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: $1,223 in Phuket versus $1,151 in San Bernardo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,237 in Phuket versus $1,752 in San Bernardo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,251 in Phuket versus $2,354 in San Bernardo.

Living in Phuket is roughly 6% more expensive than San Bernardo, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 8% lower, San Bernardo 14% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.51 ฿147

$10.86 CLP 9,623

-58.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.62 ฿1,515

$53.6 CLP 47.4K

-12.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.49 ฿276

$8.26 CLP 7,314

2.78%

Cappuccino

$3.08 ฿100

$3.13 CLP 2,776

-1.60%

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

$0.68 ฿22.07

$0.89 CLP 789

-23.60%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.75

$1.24 CLP 1,099

-70.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 ฿78.8

$3.32 CLP 2,939

-26.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 ฿118

$4.23 CLP 3,749

-14.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.19 ฿71.1

$1.11 CLP 983

97.30%

White Bread (500g)

$1.81 ฿59.0

$1.58 CLP 1,401

14.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.23 ฿72.5

$2.09 CLP 1,851

6.70%

Eggs

$2.24 ฿72.7

$4.10 CLP 3,632

-45.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.60 ฿637

$10.32 CLP 9,139

89.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.72 ฿121

$6.76 CLP 5,986

-44.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.47 ฿438

$11.05 CLP 9,790

21.90%

Apples (1kg)

$3.36 ฿109

$2.04 CLP 1,810

64.71%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 ฿52.5

$1.63 CLP 1,445

-0.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿78.3

$2.05 CLP 1,812

17.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.99 ฿64.6

$1.86 CLP 1,647

6.99%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.76

$1.90 CLP 1,681

-19.47%

Onion (1kg)

$1.45 ฿47.19

$1.62 CLP 1,434

-10.49%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 ฿32.96

$1.30 CLP 1,149

-22.31%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿15.73

$1.22 CLP 1,084

-60.66%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 ฿139

$3.38 CLP 2,995

26.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.12 ฿621

$6.73 CLP 5,959

184.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 ฿59.7

$1.60 CLP 1,419

15.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 ฿89.1

$2.58 CLP 2,289

6.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.42 ฿46.06

$0.58 CLP 518

144.83%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.72 ฿381

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.00 ฿97.6

$0.50 CLP 444

500.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.05 ฿34.00

$1.47 CLP 1,303

-28.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.90 ฿452

$11.45 CLP 10.1K

21.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 ฿41.94

$1.38 CLP 1,222

-6.52%

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

$28.0K ฿911.1K

$19.8K CLP 17.6M

41.27%

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

$33.5K ฿1.1M

$22.5K CLP 19.9M

49.04%

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

$122 ฿3,964

$133 CLP 117.8K

-8.28%

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

$13.93 ฿453

$13.51 CLP 12.0K

3.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.87 ฿613

$22.12 CLP 19.6K

-14.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.3 ฿1,992

$38.66 CLP 34.2K

58.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.84 ฿547

$21.47 CLP 19.0K

-21.56%

Cinema Ticket

$8.89 ฿289

$6.35 CLP 5,622

40.00%

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

$691 ฿22.5K

$431 CLP 381.6K

60.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.2K ฿525.2K

$8,522 CLP 7.5M

89.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.8 ฿1,878

$55.7 CLP 49.3K

3.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.39 ฿1,150

$33.41 CLP 29.6K

5.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 ฿3,685

$77.0 CLP 68.2K

47.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.0 ฿2,698

$83.5 CLP 74.0K

-0.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$607 ฿19.7K

$478 CLP 423.7K

26.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$448 ฿14.6K

$373 CLP 330.3K

20.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,029 ฿66.0K

$892 CLP 790.0K

127.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,493 ฿48.5K

$585 CLP 518.2K

155.24%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,585 ฿116.5K

$2,066 CLP 1.8M

73.53%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,585 ฿84.0K

$1,528 CLP 1.4M

69.24%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$505 ฿16.4K

$1,370 CLP 1.2M

-63.16%

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 13, 2026

Last update for San Bernardo: June 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $607 in Phuket and $478 in San Bernardo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

San Bernardo pays 171% 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 $54.0 in San Bernardo. Groceries flip the comparison at $292 vs $242, 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 6% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, San Bernardo earns 171% 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: $607 in Phuket versus $478 in San Bernardo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $691 in Phuket versus $431 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 $54.0 versus $47.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,151 in San Bernardo versus $1,223 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 6% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.