Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Arica

For one person, living is cheaper in Arica: $110 a month against $1,208 in Phuket, rent and utilities included – about $13,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

59

Cost of Living Index in Phuket
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Phuket Living Index
50

Cost of Living Index in Arica
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Arica Living Index

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Phuket

🇹🇭 Thailand

$1,208

/mo nomad

Arica

🇨🇱 Chile

$110

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Phuket and in Arica

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Phuket and in Arica actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,208 per month in Phuket vs $110 in Arica, rent included.

Phuket $1,208
Arica $110

A couple spends around $2,027 per month in Phuket vs $177 in Arica, rent included.

Phuket $2,027
Arica $177

A family of three spends $2,845 per month in Phuket vs $245 in Arica, rent included.

Phuket $2,845
Arica $245

Phuket costs about 998% more than Arica, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Phuket and Arica are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 11% lower, Arica 92% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.40 ฿147

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.26 ฿1,078

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.76 ฿293

Cappuccino

$2.83 ฿94.5

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

$0.90 ฿30.14

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.47 ฿15.56

$1.22 CLP 1,197

-61.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.55 ฿85.2

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.83 ฿128

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 ฿57.7

$0.99 CLP 977

74.75%

White Bread (500g)

$1.47 ฿49.11

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.51 ฿50.6

Eggs

$2.17 ฿72.7

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.70 ฿658

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.34 ฿112

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.16 ฿373

Apples (1kg)

$2.85 ฿95.1

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 ฿56.9

Oranges (1kg)

$2.19 ฿73.3

Tomato (1kg)

$2.05 ฿68.4

Potato (1kg)

$1.45 ฿48.57

Onion (1kg)

$1.38 ฿46.16

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 ฿35.69

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.91

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.26 ฿142

Wine (Bottle)

$18.58 ฿621

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿59.7

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.85 ฿95.2

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.26 ฿75.6

$0.75 CLP 739

201.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.10 ฿738

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.01 ฿101

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.06 ฿35.34

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.86 ฿129

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.45

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

$26.3K ฿879.9K

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

$26.9K ฿900.4K

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

$96.4 ฿3,221

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

$11.04 ฿369

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.14 ฿573

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.2 ฿1,744

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.16 ฿373

Cinema Ticket

$7.81 ฿261

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

$556 ฿18.6K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.6K ฿387.0K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.2 ฿2,146

$40.50 CLP 39.9K

58.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.69 ฿959

$20.06 CLP 19.7K

43.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.4 ฿3,187

$52.7 CLP 51.8K

81.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.0 ฿2,940

$91.8 CLP 90.3K

-4.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$737 ฿24.6K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$462 ฿15.5K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,095 ฿70.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,201 ฿40.1K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,488 ฿116.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,523 ฿84.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$501 ฿16.7K

$501 CLP 493.0K

-0.03%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

11.40%

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

Last update for Phuket: October 19, 2026

Last update for Arica: October 17, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Phuket

$462 38.3%

Arica

- * 0% 100%

Groceries & Markets

Phuket

$269 22.2%

Arica

$9.9 * 9% 96.3% $259

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Phuket

$125 10.3%

Arica

- * 0% 100%

Clothing & Footwear

Phuket

$124 10.3%

Arica

$92 83.8% 25.8% $32

Eating Out

Phuket

$121 10%

Arica

$4.9 * 4.4% 96% $116

Sport & Entertainment

Phuket

$68 5.6%

Arica

- * 0% 100%

Getting Around

Phuket

$39 3.3%

Arica

$3 * 2.7% 92.4% $36

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 0% higher in Arica, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Phuket

🇨🇱 Arica

🕒 Local time

23:05 11:05 PM

13:05 1:05 PM

10 h behind Phuket

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

79,308

202,131

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

Chilean Peso CLP $

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.99 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

10,000 CLP = 10.16 USD

10,000 CLP = 9.04 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

CLP, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇭 Thai Baht (฿)

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 33.42 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.57 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

Chilean Peso exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 984 CLP (1,000 CLP = 1.02 USD). 1 EUR = 1,107 CLP (10,000 CLP = 9.04 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Phuket Arica 18,320 km ≈ 23 h nonstop flight

From you

Phuket
Arica

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

Phuket vs Arica: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,208 in Phuket, $110 in Arica – roughly 998% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,813 per month in Phuket and $165 in Arica. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,208 in Phuket and $110 in Arica. That's a gap of about 998%.

Groceries cost about 2608% more in Phuket, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Arica, where all-in costs run around $110, than in Phuket at $1,208. In Arica it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Phuket has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $110 in Arica to $1,208 in Phuket. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Arica. 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.