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: $1,250 in Phuket versus $1,142 in Puerto Varas.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,284 in Phuket versus $1,714 in Puerto Varas.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,317 in Phuket versus $2,285 in Puerto Varas.

Living in Phuket is roughly 9% more expensive than in Puerto Varas, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 6% lower, Puerto Varas 15% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.55 ฿153

$12.99 CLP 12.1K

-64.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.18 ฿1,553

$43.43 CLP 40.5K

6.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 ฿297

$8.13 CLP 7,589

8.73%

Cappuccino

$3.06 ฿103

$3.06 CLP 2,854

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

$0.73 ฿24.40

$1.09 CLP 1,014

-33.03%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 ฿13.39

$0.90 CLP 840

-55.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 ฿81.8

$3.14 CLP 2,927

-22.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.78 ฿127

$4.23 CLP 3,950

-10.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ฿76.0

$1.22 CLP 1,138

85.25%

White Bread (500g)

$1.81 ฿60.9

$1.50 CLP 1,403

20.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.25 ฿75.8

$1.84 CLP 1,722

22.28%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.5

$3.43 CLP 3,204

-34.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.51 ฿656

$10.57 CLP 9,866

84.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.65 ฿123

$6.69 CLP 6,250

-45.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.05 ฿439

$11.01 CLP 10.3K

18.53%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿109

$1.90 CLP 1,772

70.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 ฿54.4

$1.52 CLP 1,416

6.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.38 ฿80.1

$1.58 CLP 1,477

50.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿68.1

$1.50 CLP 1,396

35.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿51.6

$1.28 CLP 1,199

19.53%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.5

$1.41 CLP 1,319

6.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.91

$1.25 CLP 1,170

-21.60%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.39

$1.17 CLP 1,095

-55.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.44 ฿149

$5.50 CLP 5,137

-19.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.32 ฿616

$6.04 CLP 5,640

203.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.7

$1.55 CLP 1,446

20.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 ฿90.1

$2.23 CLP 2,083

20.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.41 ฿47.46

$0.59 CLP 550

138.98%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.70 ฿393

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.11 ฿105

$0.51 CLP 480

509.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿35.06

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.11 ฿474

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 ฿44.10

$1.37 CLP 1,282

-4.38%

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

$27.8K ฿935.4K

$19.6K CLP 18.3M

42.20%

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

$33.2K ฿1.1M

$21.4K CLP 20.0M

55.25%

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

$122 ฿4,118

$131 CLP 122.5K

-6.70%

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

$13.59 ฿457

$13.45 CLP 12.6K

1.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.70 ฿629

$21.67 CLP 20.2K

-13.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.5 ฿2,034

$38.35 CLP 35.8K

57.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.98 ฿571

$20.84 CLP 19.5K

-18.52%

Cinema Ticket

$9.07 ฿305

$5.54 CLP 5,172

63.72%

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

$706 ฿23.8K

$439 CLP 410.2K

60.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿531.5K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.6 ฿1,969

$50.7 CLP 47.4K

15.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.36 ฿1,189

$30.80 CLP 28.8K

14.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,883

$61.2 CLP 57.1K

88.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.7 ฿2,816

$82.1 CLP 76.6K

2.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$626 ฿21.0K

$471 CLP 440.1K

32.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$445 ฿15.0K

$370 CLP 345.6K

20.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,040 ฿68.6K

$886 CLP 827.4K

130.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 ฿50.2K

$596 CLP 556.2K

150.48%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,483 ฿117.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,577 ฿86.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$500 ฿16.8K

$561 CLP 524.2K

-10.97%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Puerto Varas: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $626 in Phuket and $471 in Puerto Varas. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Puerto Varas pays 12% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $46.00 in Phuket vs $43.00 in Puerto Varas for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $289 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 9% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 12% 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: $626 in Phuket versus $471 in Puerto Varas. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $706 in Phuket versus $439 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 $46.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,142 in Puerto Varas versus $1,250 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 9% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.