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: $1,232 in Phuket versus $964 in Curico.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,054 in Phuket versus $1,450 in Curico.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,876 in Phuket versus $1,936 in Curico.

Living in Phuket is roughly 28% more expensive than in Curico, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 10% lower, Curico 30% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.41 ฿147

$5.53 CLP 5,275

-20.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.26 ฿1,077

$47.39 CLP 45.2K

-31.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.93 ฿298

$9.05 CLP 8,637

-1.33%

Cappuccino

$2.90 ฿96.6

$3.49 CLP 3,331

-16.91%

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

$0.88 ฿29.38

$1.73 CLP 1,652

-49.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.06

$1.26 CLP 1,205

-61.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.35 ฿78.5

$2.88 CLP 2,750

-18.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿124

$2.67 CLP 2,546

39.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 ฿62.3

$1.25 CLP 1,191

49.60%

White Bread (500g)

$1.47 ฿48.94

$1.80 CLP 1,721

-18.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.8

$1.67 CLP 1,594

-7.19%

Eggs

$2.10 ฿70.1

$2.17 CLP 2,074

-3.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.59 ฿654

$11.35 CLP 10.8K

72.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.42 ฿114

$6.85 CLP 6,538

-50.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.38 ฿380

$11.12 CLP 10.6K

2.34%

Apples (1kg)

$2.98 ฿99.6

$2.09 CLP 1,995

42.58%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 ฿56.2

$1.65 CLP 1,573

1.82%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.21 ฿73.7

$1.74 CLP 1,663

27.01%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.16 ฿72.1

$1.81 CLP 1,726

19.34%

Potato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿50.9

$1.15 CLP 1,098

32.17%

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 ฿44.67

$1.59 CLP 1,518

-15.72%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 ฿37.67

$1.27 CLP 1,213

-11.02%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ฿18.24

$0.99 CLP 944

-44.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.26 ฿142

$5.48 CLP 5,227

-22.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.09 ฿637

$6.28 CLP 5,996

203.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿59.4

$1.61 CLP 1,539

10.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿92.9

$2.57 CLP 2,455

8.17%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.23 ฿74.4

$0.78 CLP 744

185.90%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.74 ฿759

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 ฿101

$0.44 CLP 422

588.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 ฿34.15

$0.94 CLP 897

8.51%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.89 ฿130

$12.14 CLP 11.6K

-67.96%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿49.77

$1.46 CLP 1,396

2.05%

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

$26.6K ฿887.3K

$18.5K CLP 17.7M

43.65%

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

$27.0K ฿902.2K

$22.3K CLP 21.2M

21.44%

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

$102 ฿3,420

$153 CLP 146.1K

-33.09%

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

$11.33 ฿378

$10.63 CLP 10.1K

6.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.40 ฿581

$20.73 CLP 19.8K

-16.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.1 ฿1,738

$21.30 CLP 20.3K

144.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.07 ฿370

Cinema Ticket

$7.69 ฿257

$7.75 CLP 7,394

-0.77%

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

$561 ฿18.7K

$435 CLP 414.8K

28.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.5K ฿384.1K

$11.2K CLP 10.7M

2.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.0 ฿2,104

$53.1 CLP 50.6K

18.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.52 ฿986

$30.55 CLP 29.2K

-3.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.0 ฿3,272

$38.08 CLP 36.3K

157.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.5 ฿2,954

$47.47 CLP 45.3K

86.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$738 ฿24.6K

$434 CLP 413.9K

70.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.1K

$300 CLP 285.8K

61.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,107 ฿70.3K

$634 CLP 605.4K

232.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,226 ฿40.9K

$401 CLP 382.2K

206.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,617 ฿120.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,603 ฿86.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.5K

$480 CLP 457.7K

2.90%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

11.40%

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

Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026

Last update for Curico: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $738 in Phuket and $434 in Curico. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 3% 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: $32.00 in Phuket vs $47.00 in Curico. Groceries flip the comparison at $274 vs $233, with Curico 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 Curico: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Curico is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 28% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 3% higher in Phuket, 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: $738 in Phuket versus $434 in Curico. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $561 in Phuket versus $435 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 $47.00 versus $32.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $964 in Curico versus $1,232 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 28% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.