Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Coquimbo Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Coquimbo

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,261 in Phuket versus $1,069 in Coquimbo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,286 in Phuket versus $1,622 in Coquimbo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,310 in Phuket versus $2,176 in Coquimbo.

Living in Phuket is roughly 18% more expensive than Coquimbo, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.56 ฿149

$8.66 CLP 7,783

-47.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.63 ฿1,519

$44.66 CLP 40.1K

4.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.47 ฿276

$8.21 CLP 7,378

3.17%

Cappuccino

$3.03 ฿98.6

$2.72 CLP 2,441

11.40%

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

$0.69 ฿22.45

$1.30 CLP 1,165

-46.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.92

$1.02 CLP 915

-63.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.49 ฿81.0

$3.21 CLP 2,883

-22.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

$4.06 CLP 3,650

-9.85%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.18 ฿71.0

$1.06 CLP 950

105.66%

White Bread (500g)

$1.90 ฿62.0

$1.53 CLP 1,374

24.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.20 ฿71.6

$1.92 CLP 1,726

14.58%

Eggs

$2.22 ฿72.4

$3.43 CLP 3,079

-35.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.99 ฿651

$10.34 CLP 9,295

93.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.66 ฿119

$6.72 CLP 6,039

-45.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.25 ฿432

$10.79 CLP 9,695

22.80%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿105

$1.82 CLP 1,633

77.47%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.3

$1.52 CLP 1,362

11.84%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.39 ฿78.0

$1.55 CLP 1,391

54.19%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿67.7

$1.45 CLP 1,304

43.45%

Potato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$1.27 CLP 1,143

25.20%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.31

$1.42 CLP 1,277

4.23%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 ฿33.54

$1.27 CLP 1,141

-18.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿16.83

$1.19 CLP 1,068

-56.30%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.25 ฿138

$5.51 CLP 4,950

-22.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.79 ฿612

$6.02 CLP 5,411

212.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 ฿57.2

$1.56 CLP 1,402

12.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 ฿89.8

$2.21 CLP 1,988

24.89%

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 419

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 1,235

-2.19%

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

$27.7K ฿901.4K

$19.6K CLP 17.6M

41.43%

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

$33.9K ฿1.1M

$21.3K CLP 19.1M

59.20%

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

$124 ฿4,025

$132 CLP 118.9K

-6.60%

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

$13.52 ฿440

$13.32 CLP 12.0K

1.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.69 ฿609

$21.78 CLP 19.6K

-14.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.8 ฿2,013

$37.95 CLP 34.1K

62.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.25 ฿562

$21.29 CLP 19.1K

-18.98%

Cinema Ticket

$9.14 ฿298

$5.81 CLP 5,222

57.31%

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

$703 ฿22.9K

$438 CLP 394.0K

60.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.9K ฿517.0K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,937

$51.6 CLP 46.4K

15.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.07 ฿1,142

$29.86 CLP 26.8K

17.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,754

$62.1 CLP 55.8K

85.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.1 ฿2,737

$83.2 CLP 74.8K

1.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$619 ฿20.1K

$486 CLP 436.4K

27.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$433 ฿14.1K

$373 CLP 335.5K

15.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,062 ฿67.2K

$892 CLP 801.6K

131.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,511 ฿49.2K

$592 CLP 531.7K

155.39%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,646 ฿118.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,626 ฿85.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$507 ฿16.5K

$661 CLP 594.3K

-23.34%

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 Coquimbo: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $619 in Phuket and $486 in Coquimbo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Coquimbo pays 30% 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 $45.00 in Coquimbo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $226 per month, with Coquimbo 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 Coquimbo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket and Coquimbo differ by about 18% in total monthly costs ($1,261 vs $1,069 including rent). Coquimbo is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Coquimbo earns 30% 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 $486 in Coquimbo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $703 in Phuket versus $438 in Coquimbo. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Coquimbo – a meal for two runs $45.00 versus $47.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,069 in Coquimbo versus $1,261 in Phuket, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Coquimbo but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Coquimbo 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 Coquimbo 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 Coquimbo gentler on the wallet – expenses run 18% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.