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: $1,243 in Phuket versus $963 in Rancagua.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,023 in Phuket versus $1,499 in Rancagua.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,803 in Phuket versus $2,036 in Rancagua.

Living in Phuket is roughly 29% more expensive than in Rancagua, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 8% lower, Rancagua 29% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.37 ฿147

$8.65 CLP 8,561

-49.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.87 ฿1,103

$27.88 CLP 27.6K

17.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.39 ฿282

$5.55 CLP 5,491

51.17%

Cappuccino

$2.73 ฿91.8

$2.33 CLP 2,306

17.17%

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

$0.88 ฿29.59

$1.02 CLP 1,005

-13.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.47 ฿15.92

$0.84 CLP 831

-44.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.36 ฿79.1

$3.82 CLP 3,775

-38.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.71 ฿124

$3.06 CLP 3,023

21.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.83 ฿61.5

$1.04 CLP 1,032

75.96%

White Bread (500g)

$1.45 ฿48.58

$1.14 CLP 1,128

27.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.58 ฿52.9

$1.58 CLP 1,560

Eggs

$2.10 ฿70.4

$2.95 CLP 2,923

-28.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.37 ฿650

$9.87 CLP 9,770

96.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.42 ฿115

$3.71 CLP 3,669

-7.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.96 ฿368

$11.38 CLP 11.3K

-3.69%

Apples (1kg)

$3.00 ฿101

$1.52 CLP 1,508

97.37%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ฿54.9

$2.05 CLP 2,027

-20.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.21 ฿74.1

$1.79 CLP 1,772

23.46%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.12 ฿71.2

$1.16 CLP 1,151

82.76%

Potato (1kg)

$1.47 ฿49.34

$0.84 CLP 828

75.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.32 ฿44.37

$1.58 CLP 1,564

-16.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 ฿35.93

$1.24 CLP 1,226

-13.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.61

$1.17 CLP 1,158

-55.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.38 ฿147

$4.70 CLP 4,655

-6.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.59 ฿624

$4.46 CLP 4,418

316.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.75 ฿58.6

$1.39 CLP 1,378

25.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.86 ฿95.8

$2.37 CLP 2,342

20.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.26 ฿76.0

$0.85 CLP 845

165.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.98 ฿771

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.94 ฿98.7

$2.08 CLP 2,063

41.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.07 ฿35.84

$0.50 CLP 494

114.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.84 ฿129

$20.85 CLP 20.6K

-81.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.46 ฿48.96

$1.34 CLP 1,323

8.96%

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

$27.2K ฿912.2K

$13.3K CLP 13.2M

104.28%

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

$26.6K ฿893.5K

$14.6K CLP 14.5M

82.23%

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

$102 ฿3,420

$101 CLP 99.5K

1.38%

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

$10.96 ฿368

$10.89 CLP 10.8K

0.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.89 ฿567

$16.85 CLP 16.7K

0.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.4 ฿1,758

$32.00 CLP 31.7K

63.78%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.93 ฿367

$11.68 CLP 11.6K

-6.42%

Cinema Ticket

$7.52 ฿252

$5.21 CLP 5,151

44.34%

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

$547 ฿18.3K

$297 CLP 293.9K

84.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.3K ฿379.5K

$3,942 CLP 3.9M

187.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.2 ฿2,122

$47.26 CLP 46.8K

33.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.23 ฿981

$27.51 CLP 27.2K

6.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.8 ฿3,282

$59.5 CLP 58.9K

64.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.7 ฿2,909

$64.4 CLP 63.7K

34.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$721 ฿24.2K

$478 CLP 473.4K

50.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$476 ฿16.0K

$347 CLP 343.5K

37.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,081 ฿69.8K

$831 CLP 822.2K

150.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,194 ฿40.1K

$679 CLP 672.3K

75.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,577 ฿120.0K

$1,576 CLP 1.6M

126.91%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,541 ฿85.3K

$1,545 CLP 1.5M

64.46%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$489 ฿16.4K

$505 CLP 500.2K

-3.26%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

7.5

-25.73%

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

Last update for Phuket: September 28, 2026

Last update for Rancagua: September 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $721 in Phuket and $478 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: $33.00 in Phuket vs $28.00 in Rancagua for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $269 vs $200 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, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 29% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 3% lower in Rancagua. 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: $721 in Phuket versus $478 in Rancagua. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $547 in Phuket versus $297 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 $28.00 versus $33.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $963 in Rancagua versus $1,243 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 29% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.