Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Talcahuano Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Talcahuano

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,261 in Phuket versus $1,086 in Talcahuano.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,286 in Phuket versus $1,652 in Talcahuano.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,310 in Phuket versus $2,218 in Talcahuano.

Living in Phuket is roughly 16% more expensive than Talcahuano, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 6% lower, Talcahuano 19% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.56 ฿149

$8.40 CLP 7,552

-45.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.63 ฿1,519

$43.87 CLP 39.4K

6.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.47 ฿276

$7.95 CLP 7,148

6.54%

Cappuccino

$3.03 ฿98.6

$2.83 CLP 2,545

7.07%

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

$0.69 ฿22.45

$1.31 CLP 1,177

-47.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.92

$1.05 CLP 947

-64.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.49 ฿81.0

$3.21 CLP 2,888

-22.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

$4.08 CLP 3,666

-10.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.18 ฿71.0

$1.23 CLP 1,107

77.24%

White Bread (500g)

$1.90 ฿62.0

$1.51 CLP 1,355

25.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.20 ฿71.6

$1.95 CLP 1,750

12.82%

Eggs

$2.22 ฿72.4

$3.56 CLP 3,196

-37.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.99 ฿651

$10.33 CLP 9,286

93.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.66 ฿119

$6.52 CLP 5,859

-43.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.25 ฿432

$11.05 CLP 9,934

19.91%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿105

$1.83 CLP 1,647

76.50%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.3

$1.55 CLP 1,393

9.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.39 ฿78.0

$1.59 CLP 1,430

50.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿67.7

$1.45 CLP 1,305

43.45%

Potato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$1.30 CLP 1,166

22.31%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.31

$1.34 CLP 1,205

10.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 ฿33.54

$1.28 CLP 1,147

-19.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿16.83

$1.17 CLP 1,054

-55.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.25 ฿138

$5.30 CLP 4,761

-19.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.79 ฿612

$5.98 CLP 5,372

214.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 ฿57.2

$1.59 CLP 1,429

10.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 ฿89.8

$2.28 CLP 2,051

21.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.36 ฿44.32

$0.62 CLP 554

119.35%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.36 ฿370

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 ฿102

$0.48 CLP 429

554.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿33.74

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.77 ฿448

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ฿43.79

$1.44 CLP 1,291

-6.94%

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

$27.7K ฿901.4K

$19.3K CLP 17.3M

43.74%

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

$33.9K ฿1.1M

$21.3K CLP 19.1M

58.93%

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

$124 ฿4,025

$130 CLP 117.0K

-5.10%

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

$13.52 ฿440

$13.78 CLP 12.4K

-1.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.69 ฿609

$22.05 CLP 19.8K

-15.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.8 ฿2,013

$38.25 CLP 34.4K

61.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.25 ฿562

$21.50 CLP 19.3K

-19.77%

Cinema Ticket

$9.14 ฿298

$5.68 CLP 5,108

60.92%

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

$703 ฿22.9K

$443 CLP 397.9K

58.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.9K ฿517.0K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,937

$50.9 CLP 45.7K

16.91%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.07 ฿1,142

$30.54 CLP 27.4K

14.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,754

$61.5 CLP 55.2K

87.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.1 ฿2,737

$83.1 CLP 74.7K

1.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$619 ฿20.1K

$474 CLP 425.7K

30.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$433 ฿14.1K

$366 CLP 328.8K

18.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,062 ฿67.2K

$872 CLP 783.6K

136.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,511 ฿49.2K

$599 CLP 538.1K

152.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,646 ฿118.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,626 ฿85.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$507 ฿16.5K

$664 CLP 596.7K

-23.64%

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 7, 2026

Last update for Talcahuano: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $619 in Phuket and $474 in Talcahuano. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Talcahuano pays 31% 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 $44.00 in Talcahuano for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $228 per month, with Talcahuano 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 Talcahuano: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Talcahuano is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 16% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Talcahuano earns 31% 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: $619 in Phuket versus $474 in Talcahuano. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $703 in Phuket versus $443 in Talcahuano. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Talcahuano – a meal for two runs $44.00 versus $47.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,086 in Talcahuano versus $1,261 in Phuket, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Talcahuano but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Talcahuano the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Talcahuano 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 Talcahuano 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 Talcahuano gentler on the wallet – expenses run 16% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.