Cost of Living Comparison Between Trujillo and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Trujillo and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $779 in Trujillo versus $1,250 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,173 in Trujillo versus $2,284 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,567 in Trujillo versus $3,317 in Phuket.

Living in Trujillo costs roughly 38% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Trujillo 42% lower, Phuket 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.24 PEN 11.00

$4.55 ฿153

-28.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$13.70 PEN 46.48

$46.18 ฿1,554

-70.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.73 PEN 22.82

$8.84 ฿298

-23.87%

Cappuccino

$2.98 PEN 10.10

$3.06 ฿103

-2.61%

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

$0.89 PEN 3.02

$0.73 ฿24.42

21.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.59 PEN 2.00

$0.40 ฿13.40

47.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.92 PEN 6.52

$2.43 ฿81.8

-20.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 PEN 11.19

$3.78 ฿127

-12.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 PEN 3.56

$2.26 ฿76.0

-53.54%

White Bread (500g)

$1.77 PEN 6.02

$1.81 ฿60.9

-2.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.13 PEN 3.82

$2.25 ฿75.8

-49.78%

Eggs

$3.88 PEN 13.15

$2.25 ฿75.6

72.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.51 ฿656

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.47 PEN 21.96

$3.65 ฿123

77.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.52 PEN 25.50

$13.05 ฿439

-42.38%

Apples (1kg)

$1.17 PEN 3.98

$3.23 ฿109

-63.78%

Banana (1kg)

$0.58 PEN 1.96

$1.62 ฿54.4

-64.20%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.58 PEN 1.95

$2.38 ฿80.2

-75.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.71 PEN 2.40

$2.03 ฿68.2

-65.02%

Potato (1kg)

$0.92 PEN 3.13

$1.53 ฿51.6

-39.87%

Onion (1kg)

$0.82 PEN 2.78

$1.50 ฿50.5

-45.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.91 PEN 3.09

$0.98 ฿32.93

-7.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.92 PEN 3.11

$0.52 ฿17.40

76.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 PEN 14.49

$4.44 ฿149

-3.83%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.79 PEN 19.63

$18.32 ฿616

-68.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.41 PEN 4.77

$1.86 ฿62.7

-24.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.65 PEN 5.59

$2.68 ฿90.2

-38.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.64 PEN 2.16

$1.41 ฿47.49

-54.61%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$16.38 PEN 55.6

$11.70 ฿394

40.00%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.80 PEN 9.49

$3.11 ฿105

-9.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.99 PEN 6.75

$1.04 ฿35.08

91.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.66 PEN 19.22

$14.11 ฿475

-59.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 PEN 4.62

$1.31 ฿44.13

3.82%

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

$16.9K PEN 57.3K

$27.8K ฿936.0K

-39.27%

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

$26.2K PEN 88.9K

$33.2K ฿1.1M

-21.13%

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

$76.6 PEN 260

$122 ฿4,120

-37.47%

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

$8.48 PEN 28.78

$13.59 ฿457

-37.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.22 PEN 72.0

$18.70 ฿629

13.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.00 PEN 122

$60.5 ฿2,035

-40.49%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.39 PEN 18.30

$16.98 ฿572

-68.26%

Cinema Ticket

$4.16 PEN 14.11

$9.07 ฿305

-54.13%

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

$102 PEN 346

$706 ฿23.8K

-85.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,963 PEN 6,660

$15.8K ฿531.8K

-87.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$70.8 PEN 240

$58.6 ฿1,970

20.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$14.00 PEN 47.48

$35.36 ฿1,190

-60.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$32.71 PEN 111

$115 ฿3,885

-71.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$32.74 PEN 111

$83.7 ฿2,818

-60.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$365 PEN 1,238

$626 ฿21.1K

-41.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$257 PEN 871

$445 ฿15.0K

-42.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$602 PEN 2,043

$2,040 ฿68.7K

-70.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$489 PEN 1,659

$1,492 ฿50.2K

-67.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,138 PEN 3,860

$3,483 ฿117.2K

-67.33%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$821 PEN 2,786

$2,577 ฿86.7K

-68.12%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$524 PEN 1,779

$500 ฿16.8K

4.91%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.7

5.33

138.27%

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

Last update for Trujillo: July 13, 2026

Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $365 in Trujillo and $626 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Trujillo pays 5% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $14.00 in Trujillo vs $46.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $159 vs $289 per month, with Trujillo 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

Trujillo vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Trujillo is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 60% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 5% higher in Trujillo, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $365 in Trujillo versus $626 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $102 in Trujillo versus $706 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 82% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $779 in Trujillo versus $1,250 in Phuket, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Trujillo but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Trujillo the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Trujillo 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, Trujillo 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 Trujillo gentler on the wallet – expenses run 60% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.