Cost of Living Comparison Between Coquimbo and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Coquimbo and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,068 in Coquimbo versus $1,232 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,617 in Coquimbo versus $2,255 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,165 in Coquimbo versus $3,279 in Phuket.

Living in Coquimbo costs roughly 13% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Coquimbo 20% lower, Phuket 8% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Coquimbo
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$8.59 CLP 7,697
$4.63 ฿151
85.53%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$43.78 CLP 39.2K
$46.84 ฿1,523
-6.53%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.91 CLP 7,081
$8.84 ฿287
-10.52%
Cappuccino
$2.70 CLP 2,423
$3.00 ฿97.4
-10.00%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.35 CLP 1,209
$0.74 ฿24.11
82.43%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.01 CLP 907
$0.37 ฿11.88
172.97%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.19 CLP 2,862
$2.44 ฿79.3
30.74%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.15 CLP 3,715
$3.61 ฿117
14.96%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Coquimbo
Phuket
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.09 CLP 978
$2.26 ฿73.5
-51.77%
White Bread (500g)
$1.58 CLP 1,412
$1.84 ฿59.8
-14.13%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.86 CLP 1,663
$2.24 ฿73.0
-16.96%
Eggs
$3.51 CLP 3,143
$2.32 ฿75.3
51.29%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.30 CLP 9,229
$19.67 ฿639
-47.64%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$6.50 CLP 5,821
$3.65 ฿119
78.08%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$11.07 CLP 9,917
$13.10 ฿426
-15.50%
Apples (1kg)
$1.80 CLP 1,613
$3.39 ฿110
-46.90%
Banana (1kg)
$1.58 CLP 1,417
$1.64 ฿53.4
-3.66%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.59 CLP 1,426
$2.41 ฿78.5
-34.02%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.50 CLP 1,342
$2.03 ฿66.0
-26.11%
Potato (1kg)
$1.28 CLP 1,149
$1.56 ฿50.6
-17.95%
Onion (1kg)
$1.35 CLP 1,211
$1.50 ฿48.66
-10.00%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.28 CLP 1,143
$1.02 ฿33.30
25.49%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.17 CLP 1,051
$0.49 ฿15.91
138.78%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.36 CLP 4,798
$4.45 ฿145
20.45%
Wine (Bottle)
$9.14 CLP 8,190
$18.88 ฿614
-51.59%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.57 CLP 1,406
$1.78 ฿57.7
-11.80%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.20 CLP 1,975
$2.75 ฿89.5
-20.00%
🚌 Getting Around
Coquimbo
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.62 CLP 553
$1.40 ฿45.54
-55.71%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$11.48 ฿373
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.51 CLP 457
$3.12 ฿101
-83.65%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
-
$1.00 ฿32.48
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
-
$14.09 ฿458
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.39 CLP 1,242
$1.35 ฿43.93
2.96%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$19.3K CLP 17.3M
$27.2K ฿883.7K
-29.02%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$21.3K CLP 19.1M
$32.9K ฿1.1M
-35.34%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Coquimbo
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$134 CLP 120.2K
$125 ฿4,063
7.36%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.41 CLP 12.0K
$13.57 ฿441
-1.18%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$21.84 CLP 19.6K
$18.52 ฿602
17.93%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Coquimbo
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$38.75 CLP 34.7K
$61.5 ฿1,999
-36.97%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$21.16 CLP 19.0K
$16.84 ฿547
25.65%
Cinema Ticket
$5.81 CLP 5,208
$9.19 ฿299
-36.78%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Coquimbo
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$431 CLP 386.1K
$698 ฿22.7K
-38.27%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
-
$15.6K ฿506.9K
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Coquimbo
Phuket
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$50.0 CLP 44.8K
$57.8 ฿1,878
-13.43%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$29.98 CLP 26.9K
$35.24 ฿1,146
-14.93%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$61.8 CLP 55.3K
$113 ฿3,677
-45.37%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$83.0 CLP 74.3K
$86.4 ฿2,808
-3.94%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Coquimbo
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$472 CLP 422.4K
$616 ฿20.0K
-23.42%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$372 CLP 333.0K
$446 ฿14.5K
-16.64%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$878 CLP 786.1K
$2,048 ฿66.6K
-57.14%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$584 CLP 523.4K
$1,492 ฿48.5K
-60.84%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
-
$3,779 ฿122.8K
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
-
$2,649 ฿86.1K
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Coquimbo
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$661 CLP 592.0K
$524 ฿17.0K
26.18%
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 Coquimbo: April 25, 2026

Last update for Phuket: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $472 in Coquimbo and $616 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Coquimbo pays 26% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $44.00 in Coquimbo vs $47.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $233 vs $292 per month, with Coquimbo 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
Coquimbo vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Coquimbo and Phuket?
Coquimbo and Phuket differ by about 15% in total monthly costs ($1,068 vs $1,232 including rent). Coquimbo is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city pays better: Coquimbo or Phuket?
Coquimbo pays 26% 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 Coquimbo and Phuket?
Rent for a central apartment: $472 in Coquimbo versus $616 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Coquimbo and Phuket?
Childcare runs $431 in Coquimbo versus $698 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
Dining out is cheaper in Coquimbo – a meal for two runs $44.00 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 $1,068 in Coquimbo versus $1,232 in Phuket, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Coquimbo but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Coquimbo the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Coquimbo 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 Coquimbo or Phuket safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Coquimbo 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: Coquimbo or Phuket?
Expats usually find Coquimbo gentler on the wallet – expenses run 15% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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