Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Santiago Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Santiago

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,250 in Phuket versus $1,288 in Santiago.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,284 in Phuket versus $2,020 in Santiago.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,317 in Phuket versus $2,752 in Santiago.

Living in Phuket costs roughly 3% less than in Santiago, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 6% lower, Santiago 4% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.55 ฿153

$10.72 CLP 10.0K

-57.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.18 ฿1,553

$54.8 CLP 51.1K

-15.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 ฿297

$8.16 CLP 7,621

8.33%

Cappuccino

$3.06 ฿103

$3.16 CLP 2,948

-3.16%

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

$0.73 ฿24.40

$1.78 CLP 1,665

-58.99%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 ฿13.39

$1.25 CLP 1,165

-68.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 ฿81.8

$3.31 CLP 3,094

-26.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.78 ฿127

$4.24 CLP 3,956

-10.85%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ฿76.0

$1.18 CLP 1,104

91.53%

White Bread (500g)

$1.81 ฿60.9

$1.53 CLP 1,433

18.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.25 ฿75.8

$2.18 CLP 2,036

3.21%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.5

$4.19 CLP 3,908

-46.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.51 ฿656

$10.65 CLP 9,939

83.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.65 ฿123

$6.59 CLP 6,151

-44.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.05 ฿439

$11.13 CLP 10.4K

17.25%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿109

$2.09 CLP 1,952

54.55%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 ฿54.4

$1.55 CLP 1,443

4.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.38 ฿80.1

$2.07 CLP 1,928

14.98%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿68.1

$1.86 CLP 1,735

9.14%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿51.6

$1.95 CLP 1,824

-21.54%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.5

$1.63 CLP 1,518

-7.98%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.91

$1.28 CLP 1,197

-23.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.39

$1.25 CLP 1,163

-58.40%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.44 ฿149

$5.75 CLP 5,373

-22.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.32 ฿616

$6.50 CLP 6,066

181.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.7

$1.56 CLP 1,456

19.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 ฿90.1

$2.48 CLP 2,314

8.06%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.41 ฿47.46

$0.85 CLP 790

65.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.70 ฿393

$42.60 CLP 39.8K

-72.54%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.11 ฿105

$0.51 CLP 478

509.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿35.06

$1.45 CLP 1,354

-28.28%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.11 ฿474

$11.30 CLP 10.5K

24.87%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 ฿44.10

$1.39 CLP 1,293

-5.76%

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

$27.8K ฿935.4K

$19.5K CLP 18.3M

42.29%

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

$33.2K ฿1.1M

$22.6K CLP 21.1M

47.23%

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

$122 ฿4,118

$134 CLP 124.9K

-8.47%

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

$13.59 ฿457

$13.59 CLP 12.7K

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.70 ฿629

$22.02 CLP 20.6K

-15.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.5 ฿2,034

$34.67 CLP 32.4K

74.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.98 ฿571

$21.24 CLP 19.8K

-20.06%

Cinema Ticket

$9.07 ฿305

$6.29 CLP 5,872

44.20%

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

$706 ฿23.8K

$436 CLP 407.5K

61.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿531.5K

$8,744 CLP 8.2M

80.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.6 ฿1,969

$55.3 CLP 51.7K

5.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.36 ฿1,189

$32.30 CLP 30.2K

9.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,883

$77.3 CLP 72.1K

49.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.7 ฿2,816

$85.5 CLP 79.8K

-2.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$626 ฿21.0K

$515 CLP 480.5K

21.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$445 ฿15.0K

$462 CLP 431.2K

-3.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,040 ฿68.6K

$989 CLP 923.1K

106.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 ฿50.2K

$920 CLP 858.8K

62.22%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,483 ฿117.1K

$2,871 CLP 2.7M

21.32%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,577 ฿86.7K

$2,757 CLP 2.6M

-6.56%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$500 ฿16.8K

$803 CLP 749.6K

-37.74%

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 12, 2026

Last update for Santiago: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $626 in Phuket and $515 in Santiago. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Santiago pays 61% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $46.00 in Phuket vs $55.0 in Santiago. Groceries flip the comparison at $289 vs $243, with Santiago 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 Santiago: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 3% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 61% lower in Santiago. 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: $626 in Phuket versus $515 in Santiago. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $706 in Phuket versus $436 in Santiago. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Santiago pay roughly 19% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $1,250 in Phuket versus $1,288 in Santiago, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Santiago. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Phuket is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Santiago, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Phuket and Santiago 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 Phuket gentler on the wallet – expenses run 3% less than in Santiago. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.