Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Concepcion Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Concepcion

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,264 in Phuket versus $1,052 in Concepcion.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,256 in Phuket versus $1,614 in Concepcion.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,248 in Phuket versus $2,175 in Concepcion.

Living in Phuket is roughly 20% more expensive than in Concepcion, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 5% lower, Concepcion 21% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.48 ฿150

$7.75 CLP 7,207

-42.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.59 ฿1,521

$44.98 CLP 41.9K

1.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.76 ฿292

$8.46 CLP 7,874

3.55%

Cappuccino

$2.97 ฿99.0

$2.64 CLP 2,457

12.50%

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

$0.69 ฿22.90

$1.46 CLP 1,362

-52.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 ฿13.04

$1.11 CLP 1,030

-64.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.53 ฿84.4

$4.05 CLP 3,770

-37.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.75 ฿125

$3.82 CLP 3,550

-1.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.15 ฿71.6

$1.31 CLP 1,219

64.12%

White Bread (500g)

$1.82 ฿60.6

$1.56 CLP 1,448

16.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.18 ฿72.9

$1.55 CLP 1,447

40.65%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.0

$3.66 CLP 3,410

-38.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$20.00 ฿667

$11.54 CLP 10.7K

73.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿121

$6.88 CLP 6,399

-47.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.56 ฿452

$12.19 CLP 11.3K

11.24%

Apples (1kg)

$3.24 ฿108

$1.57 CLP 1,458

106.37%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ฿54.6

$1.39 CLP 1,296

17.99%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.33 ฿77.8

$1.50 CLP 1,395

55.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.07 ฿69.1

$1.50 CLP 1,394

38.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.6

$1.14 CLP 1,065

35.96%

Onion (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.54

$1.30 CLP 1,207

12.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.86

$1.17 CLP 1,093

-16.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.09

$1.21 CLP 1,127

-60.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 ฿145

$5.28 CLP 4,912

-17.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.57 ฿620

$5.00 CLP 4,657

271.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿61.9

$1.06 CLP 987

75.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.65 ฿88.6

$1.83 CLP 1,702

44.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.42 ฿47.28

$0.62 CLP 575

129.03%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.57 ฿386

$33.25 CLP 30.9K

-65.20%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 ฿106

$1.27 CLP 1,182

149.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.03 ฿34.41

$2.32 CLP 2,162

-55.60%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.89 ฿463

$12.97 CLP 12.1K

7.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ฿44.84

$1.35 CLP 1,256

-0.74%

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

$27.8K ฿927.1K

$20.7K CLP 19.3M

34.24%

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

$33.4K ฿1.1M

$25.6K CLP 23.8M

30.56%

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

$123 ฿4,105

$101 CLP 94.0K

21.83%

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

$13.77 ฿459

$12.78 CLP 11.9K

7.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.33 ฿611

$28.17 CLP 26.2K

-34.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.7 ฿2,025

$27.87 CLP 25.9K

117.76%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.16 ฿573

$10.57 CLP 9,838

62.35%

Cinema Ticket

$8.87 ฿296

$5.91 CLP 5,496

50.08%

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

$688 ฿22.9K

$331 CLP 308.4K

107.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿526.4K

$4,484 CLP 4.2M

251.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.3 ฿1,978

$44.74 CLP 41.6K

32.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.69 ฿1,157

$28.33 CLP 26.4K

22.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,843

$60.1 CLP 55.9K

91.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.8 ฿2,794

$68.2 CLP 63.5K

22.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$621 ฿20.7K

$479 CLP 446.0K

29.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$446 ฿14.9K

$352 CLP 327.2K

26.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,034 ฿67.8K

$942 CLP 876.7K

115.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,496 ฿49.9K

$583 CLP 542.6K

156.55%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,455 ฿115.3K

$2,203 CLP 2.1M

56.81%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,531 ฿84.4K

$1,919 CLP 1.8M

31.92%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.5K

$571 CLP 531.5K

-13.58%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

5.3

0.57%

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

Last update for Phuket: July 27, 2026

Last update for Concepcion: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $621 in Phuket and $479 in Concepcion. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Concepcion pays 16% 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 $45.00 in Concepcion for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $291 vs $229 per month, with Concepcion 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 Concepcion: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket and Concepcion differ by about 20% in total monthly costs ($1,264 vs $1,052 including rent). Concepcion is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 16% lower in Concepcion. 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 $479 in Concepcion. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 27% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Concepcion – a meal for two runs $45.00 versus $46.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,052 in Concepcion versus $1,264 in Phuket, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Concepcion but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Concepcion 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 Concepcion 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 Concepcion gentler on the wallet – expenses run 20% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.