1kg)

$2.98 ฿99.6

Banana (1kg)

$1.53 PEN 5.12

$1.68 ฿56.2

-8.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.85 PEN 2.85

$2.21 ฿73.7

-61.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.16 ฿72.1

Potato (1kg)

$0.78 PEN 2.60

$1.52 ฿50.9

-48.68%

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 ฿44.67

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 ฿37.67

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.77 PEN 2.58

$0.55 ฿18.24

40.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.56 PEN 15.29

$4.26 ฿142

7.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.49 PEN 21.79

$19.09 ฿637

-66.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.69 PEN 9.03

$1.78 ฿59.4

51.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿92.9

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 PEN 0.96

$2.23 ฿74.4

-87.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.74 ฿759

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.95 PEN 6.54

$3.03 ฿101

-35.64%

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)

$18.95 PEN 63.6

$11.33 ฿378

67.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.84 PEN 90.1

$17.40 ฿581

54.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.96 PEN 101

$52.1 ฿1,738

-42.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.07 ฿370

Cinema Ticket

$2.74 PEN 9.20

$7.69 ฿257

-64.37%

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

$59.2 PEN 199

$561 ฿18.7K

-89.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.5K ฿384.1K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$21.06 PEN 70.7

$63.0 ฿2,104

-66.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$20.66 PEN 69.3

$29.52 ฿986

-30.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.0 ฿3,272

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$26.68 PEN 89.5

$88.5 ฿2,954

-69.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$738 ฿24.6K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$71.5 PEN 240

$482 ฿16.1K

-85.19%

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)

$483 PEN 1,620

$494 ฿16.5K

-2.22%

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 Tacna: September 14, 2026

Last update for Phuket: September 15, 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: $15.00 in Tacna vs $32.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $152 vs $274 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

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 172% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 2% lower in Phuket. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Childcare runs $59.2 in Tacna versus $561 in Phuket. 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, 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 172% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.