🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,080 in Concepcion versus $1,261 in Phuket.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,649 in Concepcion versus $2,286 in Phuket.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,217 in Concepcion versus $3,310 in Phuket.
🙂Living in Concepcion costs roughly 14% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Concepcion20% lower, Phuket6% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Concepcion
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$7.51CLP 6,747
$4.56฿149
64.69%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.44CLP 41.7K
$46.63฿1,519
-0.41%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.34CLP 7,493
$8.47฿276
-1.53%
Cappuccino
$2.66CLP 2,388
$3.03฿98.6
-12.21%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.48CLP 1,332
$0.69฿22.45
114.49%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.09CLP 981
$0.37฿11.92
194.59%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$3.97CLP 3,568
$2.49฿81.0
59.44%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.89CLP 3,500
$3.66฿119
6.28%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Concepcion
Phuket
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.26CLP 1,128
$2.18฿71.0
-42.20%
White Bread(500g)
$1.50CLP 1,348
$1.90฿62.0
-21.05%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.55CLP 1,390
$2.20฿71.6
-29.55%
Eggs
$3.72CLP 3,342
$2.22฿72.4
67.57%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$11.22CLP 10.1K
$19.99฿651
-43.87%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$6.68CLP 6,002
$3.66฿119
82.51%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$12.41CLP 11.2K
$13.25฿432
-6.34%
Apples(1kg)
$1.57CLP 1,414
$3.23฿105
-51.39%
Banana(1kg)
$1.37CLP 1,230
$1.70฿55.3
-19.41%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.54CLP 1,388
$2.39฿78.0
-35.56%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.48CLP 1,326
$2.08฿67.7
-28.85%
Potato(1kg)
$1.13CLP 1,020
$1.59฿51.8
-28.93%
Onion(1kg)
$1.29CLP 1,162
$1.48฿48.31
-12.84%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.12CLP 1,010
$1.03฿33.54
8.74%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.19CLP 1,069
$0.52฿16.83
128.85%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$5.44CLP 4,890
$4.25฿138
28.00%
Wine(Bottle)
$5.24CLP 4,712
$18.79฿612
-72.11%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.05CLP 941
$1.76฿57.2
-40.34%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.84CLP 1,652
$2.76฿89.8
-33.33%
🚌 Getting Around
Concepcion
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.63CLP 564
$1.36฿44.32
-53.68%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$34.30CLP 30.8K
$11.36฿370
201.94%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$1.21CLP 1,088
$3.14฿102
-61.46%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$2.25CLP 2,018
$1.04฿33.74
116.35%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$13.02CLP 11.7K
$13.77฿448
-5.45%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.42CLP 1,277
$1.34฿43.79
5.97%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$20.9KCLP 18.8M
$27.7K฿901.4K
-24.41%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$25.4KCLP 22.8M
$33.9K฿1.1M
-25.07%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Concepcion
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$103CLP 92.2K
$124฿4,025
-16.95%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$12.58CLP 11.3K
$13.52฿440
-6.95%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$28.16CLP 25.3K
$18.69฿609
50.67%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Concepcion
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$27.42CLP 24.6K
$61.8฿2,013
-55.65%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$10.62CLP 9,548
$17.25฿562
-38.43%
Cinema Ticket
$6.09CLP 5,474
$9.14฿298
-33.37%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Concepcion
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$331CLP 297.3K
$703฿22.9K
-52.92%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$4,525CLP 4.1M
$15.9K฿517.0K
-71.49%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Concepcion
Phuket
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$44.26CLP 39.8K
$59.5฿1,937
-25.56%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$27.78CLP 25.0K
$35.07฿1,142
-20.79%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$59.2CLP 53.2K
$115฿3,754
-48.69%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$67.6CLP 60.8K
$84.1฿2,737
-19.54%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Concepcion
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$467CLP 419.3K
$619฿20.1K
-24.59%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$350CLP 314.2K
$433฿14.1K
-19.18%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$941CLP 845.3K
$2,062฿67.2K
-54.38%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$587CLP 527.8K
$1,511฿49.2K
-61.13%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$2,185CLP 2.0M
$3,646฿118.7K
-40.06%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,954CLP 1.8M
$2,626฿85.5K
-25.59%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Concepcion
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$569CLP 511.6K
$507฿16.5K
12.29%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.3
5.33
-0.56%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Concepcion: June 9, 2026
Last update for Phuket: June 7, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $467 in Concepcion and $619 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Concepcion pays 12% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.
🛒Dining out: $46.00 in Concepcion vs $47.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $227 vs $293 per month, with Concepcion 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
Concepcion vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Concepcion and Phuket?
Concepcion and Phuket differ by about 17% in total monthly costs ($1,080 vs $1,261 including rent). Concepcion is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city pays better: Concepcion or Phuket?
Concepcion pays 12% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How do apartment prices compare in Concepcion and Phuket?
Rent for a central apartment: $467 in Concepcion versus $619 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Supermarket bills run roughly 29% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
Dining out is cheaper in Concepcion – a meal for two runs $46.00 versus $47.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
At $1,080 in Concepcion versus $1,261 in Phuket, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Concepcion but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Concepcion the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Concepcion and Phuket?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.
Is Concepcion or Phuket safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Concepcion 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.
Where should expats move: Concepcion or Phuket?
Expats usually find Concepcion gentler on the wallet – expenses run 17% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.
Concepcion vs other spots: cost of living compared