Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Quellón

For one person, living is cheaper in Quellón: $556 a month against $1,278 in Phuket, rent and utilities included – about $8,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

Phuket, Thailand
Quellón, Chile
Phuket
🇹🇭 Thailand
$1,278
/mo nomad
Quellón
🇨🇱 Chile
$556
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Phuket and in Quellón

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Phuket and in Quellón actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,278 in Phuket versus $556 in Quellón.

  • Phuket $1,278
  • Quellón $556

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,216 in Phuket versus $936 in Quellón.

  • Phuket $2,216
  • Quellón $936

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,154 in Phuket versus $1,316 in Quellón.

  • Phuket $3,154
  • Quellón $1,316

Living in Phuket is roughly 130% more expensive than in Quellón, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 6% lower, Quellón 59% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Quellón
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.47 ฿151
-
-
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.41 ฿1,092
$50.3 CLP 49.6K
-35.53%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.81 ฿297
-
-
Cappuccino
$2.83 ฿95.3
$2.54 CLP 2,513
11.42%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.87 ฿29.37
$1.23 CLP 1,218
-29.27%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.49 ฿16.64
$0.82 CLP 814
-40.24%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.56 ฿86.2
$3.07 CLP 3,030
-16.61%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.68 ฿124
$3.11 CLP 3,076
18.33%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Quellón
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.66 ฿55.9
$1.20 CLP 1,182
38.33%
White Bread (500g)
$1.46 ฿49.25
$1.04 CLP 1,025
40.38%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.50 ฿50.4
$1.98 CLP 1,955
-24.24%
Eggs
$2.09 ฿70.4
$2.75 CLP 2,717
-24.00%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$19.07 ฿642
$5.97 CLP 5,894
219.43%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.30 ฿111
-
-
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.91 ฿368
-
-
Apples (1kg)
$2.93 ฿98.7
$1.80 CLP 1,774
62.78%
Banana (1kg)
$1.69 ฿56.9
$2.19 CLP 2,159
-22.83%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.25 ฿75.7
$3.49 CLP 3,451
-35.53%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.08 ฿70.0
$1.77 CLP 1,750
17.51%
Potato (1kg)
$1.51 ฿50.9
$1.03 CLP 1,016
46.60%
Onion (1kg)
$1.38 ฿46.47
$2.07 CLP 2,046
-33.33%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.07 ฿35.91
$0.99 CLP 975
8.08%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.52 ฿17.49
$1.99 CLP 1,968
-73.87%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.20 ฿142
-
-
Wine (Bottle)
$18.79 ฿633
$9.15 CLP 9,038
105.36%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.82 ฿61.4
$2.83 CLP 2,791
-35.69%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.84 ฿95.7
$1.78 CLP 1,756
59.55%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Quellón
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.45 ฿48.93
$0.47 CLP 464
208.51%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$56.7 ฿1,909
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.02 ฿102
$2.99 CLP 2,950
1.00%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.02 ฿34.29
-
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$3.69 ฿124
-
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.47 ฿49.70
$1.35 CLP 1,328
8.89%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.8K ฿902.4K
-
-
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.7K ฿899.5K
-
-
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Quellón
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$96.4 ฿3,247
-
-
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.26 ฿380
-
-
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$16.85 ฿568
$30.00 CLP 29.6K
-43.83%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Quellón
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$67.2 ฿2,266
$50.7 CLP 50.1K
32.55%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$10.73 ฿361
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$7.50 ฿253
-
-
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Quellón
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$476 ฿16.0K
-
-
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$11.3K ฿379.6K
-
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Quellón
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$62.4 ฿2,102
$25.72 CLP 25.4K
142.46%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$28.41 ฿957
-
-
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$94.3 ฿3,178
$50.7 CLP 50.1K
85.98%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$85.8 ฿2,892
-
-
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Quellón
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$716 ฿24.1K
$256 CLP 252.4K
180.06%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$491 ฿16.5K
$200 CLP 197.9K
144.95%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,927 ฿64.9K
$409 CLP 403.9K
371.10%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,431 ฿48.2K
$356 CLP 351.6K
301.70%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,175 ฿140.7K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,045 ฿102.6K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Quellón
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$502 ฿16.9K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.57
0
-

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

Last update for Phuket: October 26, 2026

Last update for Quellón: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Phuket
$491
Quellón
–
Groceries & Markets
Phuket
$266
Quellón
–
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
$124
Quellón
–
Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
$122
Quellón
–
Eating Out
Phuket
$122
Quellón
–
Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
$82
Quellón
–
Getting Around
Phuket
$71
Quellón
–

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $716 in Phuket and $256 in Quellón. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $32 in Phuket vs $50 in Quellón. Groceries flip the comparison at $266 vs $175, with Quellón cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know
🇹🇭 Phuket
🇨🇱 Quellón
🕒 Local time
13:28 1:28 PM
03:28 3:28 AM
10 h behind Phuket
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
79,308
17,552
💱 Currency
Thai Baht THB ฿
Exchange rates and currency converter

CLP, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 29, 2026: 1 USD = 33.7 THB (100 THB = 2.97 USD). 1 EUR = 37.52 THB (100 THB = 2.67 EUR).

Chilean Peso exchange rates as of October 29, 2026: 1 USD = 987 CLP (1,000 CLP = 1.01 USD). 1 EUR = 1,099 CLP (10,000 CLP = 9.1 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Phuket Quellón 16,020 km ≈ 21 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Phuket
  • Quellón

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Quellón: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Quellón cheaper than Phuket?
Quellón is about 56% cheaper overall, especially in groceries, clothing, and transport. That difference adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You’d need roughly $1,917 in Phuket and $834 in Quellón 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 Quellón?
Rent for a central apartment: $716 in Phuket versus $256 in Quellón. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do food prices compare in Phuket and in Quellón?
Supermarket bills run roughly 52% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Is eating out cheaper in Phuket or in Quellón?
Dining out is cheaper in Phuket – a meal for two runs $32 versus $50 in Quellón. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Is $800 a realistic budget for living in Phuket or in Quellón?
At $556 in Quellón versus $1,278 in Phuket, a $800 budget is realistic in Quellón but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Quellón the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is it better to live in Phuket or in Quellón?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

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