Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Puente Alto Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Puente Alto

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,261 in Phuket versus $1,080 in Puente Alto.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,286 in Phuket versus $1,638 in Puente Alto.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,310 in Phuket versus $2,196 in Puente Alto.

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

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.56 ฿149

$8.65 CLP 7,775

-47.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.63 ฿1,519

$45.01 CLP 40.5K

3.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.47 ฿276

$7.85 CLP 7,054

7.90%

Cappuccino

$3.03 ฿98.6

$2.70 CLP 2,424

12.22%

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

$0.69 ฿22.45

$1.35 CLP 1,210

-48.89%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.92

$1.07 CLP 962

-65.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.49 ฿81.0

$3.27 CLP 2,942

-23.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

$4.10 CLP 3,682

-10.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.18 ฿71.0

$1.24 CLP 1,111

75.81%

White Bread (500g)

$1.90 ฿62.0

$1.57 CLP 1,411

21.02%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.20 ฿71.6

$1.86 CLP 1,674

18.28%

Eggs

$2.22 ฿72.4

$3.49 CLP 3,139

-36.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.99 ฿651

$10.31 CLP 9,268

93.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.66 ฿119

$6.71 CLP 6,034

-45.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.25 ฿432

$10.80 CLP 9,707

22.69%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿105

$1.84 CLP 1,652

75.54%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.3

$1.56 CLP 1,403

8.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.39 ฿78.0

$1.53 CLP 1,371

56.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿67.7

$1.44 CLP 1,294

44.44%

Potato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$1.27 CLP 1,143

25.20%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.31

$1.37 CLP 1,227

8.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 ฿33.54

$1.23 CLP 1,101

-16.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿16.83

$1.17 CLP 1,053

-55.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.25 ฿138

$5.32 CLP 4,781

-20.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.79 ฿612

$5.81 CLP 5,219

223.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 ฿57.2

$1.56 CLP 1,401

12.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 ฿89.8

$2.30 CLP 2,066

20.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.36 ฿44.32

$0.58 CLP 517

134.48%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.36 ฿370

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 ฿102

$0.47 CLP 425

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

$1.43 CLP 1,288

-6.29%

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

$27.7K ฿901.4K

$19.3K CLP 17.3M

43.39%

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

$33.9K ฿1.1M

$21.7K CLP 19.5M

56.03%

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

$124 ฿4,025

$134 CLP 120.1K

-7.51%

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

$13.52 ฿440

$13.47 CLP 12.1K

0.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.69 ฿609

$21.94 CLP 19.7K

-14.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.8 ฿2,013

$38.31 CLP 34.4K

61.37%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.25 ฿562

$21.54 CLP 19.4K

-19.92%

Cinema Ticket

$9.14 ฿298

$5.81 CLP 5,221

57.31%

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

$703 ฿22.9K

$444 CLP 398.7K

58.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.9K ฿517.0K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,937

$50.1 CLP 45.0K

18.64%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.07 ฿1,142

$29.77 CLP 26.8K

17.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,754

$61.3 CLP 55.1K

87.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.1 ฿2,737

$83.3 CLP 74.8K

0.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$619 ฿20.1K

$480 CLP 430.9K

29.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$433 ฿14.1K

$378 CLP 339.8K

14.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,062 ฿67.2K

$880 CLP 791.0K

134.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,511 ฿49.2K

$587 CLP 527.3K

157.54%

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

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 Puente Alto: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $619 in Phuket and $480 in Puente Alto. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $47.00 in Phuket vs $45.00 in Puente Alto for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $228 per month, with Puente Alto 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 Puente Alto: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Puente Alto is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 17% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,892 in Phuket and $1,620 in Puente Alto to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $619 in Phuket versus $480 in Puente Alto. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $703 in Phuket versus $444 in Puente Alto. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Puente Alto – 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 $1,080 in Puente Alto versus $1,261 in Phuket, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Puente Alto but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Puente Alto the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Puente Alto 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 Puente Alto 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 Puente Alto 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.