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: $1,265 in Phuket versus $1,115 in Puerto Varas.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,297 in Phuket versus $1,717 in Puerto Varas.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,329 in Phuket versus $2,320 in Puerto Varas.

Living in Phuket is roughly 13% more expensive than Puerto Varas, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 6% lower, Puerto Varas 17% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.70 ฿153

$12.75 CLP 11.3K

-63.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.37 ฿1,482

$42.72 CLP 37.9K

6.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.43 ฿275

$8.00 CLP 7,097

5.37%

Cappuccino

$2.93 ฿95.6

$3.13 CLP 2,777

-6.39%

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

$0.69 ฿22.40

$1.09 CLP 967

-36.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.99

$0.90 CLP 796

-58.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 ฿78.6

$3.26 CLP 2,893

-26.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿122

$4.10 CLP 3,639

-9.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 ฿72.9

$1.22 CLP 1,087

82.79%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 ฿59.8

$1.58 CLP 1,400

15.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 ฿70.8

$1.85 CLP 1,639

17.30%

Eggs

$2.21 ฿72.3

$3.60 CLP 3,191

-38.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.74 ฿645

$10.54 CLP 9,351

87.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿119

$6.71 CLP 5,959

-45.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.53 ฿442

$10.84 CLP 9,624

24.82%

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 ฿107

$1.86 CLP 1,653

76.34%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ฿52.6

$1.50 CLP 1,331

7.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿78.6

$1.53 CLP 1,360

57.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿68.1

$1.50 CLP 1,328

38.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.93

$1.24 CLP 1,096

23.39%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.36

$1.36 CLP 1,207

8.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 ฿32.29

$1.21 CLP 1,078

-18.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.67

$1.18 CLP 1,051

-56.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 ฿144

$5.24 CLP 4,648

-15.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.38 ฿633

$6.10 CLP 5,414

217.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

$1.54 CLP 1,368

15.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 ฿88.6

$2.28 CLP 2,024

18.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.37 ฿44.79

$0.59 CLP 520

132.20%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.39 ฿372

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ฿98.6

$0.47 CLP 420

542.55%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 ฿32.48

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.10 ฿461

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 ฿44.51

$1.41 CLP 1,256

-3.55%

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

$28.2K ฿921.1K

$19.5K CLP 17.3M

44.36%

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$21.0K CLP 18.7M

56.39%

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

$122 ฿3,975

$130 CLP 115.3K

-6.28%

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

$13.57 ฿443

$13.41 CLP 11.9K

1.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.31 ฿598

$21.83 CLP 19.4K

-16.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.2 ฿1,967

$38.69 CLP 34.3K

55.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.14 ฿560

$21.65 CLP 19.2K

-20.83%

Cinema Ticket

$8.69 ฿284

$5.83 CLP 5,171

49.06%

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

$693 ฿22.6K

$428 CLP 379.7K

62.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ฿512.3K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,944

$50.7 CLP 45.0K

17.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.77 ฿1,136

$29.93 CLP 26.6K

16.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,743

$62.8 CLP 55.8K

82.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.3 ฿2,720

$81.0 CLP 71.9K

2.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$613 ฿20.0K

$473 CLP 419.6K

29.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$437 ฿14.3K

$374 CLP 331.7K

16.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,094 ฿68.4K

$897 CLP 796.0K

133.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,509 ฿49.3K

$601 CLP 533.5K

151.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,749 ฿122.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,616 ฿85.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.6K

$592 CLP 525.4K

-14.18%

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 2, 2026

Last update for Puerto Varas: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $613 in Phuket and $473 in Puerto Varas. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Puerto Varas pays 17% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $45.00 in Phuket vs $43.00 in Puerto Varas for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $229 per month, with Puerto Varas 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 Puerto Varas: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Puerto Varas is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 13% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Puerto Varas earns 17% less. 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: $613 in Phuket versus $473 in Puerto Varas. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $693 in Phuket versus $428 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 $43.00 versus $45.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,115 in Puerto Varas versus $1,265 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 13% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.