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 $1,073 in Coquimbo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,078 in Phuket versus $1,670 in Coquimbo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,896 in Phuket versus $2,267 in Coquimbo.

Living in Phuket is roughly 17% more expensive than in Coquimbo, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 8% lower, Coquimbo 22% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.43 ฿145

$7.34 CLP 6,770

-39.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.07 ฿1,151

$48.33 CLP 44.6K

-27.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.96 ฿294

$6.47 CLP 5,970

38.49%

Cappuccino

$3.00 ฿98.4

$3.86 CLP 3,564

-22.28%

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

$0.77 ฿25.33

$1.17 CLP 1,082

-34.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.47 ฿15.44

$1.12 CLP 1,035

-58.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.40 ฿78.6

$4.34 CLP 4,006

-44.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.75 ฿123

$5.06 CLP 4,668

-25.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.82 ฿59.8

$1.07 CLP 984

70.09%

White Bread (500g)

$1.42 ฿46.65

$1.80 CLP 1,662

-21.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 ฿50.8

$1.65 CLP 1,518

-6.06%

Eggs

$2.13 ฿69.9

$3.90 CLP 3,596

-45.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.76 ฿648

$11.47 CLP 10.6K

72.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.48 ฿114

$6.47 CLP 5,970

-46.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.09 ฿364

$12.70 CLP 11.7K

-12.68%

Apples (1kg)

$2.91 ฿95.5

$1.97 CLP 1,820

47.72%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 ฿54.6

$1.67 CLP 1,538

-0.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.27 ฿74.5

$1.72 CLP 1,591

31.98%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.10 ฿68.8

$1.70 CLP 1,566

23.53%

Potato (1kg)

$1.47 ฿48.24

$1.03 CLP 947

42.72%

Onion (1kg)

$1.41 ฿46.29

$1.48 CLP 1,361

-4.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.09 ฿35.78

$1.35 CLP 1,245

-19.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 ฿17.58

$1.17 CLP 1,081

-53.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.48 ฿147

$5.54 CLP 5,114

-19.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.72 ฿614

$5.97 CLP 5,509

213.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 ฿60.4

$1.56 CLP 1,439

17.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.95 ฿96.7

$2.28 CLP 2,104

29.39%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.26 ฿74.1

$0.85 CLP 785

165.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.07 ฿757

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.04 ฿99.9

$0.83 CLP 765

266.27%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.09 ฿35.82

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.82 ฿125

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿48.79

$1.48 CLP 1,369

0.68%

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

$27.4K ฿900.3K

$19.8K CLP 18.3M

38.55%

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

$27.5K ฿902.7K

$24.5K CLP 22.6M

12.47%

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

$102 ฿3,340

$119 CLP 110.2K

-14.75%

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

$11.28 ฿370

$13.52 CLP 12.5K

-16.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.75 ฿582

$20.45 CLP 18.9K

-13.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.2 ฿1,777

$27.85 CLP 25.7K

94.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.96 ฿360

$5.55 CLP 5,117

97.48%

Cinema Ticket

$7.85 ฿258

$7.26 CLP 6,697

8.13%

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

$577 ฿18.9K

$444 CLP 410.0K

29.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.6K ฿381.6K

$8,551 CLP 7.9M

36.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$65.4 ฿2,144

$51.3 CLP 47.4K

27.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.89 ฿948

$30.01 CLP 27.7K

-3.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.1 ฿3,250

$60.2 CLP 55.6K

64.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.3 ฿2,961

$74.8 CLP 69.0K

20.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$756 ฿24.8K

$512 CLP 472.4K

47.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$487 ฿16.0K

$425 CLP 391.9K

14.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,085 ฿68.4K

$1,042 CLP 961.0K

100.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,207 ฿39.6K

$682 CLP 629.6K

76.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,591 ฿117.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,610 ฿85.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$502 ฿16.5K

$647 CLP 596.5K

-22.33%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

5.15

8.16%

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

Last update for Phuket: August 18, 2026

Last update for Coquimbo: August 16, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $756 in Phuket and $512 in Coquimbo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Coquimbo pays 29% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $35.00 in Phuket vs $48.00 in Coquimbo. Groceries flip the comparison at $272 vs $241, with Coquimbo cheaper for home cooking.

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 17% in total monthly costs ($1,261 vs $1,073 including rent). Coquimbo is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 29% lower in Coquimbo. 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: $756 in Phuket versus $512 in Coquimbo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $577 in Phuket versus $444 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 $48.00 versus $35.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,073 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 17% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.