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 $1,030 in Rancagua.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,078 in Phuket versus $1,595 in Rancagua.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,896 in Phuket versus $2,160 in Rancagua.

Living in Phuket is roughly 22% more expensive than in Rancagua, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 8% lower, Rancagua 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.43 ฿145

$8.96 CLP 8,268

-50.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.07 ฿1,151

$29.90 CLP 27.6K

17.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.96 ฿294

$6.09 CLP 5,622

47.13%

Cappuccino

$3.00 ฿98.4

$2.60 CLP 2,403

15.38%

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

$0.77 ฿25.33

$1.12 CLP 1,033

-31.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.47 ฿15.44

$0.87 CLP 804

-45.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.40 ฿78.6

$4.17 CLP 3,846

-42.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.75 ฿123

$3.18 CLP 2,938

17.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.82 ฿59.8

$1.11 CLP 1,026

63.96%

White Bread (500g)

$1.42 ฿46.65

$1.25 CLP 1,149

13.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 ฿50.8

$1.61 CLP 1,487

-3.73%

Eggs

$2.13 ฿69.9

$3.09 CLP 2,851

-31.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.76 ฿648

$10.47 CLP 9,660

88.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.48 ฿114

$3.92 CLP 3,617

-11.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.09 ฿364

$12.24 CLP 11.3K

-9.40%

Apples (1kg)

$2.91 ฿95.5

$1.62 CLP 1,491

79.63%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 ฿54.6

$2.14 CLP 1,979

-22.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.27 ฿74.5

$1.89 CLP 1,743

20.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.10 ฿68.8

$1.24 CLP 1,142

69.35%

Potato (1kg)

$1.47 ฿48.24

$0.85 CLP 780

72.94%

Onion (1kg)

$1.41 ฿46.29

$1.68 CLP 1,553

-16.07%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.09 ฿35.78

$1.26 CLP 1,159

-13.49%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 ฿17.58

$1.23 CLP 1,139

-56.10%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.48 ฿147

$4.80 CLP 4,432

-6.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.72 ฿614

$4.70 CLP 4,337

298.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 ฿60.4

$1.46 CLP 1,349

26.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.95 ฿96.7

$2.45 CLP 2,261

20.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.26 ฿74.1

$0.88 CLP 815

156.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.07 ฿757

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.04 ฿99.9

$0.75 CLP 692

305.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.09 ฿35.82

$0.52 CLP 483

109.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.82 ฿125

$21.95 CLP 20.2K

-82.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿48.79

$1.39 CLP 1,283

7.19%

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

$27.4K ฿900.3K

$14.2K CLP 13.1M

93.18%

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

$27.5K ฿902.7K

$15.9K CLP 14.7M

73.02%

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

$102 ฿3,340

$107 CLP 98.9K

-5.05%

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

$11.28 ฿370

$11.29 CLP 10.4K

-0.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.75 ฿582

$17.80 CLP 16.4K

-0.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.2 ฿1,777

$34.12 CLP 31.5K

58.76%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.96 ฿360

$12.61 CLP 11.6K

-13.08%

Cinema Ticket

$7.85 ฿258

$5.37 CLP 4,951

46.18%

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

$577 ฿18.9K

$303 CLP 280.0K

90.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.6K ฿381.6K

$4,134 CLP 3.8M

181.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$65.4 ฿2,144

$48.88 CLP 45.1K

33.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.89 ฿948

$29.66 CLP 27.4K

-2.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.1 ฿3,250

$62.8 CLP 57.9K

57.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.3 ฿2,961

$67.3 CLP 62.1K

34.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$756 ฿24.8K

$507 CLP 468.0K

48.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$487 ฿16.0K

$367 CLP 338.4K

32.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,085 ฿68.4K

$875 CLP 807.4K

138.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,207 ฿39.6K

$710 CLP 655.4K

69.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,591 ฿117.8K

$1,646 CLP 1.5M

118.20%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,610 ฿85.6K

$1,657 CLP 1.5M

57.50%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$502 ฿16.5K

$528 CLP 486.7K

-4.81%

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: August 18, 2026

Last update for Rancagua: August 17, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $756 in Phuket and $507 in Rancagua. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Rancagua pays 5% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $35.00 in Phuket vs $30.00 in Rancagua for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $272 vs $212 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. The 22% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 5% 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: $756 in Phuket versus $507 in Rancagua. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $577 in Phuket versus $303 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 $35.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,030 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 22% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.