Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Curico Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Curico

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,261 in Phuket versus $977 in Curico.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,286 in Phuket versus $1,423 in Curico.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,310 in Phuket versus $1,870 in Curico.

Living in Phuket is roughly 29% more expensive than Curico, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 6% lower, Curico 27% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.56 ฿149

$4.88 CLP 4,382

-6.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.63 ฿1,519

$32.32 CLP 29.0K

44.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.47 ฿276

$7.41 CLP 6,663

14.30%

Cappuccino

$3.03 ฿98.6

$3.16 CLP 2,843

-4.11%

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

$0.69 ฿22.45

$1.64 CLP 1,478

-57.93%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.92

$1.10 CLP 992

-66.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.49 ฿81.0

$3.19 CLP 2,866

-21.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

$3.56 CLP 3,196

2.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.18 ฿71.0

$1.24 CLP 1,116

75.81%

White Bread (500g)

$1.90 ฿62.0

$1.52 CLP 1,365

25.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.20 ฿71.6

$1.93 CLP 1,731

13.99%

Eggs

$2.22 ฿72.4

$2.22 CLP 1,992

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.99 ฿651

$10.59 CLP 9,514

88.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.66 ฿119

$6.61 CLP 5,940

-44.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.25 ฿432

$11.00 CLP 9,882

20.45%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿105

$2.12 CLP 1,905

52.36%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.3

$1.55 CLP 1,393

9.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.39 ฿78.0

$2.03 CLP 1,821

17.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿67.7

$1.84 CLP 1,655

13.04%

Potato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$1.93 CLP 1,732

-17.62%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.31

$1.69 CLP 1,519

-12.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 ฿33.54

$1.35 CLP 1,218

-23.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿16.83

$0.98 CLP 881

-46.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.25 ฿138

$5.60 CLP 5,030

-24.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.79 ฿612

$6.57 CLP 5,907

186.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 ฿57.2

$1.55 CLP 1,394

13.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 ฿89.8

$2.51 CLP 2,253

9.96%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.36 ฿44.32

$0.58 CLP 522

134.48%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.36 ฿370

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 ฿102

$0.48 CLP 430

554.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿33.74

$1.43 CLP 1,285

-27.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.77 ฿448

$11.37 CLP 10.2K

21.11%

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

$19.3K CLP 17.3M

43.73%

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

$33.9K ฿1.1M

$22.7K CLP 20.4M

49.32%

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

$124 ฿4,025

$133 CLP 119.3K

-6.87%

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

$13.52 ฿440

$10.94 CLP 9,828

23.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.69 ฿609

$21.37 CLP 19.2K

-12.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.8 ฿2,013

$37.97 CLP 34.1K

62.81%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.25 ฿562

$20.96 CLP 18.8K

-17.70%

Cinema Ticket

$9.14 ฿298

$6.60 CLP 5,930

38.48%

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

$703 ฿22.9K

$430 CLP 386.2K

63.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.9K ฿517.0K

$8,740 CLP 7.9M

81.61%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,937

$56.0 CLP 50.4K

6.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.07 ฿1,142

$33.27 CLP 29.9K

5.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,754

$38.35 CLP 34.5K

200.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.1 ฿2,737

$49.47 CLP 44.5K

69.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$619 ฿20.1K

$447 CLP 401.7K

38.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$433 ฿14.1K

$292 CLP 262.0K

48.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,062 ฿67.2K

$619 CLP 555.9K

233.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,511 ฿49.2K

$410 CLP 368.8K

268.24%

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

$479 CLP 430.5K

5.83%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

6.60%

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

Last update for Phuket: June 7, 2026

Last update for Curico: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $619 in Phuket and $447 in Curico. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 6% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $47.00 in Phuket vs $32.00 in Curico for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $231 per month, with Curico 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 Curico: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Curico is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 29% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Phuket pays 6% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $619 in Phuket versus $447 in Curico. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $703 in Phuket versus $430 in Curico. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Curico – a meal for two runs $32.00 versus $47.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $977 in Curico versus $1,261 in Phuket, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Curico but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Curico the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Curico is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Phuket, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Phuket and Curico 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 Curico gentler on the wallet – expenses run 29% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.