Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and San Bernardo Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and San Bernardo

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,264 in Phuket versus $1,156 in San Bernardo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,256 in Phuket versus $1,786 in San Bernardo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,248 in Phuket versus $2,416 in San Bernardo.

Living in Phuket is roughly 9% more expensive than in San Bernardo, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 5% lower, San Bernardo 13% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.48 ฿150

$10.84 CLP 10.1K

-58.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.59 ฿1,521

$53.4 CLP 49.7K

-14.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.76 ฿292

$8.40 CLP 7,813

4.29%

Cappuccino

$2.97 ฿99.0

$3.14 CLP 2,923

-5.41%

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

$0.69 ฿22.90

$0.94 CLP 870

-26.60%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 ฿13.04

$1.29 CLP 1,200

-69.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.53 ฿84.4

$3.19 CLP 2,972

-20.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.75 ฿125

$4.27 CLP 3,975

-12.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.15 ฿71.6

$1.11 CLP 1,036

93.69%

White Bread (500g)

$1.82 ฿60.6

$1.52 CLP 1,418

19.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.18 ฿72.9

$2.12 CLP 1,969

2.83%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.0

$4.12 CLP 3,834

-45.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$20.00 ฿667

$10.51 CLP 9,783

90.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿121

$6.72 CLP 6,248

-45.98%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.56 ฿452

$10.83 CLP 10.1K

25.21%

Apples (1kg)

$3.24 ฿108

$2.07 CLP 1,930

56.52%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ฿54.6

$1.63 CLP 1,513

0.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.33 ฿77.8

$2.11 CLP 1,962

10.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.07 ฿69.1

$1.93 CLP 1,791

7.25%

Potato (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.6

$1.93 CLP 1,796

-19.69%

Onion (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.54

$1.61 CLP 1,498

-9.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.86

$1.29 CLP 1,199

-24.03%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.09

$1.22 CLP 1,137

-60.66%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 ฿145

$3.48 CLP 3,242

25.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.57 ฿620

$6.24 CLP 5,807

197.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿61.9

$1.54 CLP 1,431

20.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.65 ฿88.6

$2.47 CLP 2,301

7.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.42 ฿47.28

$0.58 CLP 539

144.83%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.57 ฿386

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 ฿106

$0.51 CLP 471

521.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.03 ฿34.41

$1.46 CLP 1,354

-29.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.89 ฿463

$11.69 CLP 10.9K

18.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ฿44.84

$1.42 CLP 1,320

-5.63%

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

$27.8K ฿927.1K

$19.4K CLP 18.0M

43.37%

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

$33.4K ฿1.1M

$23.1K CLP 21.5M

44.77%

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

$123 ฿4,105

$130 CLP 121.0K

-5.35%

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

$13.77 ฿459

$13.61 CLP 12.7K

1.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.33 ฿611

$22.23 CLP 20.7K

-17.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.7 ฿2,025

$38.49 CLP 35.8K

57.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.16 ฿573

$20.84 CLP 19.4K

-17.66%

Cinema Ticket

$8.87 ฿296

$6.52 CLP 6,066

36.04%

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

$688 ฿22.9K

$444 CLP 413.0K

54.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿526.4K

$8,593 CLP 8.0M

83.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.3 ฿1,978

$54.4 CLP 50.7K

8.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.69 ฿1,157

$32.35 CLP 30.1K

7.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,843

$78.0 CLP 72.5K

47.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.8 ฿2,794

$83.8 CLP 78.0K

-0.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$621 ฿20.7K

$485 CLP 451.1K

28.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$446 ฿14.9K

$380 CLP 353.7K

17.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,034 ฿67.8K

$889 CLP 827.4K

128.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,496 ฿49.9K

$592 CLP 551.0K

152.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,455 ฿115.3K

$1,945 CLP 1.8M

77.59%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,531 ฿84.4K

$1,395 CLP 1.3M

81.51%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.5K

$1,390 CLP 1.3M

-64.48%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for San Bernardo: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $621 in Phuket and $485 in San Bernardo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

San Bernardo pays 182% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $46.00 in Phuket vs $53.0 in San Bernardo. Groceries flip the comparison at $291 vs $241, with San Bernardo cheaper for home cooking.

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 San Bernardo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

San Bernardo is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 9% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 182% lower in San Bernardo. 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: $621 in Phuket versus $485 in San Bernardo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $688 in Phuket versus $444 in San Bernardo. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in San Bernardo – a meal for two runs $53.0 versus $46.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,156 in San Bernardo versus $1,264 in Phuket, a $1,000 budget is realistic in San Bernardo but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes San Bernardo the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, San Bernardo 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 San Bernardo 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 San Bernardo gentler on the wallet – expenses run 9% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.