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: $1,264 in Phuket versus $1,102 in Talcahuano.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,256 in Phuket versus $1,655 in Talcahuano.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,248 in Phuket versus $2,208 in Talcahuano.

Living in Phuket is roughly 15% more expensive than in Talcahuano, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 5% lower, Talcahuano 17% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.48 ฿150

$8.52 CLP 7,930

-47.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.59 ฿1,521

$44.93 CLP 41.8K

1.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.76 ฿292

$7.93 CLP 7,377

10.47%

Cappuccino

$2.97 ฿99.0

$2.76 CLP 2,564

7.61%

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

$0.69 ฿22.90

$1.34 CLP 1,247

-48.51%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 ฿13.04

$1.02 CLP 953

-61.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.53 ฿84.4

$3.28 CLP 3,051

-22.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.75 ฿125

$4.16 CLP 3,867

-9.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.15 ฿71.6

$1.18 CLP 1,096

82.20%

White Bread (500g)

$1.82 ฿60.6

$1.57 CLP 1,457

15.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.18 ฿72.9

$1.85 CLP 1,725

17.84%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.0

$3.59 CLP 3,342

-37.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$20.00 ฿667

$10.59 CLP 9,854

88.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿121

$6.77 CLP 6,297

-46.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.56 ฿452

$10.82 CLP 10.1K

25.32%

Apples (1kg)

$3.24 ฿108

$1.83 CLP 1,701

77.05%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ฿54.6

$1.58 CLP 1,469

3.80%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.33 ฿77.8

$1.54 CLP 1,437

51.30%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.07 ฿69.1

$1.51 CLP 1,407

37.09%

Potato (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.6

$1.23 CLP 1,144

26.02%

Onion (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.54

$1.41 CLP 1,309

3.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.86

$1.27 CLP 1,186

-22.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.09

$1.19 CLP 1,105

-59.66%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 ฿145

$5.31 CLP 4,941

-18.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.57 ฿620

$6.23 CLP 5,799

198.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿61.9

$1.59 CLP 1,484

16.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.65 ฿88.6

$2.24 CLP 2,082

18.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.42 ฿47.28

$0.62 CLP 580

129.03%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.57 ฿386

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 ฿106

$0.51 CLP 472

521.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.03 ฿34.41

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.89 ฿463

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ฿44.84

$1.37 CLP 1,273

-2.19%

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

$27.8K ฿927.1K

$19.9K CLP 18.6M

39.33%

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

$33.4K ฿1.1M

$21.1K CLP 19.6M

58.11%

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

$123 ฿4,105

$131 CLP 122.1K

-6.22%

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

$13.77 ฿459

$13.58 CLP 12.6K

1.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.33 ฿611

$22.10 CLP 20.6K

-17.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.7 ฿2,025

$39.11 CLP 36.4K

55.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.16 ฿573

$21.35 CLP 19.9K

-19.63%

Cinema Ticket

$8.87 ฿296

$5.70 CLP 5,299

55.61%

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

$688 ฿22.9K

$436 CLP 405.3K

57.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿526.4K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.3 ฿1,978

$51.1 CLP 47.6K

15.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.69 ฿1,157

$30.52 CLP 28.4K

13.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,843

$62.8 CLP 58.4K

83.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.8 ฿2,794

$81.9 CLP 76.2K

2.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$621 ฿20.7K

$476 CLP 442.6K

30.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$446 ฿14.9K

$367 CLP 341.4K

21.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,034 ฿67.8K

$875 CLP 814.0K

132.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,496 ฿49.9K

$592 CLP 550.4K

152.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,455 ฿115.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,531 ฿84.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.5K

$629 CLP 585.1K

-21.50%

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 27, 2026

Last update for Talcahuano: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $621 in Phuket and $476 in Talcahuano. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Talcahuano pays 27% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $46.00 in Phuket vs $45.00 in Talcahuano for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $291 vs $230 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 15% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 27% lower in Talcahuano. 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: $621 in Phuket versus $476 in Talcahuano. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $688 in Phuket versus $436 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 $45.00 versus $46.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,102 in Talcahuano versus $1,264 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 15% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.