Cost of Living Comparison Between Castro and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Castro and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,091 per month in Castro vs $1,232 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,648 per month in Castro vs $2,255 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,206 per month in Castro vs $3,279 in Phuket, rent included.

Castro is about 11% cheaper than Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Castro and Phuket are more affordable than the global median – Castro 19% lower, Phuket 8% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.76 CLP 7,850

$4.63 ฿151

89.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.24 CLP 39.6K

$46.84 ฿1,523

-5.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.14 CLP 7,291

$8.84 ฿287

-7.92%

Cappuccino

$2.86 CLP 2,560

$3.00 ฿97.4

-4.67%

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

$1.37 CLP 1,226

$0.74 ฿24.11

85.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.01 CLP 907

$0.37 ฿11.88

172.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.26 CLP 2,921

$2.44 ฿79.3

33.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.16 CLP 3,725

$3.61 ฿117

15.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 CLP 978

$2.26 ฿73.5

-51.77%

White Bread (500g)

$1.52 CLP 1,359

$1.84 ฿59.8

-17.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.37 CLP 1,229

$2.24 ฿73.0

-38.84%

Eggs

$4.42 CLP 3,957

$2.32 ฿75.3

90.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.21 CLP 9,148

$19.67 ฿639

-48.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.25 CLP 3,810

$3.65 ฿119

16.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.80 CLP 7,882

$13.10 ฿426

-32.82%

Apples (1kg)

$1.49 CLP 1,333

$3.39 ฿110

-56.05%

Banana (1kg)

$2.36 CLP 2,112

$1.64 ฿53.4

43.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.65 CLP 1,476

$2.41 ฿78.5

-31.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.10 CLP 1,879

$2.03 ฿66.0

3.45%

Potato (1kg)

$1.19 CLP 1,070

$1.56 ฿50.6

-23.72%

Onion (1kg)

$1.40 CLP 1,250

$1.50 ฿48.66

-6.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.22 CLP 1,089

$1.02 ฿33.30

19.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.23 CLP 1,100

$0.49 ฿15.91

151.02%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.41 CLP 4,848

$4.45 ฿145

21.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.17 CLP 7,314

$18.88 ฿614

-56.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.56 CLP 1,396

$1.78 ฿57.7

-12.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.24 CLP 2,010

$2.75 ฿89.5

-18.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.75 CLP 675

$1.40 ฿45.54

-46.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.48 ฿373

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.47 CLP 420

$3.12 ฿101

-84.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.00 ฿32.48

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.09 ฿458

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 CLP 1,281

$1.35 ฿43.93

5.93%

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

$19.6K CLP 17.6M

$27.2K ฿883.7K

-27.81%

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

$21.2K CLP 19.0M

$32.9K ฿1.1M

-35.52%

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

$131 CLP 117.5K

$125 ฿4,063

4.94%

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

$13.28 CLP 11.9K

$13.57 ฿441

-2.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.14 CLP 19.8K

$18.52 ฿602

19.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.85 CLP 34.8K

$61.5 ฿1,999

-36.81%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.64 CLP 19.4K

$16.84 ฿547

28.50%

Cinema Ticket

$5.60 CLP 5,014

$9.19 ฿299

-39.06%

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

$427 CLP 382.7K

$698 ฿22.7K

-38.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.6K ฿506.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.0 CLP 45.7K

$57.8 ฿1,878

-11.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.26 CLP 27.1K

$35.24 ฿1,146

-14.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$61.3 CLP 54.9K

$113 ฿3,677

-45.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$81.5 CLP 73.0K

$86.4 ฿2,808

-5.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 CLP 435.8K

$616 ฿20.0K

-21.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$370 CLP 331.3K

$446 ฿14.5K

-17.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$887 CLP 794.8K

$2,048 ฿66.6K

-56.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$619 CLP 554.7K

$1,492 ฿48.5K

-58.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,779 ฿122.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,649 ฿86.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$676 CLP 605.2K

$524 ฿17.0K

28.99%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.18

5.33

-2.81%

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

Last update for Castro: April 25, 2026

Last update for Phuket: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $487 in Castro versus $616 in Phuket. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 29% higher in Castro, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $44.00 in Castro versus $47.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $221 vs $292 – making Castro the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Castro vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket costs about 13% more than Castro, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,636 per month in Castro and $1,847 in Phuket. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Castro, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,091 in Castro and $1,232 in Phuket. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $427 per month in Castro and $698 in Phuket. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Castro, where all-in costs run around $1,091, than in Phuket at $1,232. In Castro it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Castro costs $1,091 versus $1,232 in Phuket. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Castro. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Phuket makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.