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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,062 per month in Castro vs $1,264 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,654 per month in Castro vs $2,256 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,247 per month in Castro vs $3,248 in Phuket, rent included.

Castro is about 16% cheaper than Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Castro and Phuket are more affordable than the global median – Castro 20% lower, Phuket 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.53 CLP 7,935

$4.48 ฿150

90.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.60 CLP 41.5K

$45.59 ฿1,521

-2.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.87 CLP 7,319

$8.76 ฿292

-10.16%

Cappuccino

$2.81 CLP 2,616

$2.97 ฿99.0

-5.39%

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

$1.36 CLP 1,270

$0.69 ฿22.90

97.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.02 CLP 947

$0.39 ฿13.04

161.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.28 CLP 3,050

$2.53 ฿84.4

29.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.23 CLP 3,934

$3.75 ฿125

12.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.13 CLP 1,054

$2.15 ฿71.6

-47.44%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 CLP 1,400

$1.82 ฿60.6

-17.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 CLP 1,292

$2.18 ฿72.9

-36.24%

Eggs

$4.33 CLP 4,029

$2.25 ฿75.0

92.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.35 CLP 9,631

$20.00 ฿667

-48.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.25 CLP 3,959

$3.63 ฿121

17.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.66 CLP 8,060

$13.56 ฿452

-36.14%

Apples (1kg)

$1.43 CLP 1,328

$3.24 ฿108

-55.86%

Banana (1kg)

$2.39 CLP 2,227

$1.64 ฿54.6

45.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.65 CLP 1,536

$2.33 ฿77.8

-29.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 CLP 1,932

$2.07 ฿69.1

0.48%

Potato (1kg)

$1.22 CLP 1,136

$1.55 ฿51.6

-21.29%

Onion (1kg)

$1.37 CLP 1,271

$1.46 ฿48.54

-6.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.25 CLP 1,166

$0.98 ฿32.86

27.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.22 CLP 1,140

$0.48 ฿16.09

154.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.46 CLP 5,080

$4.35 ฿145

25.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.02 CLP 7,460

$18.57 ฿620

-56.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 CLP 1,503

$1.86 ฿61.9

-12.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 CLP 2,069

$2.65 ฿88.6

-16.23%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.75 CLP 694

$1.42 ฿47.28

-47.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.57 ฿386

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 CLP 445

$3.17 ฿106

-84.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.03 ฿34.41

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.89 ฿463

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.38 CLP 1,284

$1.34 ฿44.84

2.99%

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

$19.3K CLP 18.0M

$27.8K ฿927.1K

-30.42%

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

$21.3K CLP 19.8M

$33.4K ฿1.1M

-36.21%

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

$129 CLP 120.4K

$123 ฿4,105

5.17%

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

$13.50 CLP 12.6K

$13.77 ฿459

-1.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.55 CLP 20.1K

$18.33 ฿611

17.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.90 CLP 36.2K

$60.7 ฿2,025

-35.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.11 CLP 19.6K

$17.16 ฿573

23.02%

Cinema Ticket

$5.76 CLP 5,363

$8.87 ฿296

-35.06%

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

$441 CLP 410.0K

$688 ฿22.9K

-35.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿526.4K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.5 CLP 47.0K

$59.3 ฿1,978

-14.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.40 CLP 28.3K

$34.69 ฿1,157

-12.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$62.1 CLP 57.8K

$115 ฿3,843

-46.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.8 CLP 78.0K

$83.8 ฿2,794

0.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$473 CLP 440.5K

$621 ฿20.7K

-23.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$367 CLP 341.3K

$446 ฿14.9K

-17.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$898 CLP 835.7K

$2,034 ฿67.8K

-55.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$615 CLP 572.5K

$1,496 ฿49.9K

-58.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,455 ฿115.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,531 ฿84.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$643 CLP 598.2K

$494 ฿16.5K

30.23%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Phuket: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $473 in Castro versus $621 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 30% 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 $45.00 in Castro versus $46.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $221 vs $291 – 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 19% 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 $1,593 per month in Castro and $1,896 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 $1,062 in Castro and $1,264 in Phuket. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $441 per month in Castro and $688 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 $1,062, than in Phuket at $1,264. 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 $1,062 versus $1,264 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.