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: $1,232 in Phuket versus $925 in San Bernardo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,054 in Phuket versus $1,448 in San Bernardo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,876 in Phuket versus $1,972 in San Bernardo.

Living in Phuket is roughly 33% more expensive than in San Bernardo, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 10% lower, San Bernardo 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.41 ฿147

$8.01 CLP 7,647

-44.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.26 ฿1,077

$26.45 CLP 25.2K

21.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.93 ฿298

$6.98 CLP 6,657

27.94%

Cappuccino

$2.90 ฿96.6

$2.65 CLP 2,533

9.43%

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

$0.88 ฿29.38

$0.99 CLP 949

-11.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.06

$1.07 CLP 1,020

-55.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.35 ฿78.5

$4.20 CLP 4,010

-44.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿124

$4.72 CLP 4,504

-21.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 ฿62.3

$1.14 CLP 1,086

64.04%

White Bread (500g)

$1.47 ฿48.94

$1.28 CLP 1,219

14.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.8

$1.63 CLP 1,560

-4.91%

Eggs

$2.10 ฿70.1

$4.08 CLP 3,895

-48.53%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.59 ฿654

$11.42 CLP 10.9K

71.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.42 ฿114

$4.51 CLP 4,308

-24.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.38 ฿380

$10.98 CLP 10.5K

3.64%

Apples (1kg)

$2.98 ฿99.6

$1.90 CLP 1,809

56.84%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 ฿56.2

$1.59 CLP 1,516

5.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.21 ฿73.7

$1.47 CLP 1,407

50.34%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.16 ฿72.1

$1.77 CLP 1,688

22.03%

Potato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿50.9

$0.88 CLP 840

72.73%

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 ฿44.67

$0.80 CLP 764

67.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 ฿37.67

$1.25 CLP 1,188

-9.60%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ฿18.24

$1.13 CLP 1,081

-51.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.26 ฿142

$3.32 CLP 3,164

28.31%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.09 ฿637

$6.09 CLP 5,810

213.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿59.4

$1.61 CLP 1,540

10.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿92.9

$2.52 CLP 2,405

10.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.23 ฿74.4

$0.81 CLP 776

175.31%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.74 ฿759

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 ฿101

$0.41 CLP 389

639.02%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 ฿34.15

$0.93 CLP 886

9.68%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.89 ฿130

$11.80 CLP 11.3K

-67.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿49.77

$1.36 CLP 1,301

9.56%

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

$26.6K ฿887.3K

$18.4K CLP 17.5M

44.74%

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

$27.0K ฿902.2K

$21.7K CLP 20.7M

24.69%

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

$102 ฿3,420

$125 CLP 118.9K

-17.77%

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

$11.33 ฿378

$12.48 CLP 11.9K

-9.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.40 ฿581

$16.51 CLP 15.8K

5.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.1 ฿1,738

$20.41 CLP 19.5K

155.17%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.07 ฿370

Cinema Ticket

$7.69 ฿257

$7.67 CLP 7,320

0.26%

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

$561 ฿18.7K

$447 CLP 426.9K

25.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.5K ฿384.1K

$11.1K CLP 10.6M

3.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.0 ฿2,104

$37.13 CLP 35.4K

69.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.52 ฿986

$27.27 CLP 26.0K

8.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.0 ฿3,272

$68.2 CLP 65.1K

43.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.5 ฿2,954

$82.1 CLP 78.4K

7.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$738 ฿24.6K

$279 CLP 265.8K

164.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.1K

$256 CLP 244.0K

88.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,107 ฿70.3K

$716 CLP 683.3K

194.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,226 ฿40.9K

$552 CLP 526.7K

122.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,617 ฿120.7K

$1,925 CLP 1.8M

87.92%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,603 ฿86.9K

$1,417 CLP 1.4M

83.63%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.5K

$1,347 CLP 1.3M

-63.35%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

5.39

3.34%

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

Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026

Last update for San Bernardo: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $738 in Phuket and $279 in San Bernardo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

San Bernardo pays 173% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $32.00 in Phuket vs $26.00 in San Bernardo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $274 vs $219 per month, with San Bernardo 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 San Bernardo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

San Bernardo is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 33% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 173% 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: $738 in Phuket versus $279 in San Bernardo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $561 in Phuket versus $447 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 $26.00 versus $32.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $925 in San Bernardo versus $1,232 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 33% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.