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: $1,264 in Phuket versus $1,041 in Chillan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,256 in Phuket versus $1,531 in Chillan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,248 in Phuket versus $2,020 in Chillan.

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

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 5% lower, Chillan 22% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.48 ฿150

$5.49 CLP 5,104

-18.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.59 ฿1,521

$26.86 CLP 25.0K

69.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.76 ฿292

$6.17 CLP 5,737

41.98%

Cappuccino

$2.97 ฿99.0

$2.96 CLP 2,754

0.34%

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

$0.69 ฿22.90

$0.92 CLP 853

-25.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 ฿13.04

$0.94 CLP 877

-58.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.53 ฿84.4

$3.60 CLP 3,349

-29.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.75 ฿125

$4.24 CLP 3,942

-11.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.15 ฿71.6

$1.10 CLP 1,025

95.45%

White Bread (500g)

$1.82 ฿60.6

$1.76 CLP 1,640

3.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.18 ฿72.9

$1.91 CLP 1,777

14.14%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.0

$3.91 CLP 3,636

-42.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$20.00 ฿667

$7.75 CLP 7,210

158.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿121

$6.72 CLP 6,257

-45.98%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.56 ฿452

$10.94 CLP 10.2K

23.95%

Apples (1kg)

$3.24 ฿108

$1.87 CLP 1,743

73.26%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ฿54.6

$1.52 CLP 1,413

7.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.33 ฿77.8

$1.54 CLP 1,436

51.30%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.07 ฿69.1

$1.51 CLP 1,408

37.09%

Potato (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.6

$1.29 CLP 1,200

20.16%

Onion (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.54

$1.42 CLP 1,320

2.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.86

$1.27 CLP 1,180

-22.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.09

$1.21 CLP 1,130

-60.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 ฿145

$5.35 CLP 4,982

-18.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.57 ฿620

$3.49 CLP 3,251

432.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿61.9

$1.54 CLP 1,434

20.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.65 ฿88.6

$2.23 CLP 2,072

18.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.42 ฿47.28

$0.67 CLP 624

111.94%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.57 ฿386

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 ฿106

$0.51 CLP 474

521.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.03 ฿34.41

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.89 ฿463

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ฿44.84

$1.35 CLP 1,257

-0.74%

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

$27.8K ฿927.1K

$12.9K CLP 12.0M

114.98%

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

$33.4K ฿1.1M

$15.8K CLP 14.7M

111.71%

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

$123 ฿4,105

$134 CLP 124.8K

-8.27%

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

$13.77 ฿459

$13.47 CLP 12.5K

2.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.33 ฿611

$24.22 CLP 22.5K

-24.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.7 ฿2,025

$16.76 CLP 15.6K

262.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.16 ฿573

$20.91 CLP 19.5K

-17.93%

Cinema Ticket

$8.87 ฿296

$12.09 CLP 11.2K

-26.63%

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

$688 ฿22.9K

$432 CLP 402.0K

59.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿526.4K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.3 ฿1,978

$50.6 CLP 47.1K

17.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.69 ฿1,157

$29.90 CLP 27.8K

16.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,843

$50.5 CLP 46.9K

128.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.8 ฿2,794

$66.4 CLP 61.8K

26.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$621 ฿20.7K

$475 CLP 441.9K

30.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$446 ฿14.9K

$380 CLP 353.4K

17.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,034 ฿67.8K

$459 CLP 426.8K

343.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,496 ฿49.9K

$585 CLP 544.1K

155.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,455 ฿115.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,531 ฿84.4K

$2,520 CLP 2.3M

0.44%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.5K

$698 CLP 649.3K

-29.26%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Chillan: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $621 in Phuket and $475 in Chillan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Chillan pays 41% 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 Phuket vs $27.00 in Chillan for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $291 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 ($1,264 vs $1,041 including rent). Chillan is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 41% lower in Chillan. 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: $621 in Phuket versus $475 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 $1,264 per month in Phuket versus $1,041 in Chillan – a 21% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,041 in Chillan versus $1,264 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.