Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Rancagua Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Rancagua

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,261 in Phuket versus $972 in Rancagua.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,286 in Phuket versus $1,543 in Rancagua.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,310 in Phuket versus $2,114 in Rancagua.

Living in Phuket is roughly 30% more expensive than Rancagua, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 6% lower, Rancagua 28% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.56 ฿149

$8.80 CLP 7,908

-48.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.63 ฿1,519

$30.20 CLP 27.1K

54.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.47 ฿276

$5.95 CLP 5,345

42.35%

Cappuccino

$3.03 ฿98.6

$2.55 CLP 2,288

18.82%

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

$0.69 ฿22.45

$1.06 CLP 952

-34.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.92

$0.82 CLP 741

-54.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.49 ฿81.0

$3.25 CLP 2,919

-23.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

$3.13 CLP 2,813

16.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.18 ฿71.0

$1.09 CLP 983

100.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.90 ฿62.0

$1.17 CLP 1,051

62.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.20 ฿71.6

$1.55 CLP 1,395

41.94%

Eggs

$2.22 ฿72.4

$3.05 CLP 2,738

-27.21%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.99 ฿651

$10.49 CLP 9,431

90.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.66 ฿119

$3.93 CLP 3,536

-6.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.25 ฿432

$10.98 CLP 9,863

20.67%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿105

$1.53 CLP 1,378

111.11%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.3

$1.57 CLP 1,407

8.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.39 ฿78.0

$1.91 CLP 1,713

25.13%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿67.7

$1.25 CLP 1,124

66.40%

Potato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$0.88 CLP 792

80.68%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.31

$1.64 CLP 1,471

-9.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 ฿33.54

$1.31 CLP 1,174

-21.37%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿16.83

$1.19 CLP 1,074

-56.30%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.25 ฿138

$4.93 CLP 4,434

-13.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.79 ฿612

$4.74 CLP 4,256

296.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 ฿57.2

$1.44 CLP 1,297

22.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 ฿89.8

$2.43 CLP 2,187

13.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.36 ฿44.32

$0.87 CLP 785

56.32%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.36 ฿370

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 ฿102

$0.50 CLP 450

528.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿33.74

$0.50 CLP 453

108.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.77 ฿448

$11.45 CLP 10.3K

20.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ฿43.79

$1.39 CLP 1,248

-3.60%

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

$27.7K ฿901.4K

$14.2K CLP 12.8M

94.39%

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

$33.9K ฿1.1M

$15.5K CLP 13.9M

118.93%

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

$124 ฿4,025

$107 CLP 96.5K

15.14%

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

$13.52 ฿440

$11.11 CLP 9,983

21.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.69 ฿609

$17.77 CLP 16.0K

5.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.8 ฿2,013

$33.08 CLP 29.7K

86.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.25 ฿562

$12.31 CLP 11.1K

40.13%

Cinema Ticket

$9.14 ฿298

$5.51 CLP 4,950

65.88%

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

$703 ฿22.9K

$307 CLP 275.9K

128.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.9K ฿517.0K

$3,988 CLP 3.6M

298.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,937

$47.70 CLP 42.9K

24.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.07 ฿1,142

$28.77 CLP 25.9K

21.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,754

$62.4 CLP 56.0K

84.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.1 ฿2,737

$65.9 CLP 59.2K

27.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$619 ฿20.1K

$513 CLP 460.8K

20.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$433 ฿14.1K

$349 CLP 313.5K

24.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,062 ฿67.2K

$860 CLP 773.0K

139.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,511 ฿49.2K

$713 CLP 641.0K

111.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,646 ฿118.7K

$1,656 CLP 1.5M

120.10%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,626 ฿85.5K

$1,611 CLP 1.4M

62.94%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$507 ฿16.5K

$540 CLP 485.1K

-6.07%

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 7, 2026

Last update for Rancagua: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $619 in Phuket and $513 in Rancagua. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Rancagua pays 6% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $47.00 in Phuket vs $30.00 in Rancagua for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $203 per month, with Rancagua 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 Rancagua: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Rancagua is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 30% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Rancagua earns 6% 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: $619 in Phuket versus $513 in Rancagua. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $703 in Phuket versus $307 in Rancagua. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Rancagua – a meal for two runs $30.00 versus $47.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $972 in Rancagua versus $1,261 in Phuket, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Rancagua but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Rancagua the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Rancagua 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 Rancagua 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 Rancagua gentler on the wallet – expenses run 30% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.