Cost of Living Comparison Between Curico and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Curico and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $952 in Curico versus $1,264 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,404 in Curico versus $2,256 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,857 in Curico versus $3,248 in Phuket.

Living in Curico costs roughly 25% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Curico 28% lower, Phuket 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.80 CLP 4,469

$4.48 ฿150

7.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.79 CLP 30.5K

$45.59 ฿1,521

-28.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 CLP 6,913

$8.76 ฿292

-15.18%

Cappuccino

$3.29 CLP 3,057

$2.97 ฿99.0

10.77%

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

$1.59 CLP 1,477

$0.69 ฿22.90

130.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.07 CLP 991

$0.39 ฿13.04

174.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 CLP 2,988

$2.53 ฿84.4

26.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 CLP 3,331

$3.75 ฿125

-4.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.22 CLP 1,137

$2.15 ฿71.6

-43.26%

White Bread (500g)

$1.54 CLP 1,430

$1.82 ฿60.6

-15.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.92 CLP 1,787

$2.18 ฿72.9

-11.93%

Eggs

$2.27 CLP 2,112

$2.25 ฿75.0

0.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.39 CLP 9,667

$20.00 ฿667

-48.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.61 CLP 6,155

$3.63 ฿121

82.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.88 CLP 10.1K

$13.56 ฿452

-19.76%

Apples (1kg)

$2.11 CLP 1,961

$3.24 ฿108

-34.88%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 CLP 1,459

$1.64 ฿54.6

-4.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.05 CLP 1,909

$2.33 ฿77.8

-12.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.88 CLP 1,747

$2.07 ฿69.1

-9.18%

Potato (1kg)

$1.95 CLP 1,816

$1.55 ฿51.6

25.81%

Onion (1kg)

$1.70 CLP 1,581

$1.46 ฿48.54

16.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.29 CLP 1,198

$0.98 ฿32.86

31.63%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.94 CLP 873

$0.48 ฿16.09

95.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.83 CLP 5,425

$4.35 ฿145

34.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.15 CLP 5,718

$18.57 ฿620

-66.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 CLP 1,508

$1.86 ฿61.9

-12.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.60 CLP 2,417

$2.65 ฿88.6

-1.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.58 CLP 543

$1.42 ฿47.28

-59.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.57 ฿386

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.51 CLP 473

$3.17 ฿106

-83.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.45 CLP 1,349

$1.03 ฿34.41

40.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.61 CLP 10.8K

$13.89 ฿463

-16.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 CLP 1,316

$1.34 ฿44.84

5.22%

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

$19.7K CLP 18.3M

$27.8K ฿927.1K

-29.28%

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

$22.8K CLP 21.2M

$33.4K ฿1.1M

-31.66%

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

$134 CLP 124.9K

$123 ฿4,105

9.10%

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

$10.90 CLP 10.1K

$13.77 ฿459

-20.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.80 CLP 20.3K

$18.33 ฿611

18.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.07 CLP 36.3K

$60.7 ฿2,025

-35.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.29 CLP 19.8K

$17.16 ฿573

24.07%

Cinema Ticket

$6.42 CLP 5,973

$8.87 ฿296

-27.62%

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

$439 CLP 408.1K

$688 ฿22.9K

-36.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,696 CLP 8.1M

$15.8K ฿526.4K

-44.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 CLP 50.9K

$59.3 ฿1,978

-7.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.52 CLP 30.3K

$34.69 ฿1,157

-6.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$37.52 CLP 34.9K

$115 ฿3,843

-67.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$49.44 CLP 46.0K

$83.8 ฿2,794

-40.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$444 CLP 413.4K

$621 ฿20.7K

-28.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$299 CLP 277.9K

$446 ฿14.9K

-33.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$621 CLP 577.9K

$2,034 ฿67.8K

-69.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$400 CLP 371.8K

$1,496 ฿49.9K

-73.29%

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)

$474 CLP 440.7K

$494 ฿16.5K

-4.04%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

-6.19%

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

Last update for Curico: July 27, 2026

Last update for Phuket: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $444 in Curico and $621 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 4% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $33.00 in Curico vs $46.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $230 vs $291 per month, with Curico 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

Curico vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Curico is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 33% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 4% lower in Phuket. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $444 in Curico versus $621 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $439 in Curico versus $688 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Curico – a meal for two runs $33.00 versus $46.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $952 in Curico versus $1,264 in Phuket, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Curico but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Curico the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Curico 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, Curico 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 Curico gentler on the wallet – expenses run 33% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.