Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Chillan Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Chillan

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,261 in Phuket versus $1,047 in Chillan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,286 in Phuket versus $1,504 in Chillan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,310 in Phuket versus $1,961 in Chillan.

Living in Phuket is roughly 21% more expensive than Chillan, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 6% lower, Chillan 22% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.56 ฿149

$5.52 CLP 4,961

-17.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.63 ฿1,519

$27.29 CLP 24.5K

70.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.47 ฿276

$6.30 CLP 5,661

34.44%

Cappuccino

$3.03 ฿98.6

$3.10 CLP 2,788

-2.26%

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

$0.69 ฿22.45

$0.94 CLP 847

-26.60%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.92

$0.98 CLP 877

-62.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.49 ฿81.0

$3.73 CLP 3,350

-33.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

$4.19 CLP 3,767

-12.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.18 ฿71.0

$1.14 CLP 1,027

91.23%

White Bread (500g)

$1.90 ฿62.0

$1.78 CLP 1,601

6.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.20 ฿71.6

$1.85 CLP 1,666

18.92%

Eggs

$2.22 ฿72.4

$3.83 CLP 3,440

-42.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.99 ฿651

$7.66 CLP 6,884

160.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.66 ฿119

$6.79 CLP 6,101

-46.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.25 ฿432

$10.93 CLP 9,822

21.23%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿105

$1.84 CLP 1,652

75.54%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.3

$1.51 CLP 1,360

12.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.39 ฿78.0

$1.60 CLP 1,434

49.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿67.7

$1.46 CLP 1,314

42.47%

Potato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$1.30 CLP 1,166

22.31%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.31

$1.35 CLP 1,216

9.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 ฿33.54

$1.27 CLP 1,140

-18.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿16.83

$1.22 CLP 1,092

-57.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.25 ฿138

$5.54 CLP 4,980

-23.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.79 ฿612

$3.48 CLP 3,123

439.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 ฿57.2

$1.61 CLP 1,445

9.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 ฿89.8

$2.22 CLP 1,997

24.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.36 ฿44.32

$0.63 CLP 564

115.87%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.36 ฿370

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 ฿102

$0.47 CLP 426

568.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿33.74

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.77 ฿448

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ฿43.79

$1.37 CLP 1,229

-2.19%

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

$27.7K ฿901.4K

$12.6K CLP 11.3M

119.76%

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

$33.9K ฿1.1M

$15.4K CLP 13.9M

119.53%

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

$124 ฿4,025

$135 CLP 121.4K

-8.52%

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

$13.52 ฿440

$13.40 CLP 12.0K

0.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.69 ฿609

$24.46 CLP 22.0K

-23.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.8 ฿2,013

$16.19 CLP 14.5K

281.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.25 ฿562

$21.58 CLP 19.4K

-20.06%

Cinema Ticket

$9.14 ฿298

$11.75 CLP 10.6K

-22.21%

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

$703 ฿22.9K

$439 CLP 394.1K

60.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.9K ฿517.0K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,937

$51.0 CLP 45.8K

16.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.07 ฿1,142

$30.24 CLP 27.2K

15.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,754

$52.0 CLP 46.7K

121.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.1 ฿2,737

$68.3 CLP 61.4K

23.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$619 ฿20.1K

$487 CLP 437.9K

26.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$433 ฿14.1K

$373 CLP 335.4K

15.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,062 ฿67.2K

$463 CLP 416.5K

344.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,511 ฿49.2K

$597 CLP 536.6K

153.10%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,646 ฿118.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,626 ฿85.5K

$2,621 CLP 2.4M

0.16%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$507 ฿16.5K

$696 CLP 625.2K

-27.12%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

5.18

2.90%

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

Last update for Phuket: June 7, 2026

Last update for Chillan: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $619 in Phuket and $487 in Chillan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Chillan pays 37% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $47.00 in Phuket vs $27.00 in Chillan for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $219 per month, with Chillan 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

Phuket vs Chillan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket and Chillan differ by about 21% in total monthly costs ($1,261 vs $1,047 including rent). Chillan is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Chillan earns 37% less. 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: $619 in Phuket versus $487 in Chillan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 33% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,261 per month in Phuket versus $1,047 in Chillan – a 21% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,047 in Chillan versus $1,261 in Phuket, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Chillan but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Chillan the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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.

Safety-wise, Phuket and Chillan 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 Chillan gentler on the wallet – expenses run 21% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.