Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Puerto Varas Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Puerto Varas

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,253 in Phuket versus $1,189 in Puerto Varas.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,043 in Phuket versus $1,680 in Puerto Varas.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,833 in Phuket versus $2,171 in Puerto Varas.

Living in Phuket is roughly 5% more expensive than in Puerto Varas, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 9% lower, Puerto Varas 13% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.56 ฿150

$13.02 CLP 12.2K

-64.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.62 ฿1,072

$42.21 CLP 39.4K

-22.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.90 ฿293

$7.89 CLP 7,366

12.80%

Cappuccino

$2.80 ฿92.2

$3.41 CLP 3,184

-17.89%

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

$0.88 ฿28.93

$1.04 CLP 973

-15.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.08

$0.86 CLP 803

-43.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.39 ฿78.5

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.71 ฿122

Milk (1 liter)

$1.79 ฿58.7

$1.16 CLP 1,086

54.31%

White Bread (500g)

$1.44 ฿47.38

$1.89 CLP 1,764

-23.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.58 ฿52.1

$1.61 CLP 1,503

-1.86%

Eggs

$2.13 ฿69.9

$3.22 CLP 3,007

-33.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.92 ฿655

$9.14 CLP 8,531

117.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.43 ฿113

$4.91 CLP 4,589

-30.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.33 ฿372

$9.33 CLP 8,707

21.44%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 ฿96.9

$1.84 CLP 1,722

60.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 ฿56.6

$1.98 CLP 1,849

-13.13%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.32 ฿76.4

$2.58 CLP 2,413

-10.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿68.4

$1.96 CLP 1,834

6.12%

Potato (1kg)

$1.47 ฿48.33

$1.57 CLP 1,461

-6.37%

Onion (1kg)

$1.36 ฿44.64

$1.25 CLP 1,169

8.80%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 ฿36.12

$1.36 CLP 1,268

-19.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 ฿18.89

$1.19 CLP 1,111

-52.10%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 ฿140

$5.25 CLP 4,906

-18.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.42 ฿605

$4.84 CLP 4,515

280.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.87 ฿61.5

$1.43 CLP 1,336

30.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 ฿96.0

$1.26 CLP 1,181

131.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.22 ฿72.9

$1.15 CLP 1,074

93.04%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.90 ฿753

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 ฿99.6

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.07 ฿35.31

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.93 ฿129

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿49.04

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

$27.1K ฿891.7K

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

$27.5K ฿902.3K

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

$103 ฿3,379

$265 CLP 247.6K

-61.24%

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

$10.99 ฿361

$17.11 CLP 16.0K

-35.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.51 ฿576

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.5 ฿1,760

$32.25 CLP 30.1K

65.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.20 ฿368

Cinema Ticket

$7.48 ฿246

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

$557 ฿18.3K

$511 CLP 477.3K

8.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K ฿389.6K

$6,511 CLP 6.1M

82.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.1 ฿2,106

$21.03 CLP 19.6K

204.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.07 ฿956

$15.74 CLP 14.7K

84.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.0 ฿3,154

$64.1 CLP 59.9K

49.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.3 ฿2,970

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$730 ฿24.0K

$643 CLP 600.8K

13.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$500 ฿16.4K

$421 CLP 393.0K

18.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,090 ฿68.7K

$863 CLP 805.4K

142.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 ฿39.7K

$641 CLP 598.4K

88.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,596 ฿118.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,512 ฿82.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$503 ฿16.5K

$547 CLP 510.8K

-7.99%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

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

Last update for Phuket: August 31, 2026

Last update for Puerto Varas: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $730 in Phuket and $643 in Puerto Varas. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Puerto Varas pays 9% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $33.00 in Phuket vs $42.00 in Puerto Varas. Groceries flip the comparison at $273 vs $217, with Puerto Varas 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 Puerto Varas: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Puerto Varas is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 5% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 9% lower in Puerto Varas. 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: $730 in Phuket versus $643 in Puerto Varas. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $557 in Phuket versus $511 in Puerto Varas. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Puerto Varas – a meal for two runs $42.00 versus $33.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,189 in Puerto Varas versus $1,253 in Phuket, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Puerto Varas but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Puerto Varas the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Puerto Varas 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 Puerto Varas 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 Puerto Varas gentler on the wallet – expenses run 5% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.