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 $1,133 in San Bernardo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,255 in Phuket versus $1,747 in San Bernardo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,279 in Phuket versus $2,360 in San Bernardo.

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

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 8% lower, San Bernardo 15% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.63 ฿151

$10.65 CLP 9,469

-56.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.84 ฿1,532

$53.6 CLP 47.7K

-12.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 ฿289

$8.39 CLP 7,460

5.36%

Cappuccino

$3.00 ฿98.0

$3.29 CLP 2,926

-8.81%

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

$0.74 ฿24.25

$0.87 CLP 778

-14.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.95

$1.31 CLP 1,163

-71.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.44 ฿79.8

$3.32 CLP 2,953

-26.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.61 ฿118

$4.40 CLP 3,911

-17.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ฿73.9

$1.16 CLP 1,030

94.83%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 ฿60.1

$1.51 CLP 1,345

21.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.24 ฿73.4

$2.08 CLP 1,852

7.69%

Eggs

$2.32 ฿75.7

$4.10 CLP 3,649

-43.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.67 ฿643

$10.53 CLP 9,367

86.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.65 ฿119

$6.78 CLP 6,024

-46.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.10 ฿428

$11.02 CLP 9,801

18.87%

Apples (1kg)

$3.39 ฿111

$2.00 CLP 1,779

69.50%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.7

$1.56 CLP 1,390

5.13%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿79.0

$2.11 CLP 1,873

14.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿66.4

$1.93 CLP 1,714

5.18%

Potato (1kg)

$1.56 ฿50.9

$1.86 CLP 1,657

-16.13%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿48.94

$1.69 CLP 1,507

-11.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 ฿33.50

$1.35 CLP 1,199

-24.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.00

$1.22 CLP 1,088

-59.84%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.45 ฿145

$3.36 CLP 2,984

32.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.88 ฿617

$6.80 CLP 6,048

177.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

$1.54 CLP 1,365

15.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.75 ฿90.1

$2.60 CLP 2,309

5.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.40 ฿45.81

$0.63 CLP 560

122.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.48 ฿376

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.12 ฿102

$0.51 CLP 451

511.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.00 ฿32.67

$1.40 CLP 1,245

-28.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.09 ฿461

$11.40 CLP 10.1K

23.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 ฿44.19

$1.42 CLP 1,267

-4.93%

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

$27.2K ฿888.9K

$19.3K CLP 17.2M

40.76%

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$22.3K CLP 19.8M

47.66%

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

$125 ฿4,087

$130 CLP 115.4K

-3.72%

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

$13.57 ฿444

$13.51 CLP 12.0K

0.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.52 ฿606

$22.15 CLP 19.7K

-16.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.5 ฿2,010

$38.06 CLP 33.8K

61.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.84 ฿551

$21.01 CLP 18.7K

-19.85%

Cinema Ticket

$9.19 ฿300

$6.29 CLP 5,593

46.10%

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

$698 ฿22.8K

$440 CLP 390.8K

58.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.6K ฿509.9K

$8,722 CLP 7.8M

78.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.8 ฿1,889

$54.9 CLP 48.8K

5.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.24 ฿1,152

$32.33 CLP 28.8K

9.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 ฿3,699

$77.2 CLP 68.6K

46.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.4 ฿2,825

$83.2 CLP 74.0K

3.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$616 ฿20.1K

$472 CLP 419.9K

30.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$446 ฿14.6K

$373 CLP 331.8K

19.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,048 ฿67.0K

$888 CLP 789.3K

130.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 ฿48.8K

$594 CLP 528.5K

151.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,779 ฿123.6K

$2,050 CLP 1.8M

84.29%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,649 ฿86.6K

$1,513 CLP 1.3M

75.04%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$524 ฿17.1K

$1,382 CLP 1.2M

-62.10%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for San Bernardo: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $616 in Phuket and $472 in San Bernardo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

San Bernardo pays 164% 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 $243, 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, San Bernardo earns 164% 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: $616 in Phuket versus $472 in San Bernardo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $698 in Phuket versus $440 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 $1,133 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 9% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.