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: $1,261 in Phuket versus $1,080 in Concepcion.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,286 in Phuket versus $1,649 in Concepcion.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,310 in Phuket versus $2,217 in Concepcion.

Living in Phuket is roughly 17% more expensive than Concepcion, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 6% lower, Concepcion 20% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.56 ฿149

$7.51 CLP 6,747

-39.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.63 ฿1,519

$46.44 CLP 41.7K

0.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.47 ฿276

$8.34 CLP 7,493

1.56%

Cappuccino

$3.03 ฿98.6

$2.66 CLP 2,388

13.91%

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

$0.69 ฿22.45

$1.48 CLP 1,332

-53.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.92

$1.09 CLP 981

-66.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.49 ฿81.0

$3.97 CLP 3,568

-37.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

$3.89 CLP 3,500

-5.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.18 ฿71.0

$1.26 CLP 1,128

73.02%

White Bread (500g)

$1.90 ฿62.0

$1.50 CLP 1,348

26.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.20 ฿71.6

$1.55 CLP 1,390

41.94%

Eggs

$2.22 ฿72.4

$3.72 CLP 3,342

-40.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.99 ฿651

$11.22 CLP 10.1K

78.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.66 ฿119

$6.68 CLP 6,002

-45.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.25 ฿432

$12.41 CLP 11.2K

6.77%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿105

$1.57 CLP 1,414

105.73%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.3

$1.37 CLP 1,230

24.09%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.39 ฿78.0

$1.54 CLP 1,388

55.19%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿67.7

$1.48 CLP 1,326

40.54%

Potato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$1.13 CLP 1,020

40.71%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.31

$1.29 CLP 1,162

14.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 ฿33.54

$1.12 CLP 1,010

-8.04%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿16.83

$1.19 CLP 1,069

-56.30%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.25 ฿138

$5.44 CLP 4,890

-21.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.79 ฿612

$5.24 CLP 4,712

258.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 ฿57.2

$1.05 CLP 941

67.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 ฿89.8

$1.84 CLP 1,652

50.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.36 ฿44.32

$0.63 CLP 564

115.87%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.36 ฿370

$34.30 CLP 30.8K

-66.88%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 ฿102

$1.21 CLP 1,088

159.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿33.74

$2.25 CLP 2,018

-53.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.77 ฿448

$13.02 CLP 11.7K

5.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ฿43.79

$1.42 CLP 1,277

-5.63%

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

$27.7K ฿901.4K

$20.9K CLP 18.8M

32.30%

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

$33.9K ฿1.1M

$25.4K CLP 22.8M

33.45%

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

$124 ฿4,025

$103 CLP 92.2K

20.41%

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

$13.52 ฿440

$12.58 CLP 11.3K

7.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.69 ฿609

$28.16 CLP 25.3K

-33.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.8 ฿2,013

$27.42 CLP 24.6K

125.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.25 ฿562

$10.62 CLP 9,548

62.43%

Cinema Ticket

$9.14 ฿298

$6.09 CLP 5,474

50.08%

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

$703 ฿22.9K

$331 CLP 297.3K

112.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.9K ฿517.0K

$4,525 CLP 4.1M

250.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,937

$44.26 CLP 39.8K

34.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.07 ฿1,142

$27.78 CLP 25.0K

26.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,754

$59.2 CLP 53.2K

94.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.1 ฿2,737

$67.6 CLP 60.8K

24.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$619 ฿20.1K

$467 CLP 419.3K

32.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$433 ฿14.1K

$350 CLP 314.2K

23.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,062 ฿67.2K

$941 CLP 845.3K

119.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,511 ฿49.2K

$587 CLP 527.8K

157.29%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,646 ฿118.7K

$2,185 CLP 2.0M

66.84%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,626 ฿85.5K

$1,954 CLP 1.8M

34.39%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$507 ฿16.5K

$569 CLP 511.6K

-10.94%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Concepcion: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $619 in Phuket and $467 in Concepcion. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Concepcion pays 12% 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 $46.00 in Concepcion for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $227 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 17% in total monthly costs ($1,261 vs $1,080 including rent). Concepcion is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Concepcion earns 12% 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 $467 in Concepcion. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 29% 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 $46.00 versus $47.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,080 in Concepcion versus $1,261 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 17% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.