๐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,261 in Phuket versus $1,068 in Quellรณn.
๐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,286 in Phuket versus $1,643 in Quellรณn.
๐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,310 in Phuket versus $2,219 in Quellรณn.
๐Living in Phuket is roughly 18% more expensive than Quellรณn, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
๐Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket6% lower, Quellรณn21% lower.
Currency
๐ฝ Eating Out
Phuket
Quellรณn
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.56เธฟ149
$8.67CLPย 7,795
-47.40%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.63เธฟ1,519
$45.26CLPย 40.7K
3.03%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.47เธฟ276
$7.85CLPย 7,051
7.90%
Cappuccino
$3.03เธฟ98.6
$2.73CLPย 2,451
10.99%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.69เธฟ22.45
$1.36CLPย 1,222
-49.26%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.37เธฟ11.92
$1.05CLPย 944
-64.76%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.49เธฟ81.0
$3.20CLPย 2,878
-22.19%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.66เธฟ119
$4.11CLPย 3,698
-10.95%
๐ Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Quellรณn
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.18เธฟ71.0
$1.18CLPย 1,059
84.75%
White Bread(500g)
$1.90เธฟ62.0
$1.52CLPย 1,364
25.00%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.20เธฟ71.6
$1.95CLPย 1,752
12.82%
Eggs
$2.22เธฟ72.4
$3.57CLPย 3,206
-37.82%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$19.99เธฟ651
$10.55CLPย 9,480
89.48%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.66เธฟ119
$6.77CLPย 6,083
-45.94%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$13.25เธฟ432
$10.97CLPย 9,861
20.78%
Apples(1kg)
$3.23เธฟ105
$1.89CLPย 1,696
70.90%
Banana(1kg)
$1.70เธฟ55.3
$1.57CLPย 1,411
8.28%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.39เธฟ78.0
$1.54CLPย 1,385
55.19%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.08เธฟ67.7
$1.51CLPย 1,357
37.75%
Potato(1kg)
$1.59เธฟ51.8
$1.29CLPย 1,161
23.26%
Onion(1kg)
$1.48เธฟ48.31
$1.37CLPย 1,227
8.03%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.03เธฟ33.54
$1.21CLPย 1,089
-14.88%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.52เธฟ16.83
$1.22CLPย 1,099
-57.38%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.25เธฟ138
$5.45CLPย 4,901
-22.02%
Wine(Bottle)
$18.79เธฟ612
$5.85CLPย 5,261
221.20%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.76เธฟ57.2
$1.61CLPย 1,449
9.32%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.76เธฟ89.8
$2.24CLPย 2,014
23.21%
๐ Getting Around
Phuket
Quellรณn
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.36เธฟ44.32
$0.58CLPย 522
134.48%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$11.36เธฟ370
-
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.14เธฟ102
$0.50CLPย 450
528.00%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.04เธฟ33.74
-
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$13.77เธฟ448
-
-
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.34เธฟ43.79
$1.39CLPย 1,245
-3.60%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.7Kเธฟ901.4K
$19.9KCLPย 17.9M
39.05%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.9Kเธฟ1.1M
$21.3KCLPย 19.1M
59.01%
๐งพ Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Quellรณn
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$124เธฟ4,025
$133CLPย 119.8K
-7.28%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.52เธฟ440
$13.37CLPย 12.0K
1.12%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.69เธฟ609
$21.85CLPย 19.6K
-14.46%
๐ Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Quellรณn
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$61.8เธฟ2,013
$39.16CLPย 35.2K
57.87%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.25เธฟ562
$21.09CLPย 19.0K
-18.21%
Cinema Ticket
$9.14เธฟ298
$5.56CLPย 4,996
64.39%
๐งธ Childcare & Education
Phuket
Quellรณn
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$703เธฟ22.9K
$434CLPย 390.1K
61.86%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$15.9Kเธฟ517.0K
-
-
๐๐ Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Quellรณn
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$59.5เธฟ1,937
$51.5CLPย 46.2K
15.55%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$35.07เธฟ1,142
$30.56CLPย 27.5K
14.76%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$115เธฟ3,754
$61.3CLPย 55.1K
88.01%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$84.1เธฟ2,737
$81.3CLPย 73.0K
3.43%
๐ Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Quellรณn
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$619เธฟ20.1K
$480CLPย 431.0K
29.00%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$433เธฟ14.1K
$366CLPย 329.0K
18.15%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,062เธฟ67.2K
$870CLPย 781.9K
136.98%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,511เธฟ49.2K
$591CLPย 530.7K
155.89%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,646เธฟ118.7K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,626เธฟ85.5K
-
-
๐ต Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Quellรณn
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$507เธฟ16.5K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.33
5.18
2.90%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input โ minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Phuket: June 7, 2026
Last update for Quellรณn: June 7, 2026
Cost Breakdown
๐ A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $619 in Phuket and $480 in Quellรณn. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
๐Dining out: $47.00 in Phuket vs $45.00 in Quellรณn for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $230 per month, with Quellรณn 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 Quellรณn: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Quellรณn cheaper than Phuket?
Quellรณn is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 18% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You'd need roughly $1,892 in Phuket and $1,601 in Quellรณn 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.
What is the rent difference between Phuket and Quellรณn?
Rent for a central apartment: $619 in Phuket versus $480 in Quellรณn. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $703 in Phuket versus $434 in Quellรณn. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Is eating out cheaper in Phuket or Quellรณn?
Dining out is cheaper in Quellรณn โ 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.
Is $1,000 a realistic budget for Phuket or Quellรณn?
At $1,068 in Quellรณn versus $1,261 in Phuket, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Quellรณn but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Quellรณn the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Phuket or Quellรณn more family-friendly?
For families, Quellรณn 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.
Which city is safer, Phuket or Quellรณn?
Safety-wise, Phuket and Quellรณn are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Quellรณn gentler on the wallet โ expenses run 18% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.