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: $1,232 in Phuket versus $997 in Rancagua.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,255 in Phuket versus $1,533 in Rancagua.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,279 in Phuket versus $2,069 in Rancagua.

Living in Phuket is roughly 24% more expensive than Rancagua, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 8% lower, Rancagua 26% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.63 ฿151

$9.09 CLP 8,081

-49.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.84 ฿1,532

$29.44 CLP 26.2K

59.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 ฿289

$5.89 CLP 5,234

50.08%

Cappuccino

$3.00 ฿98.0

$2.49 CLP 2,212

20.48%

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

$0.74 ฿24.25

$1.11 CLP 985

-33.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.95

$0.81 CLP 724

-54.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.44 ฿79.8

$3.29 CLP 2,928

-25.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.61 ฿118

$3.19 CLP 2,838

13.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ฿73.9

$1.05 CLP 935

115.24%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 ฿60.1

$1.18 CLP 1,048

55.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.24 ฿73.4

$1.63 CLP 1,446

37.42%

Eggs

$2.32 ฿75.7

$3.05 CLP 2,715

-23.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.67 ฿643

$10.37 CLP 9,218

89.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.65 ฿119

$3.95 CLP 3,510

-7.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.10 ฿428

$11.10 CLP 9,872

18.02%

Apples (1kg)

$3.39 ฿111

$1.57 CLP 1,396

115.92%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.7

$1.64 CLP 1,456

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿79.0

$1.93 CLP 1,715

24.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿66.4

$1.21 CLP 1,078

67.77%

Potato (1kg)

$1.56 ฿50.9

$0.82 CLP 731

90.24%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿48.94

$1.60 CLP 1,424

-6.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 ฿33.50

$1.30 CLP 1,158

-21.54%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.00

$1.18 CLP 1,046

-58.47%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.45 ฿145

$4.80 CLP 4,271

-7.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.88 ฿617

$4.61 CLP 4,103

309.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

$1.44 CLP 1,283

23.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.75 ฿90.1

$2.53 CLP 2,246

8.70%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.40 ฿45.81

$0.83 CLP 741

68.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.48 ฿376

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.12 ฿102

$0.51 CLP 454

511.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.00 ฿32.67

$0.51 CLP 450

96.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.09 ฿461

$11.51 CLP 10.2K

22.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 ฿44.19

$1.36 CLP 1,209

-0.74%

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

$27.2K ฿888.9K

$13.9K CLP 12.4M

94.89%

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$15.6K CLP 13.9M

110.77%

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

$125 ฿4,087

$105 CLP 93.3K

19.06%

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

$13.57 ฿444

$11.38 CLP 10.1K

19.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.52 ฿606

$17.44 CLP 15.5K

6.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.5 ฿2,010

$33.67 CLP 29.9K

82.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.84 ฿551

$12.62 CLP 11.2K

33.44%

Cinema Ticket

$9.19 ฿300

$5.37 CLP 4,777

71.14%

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

$698 ฿22.8K

$301 CLP 267.3K

132.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.6K ฿509.9K

$4,041 CLP 3.6M

285.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.8 ฿1,889

$48.66 CLP 43.3K

18.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.24 ฿1,152

$28.21 CLP 25.1K

24.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 ฿3,699

$61.9 CLP 55.1K

82.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.4 ฿2,825

$65.3 CLP 58.1K

32.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$616 ฿20.1K

$495 CLP 440.2K

24.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$446 ฿14.6K

$351 CLP 311.9K

27.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,048 ฿67.0K

$848 CLP 753.7K

141.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 ฿48.8K

$691 CLP 614.8K

115.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,779 ฿123.6K

$1,648 CLP 1.5M

129.24%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,649 ฿86.6K

$1,704 CLP 1.5M

55.40%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$524 ฿17.1K

$540 CLP 480.4K

-3.05%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Rancagua: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $616 in Phuket and $495 in Rancagua. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Rancagua pays 3% 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 $29.00 in Rancagua for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $292 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 24% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Rancagua earns 3% 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: $616 in Phuket versus $495 in Rancagua. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $698 in Phuket versus $301 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 $29.00 versus $47.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $997 in Rancagua versus $1,232 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 24% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.