Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Temuco Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Temuco

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,264 in Phuket versus $1,193 in Temuco.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,256 in Phuket versus $1,736 in Temuco.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,248 in Phuket versus $2,279 in Temuco.

Living in Phuket is roughly 6% more expensive than in Temuco, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 5% lower, Temuco 10% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.48 ฿150

$7.21 CLP 6,706

-37.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.59 ฿1,521

$32.62 CLP 30.4K

39.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.76 ฿292

$7.43 CLP 6,910

17.90%

Cappuccino

$2.97 ฿99.0

$3.89 CLP 3,617

-23.65%

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

$0.69 ฿22.90

$2.33 CLP 2,166

-70.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 ฿13.04

$1.23 CLP 1,141

-68.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.53 ฿84.4

$3.83 CLP 3,566

-33.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.75 ฿125

$3.46 CLP 3,220

8.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.15 ฿71.6

$1.18 CLP 1,101

82.20%

White Bread (500g)

$1.82 ฿60.6

$1.47 CLP 1,372

23.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.18 ฿72.9

$1.37 CLP 1,271

59.12%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.0

$3.45 CLP 3,214

-34.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$20.00 ฿667

$9.64 CLP 8,966

107.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿121

$6.37 CLP 5,927

-43.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.56 ฿452

$12.11 CLP 11.3K

11.97%

Apples (1kg)

$3.24 ฿108

$1.93 CLP 1,795

67.88%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ฿54.6

$2.06 CLP 1,919

-20.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.33 ฿77.8

$2.19 CLP 2,038

6.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.07 ฿69.1

$2.22 CLP 2,068

-6.76%

Potato (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.6

$2.49 CLP 2,314

-37.75%

Onion (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.54

$2.68 CLP 2,496

-45.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.86

$1.93 CLP 1,797

-49.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.09

$1.19 CLP 1,104

-59.66%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 ฿145

$4.83 CLP 4,498

-9.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.57 ฿620

$5.02 CLP 4,674

269.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿61.9

$1.63 CLP 1,515

14.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.65 ฿88.6

$2.24 CLP 2,088

18.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.42 ฿47.28

$0.87 CLP 812

63.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.57 ฿386

$35.22 CLP 32.8K

-67.15%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 ฿106

$0.88 CLP 820

260.23%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.03 ฿34.41

$1.53 CLP 1,425

-32.68%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.89 ฿463

$9.92 CLP 9,232

40.02%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ฿44.84

$1.45 CLP 1,345

-7.59%

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

$27.8K ฿927.1K

$13.0K CLP 12.1M

114.43%

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

$33.4K ฿1.1M

$18.5K CLP 17.2M

80.45%

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

$123 ฿4,105

$211 CLP 196.6K

-41.77%

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

$13.77 ฿459

$11.86 CLP 11.0K

16.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.33 ฿611

$14.93 CLP 13.9K

22.77%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.7 ฿2,025

$50.0 CLP 46.5K

21.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.16 ฿573

$48.95 CLP 45.5K

-64.94%

Cinema Ticket

$8.87 ฿296

$4.84 CLP 4,500

83.26%

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

$688 ฿22.9K

$232 CLP 215.9K

196.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿526.4K

$2,914 CLP 2.7M

441.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.3 ฿1,978

$46.83 CLP 43.6K

26.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.69 ฿1,157

$18.67 CLP 17.4K

85.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,843

$69.1 CLP 64.3K

66.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.8 ฿2,794

$88.5 CLP 82.3K

-5.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$621 ฿20.7K

$417 CLP 387.6K

49.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$446 ฿14.9K

$342 CLP 317.9K

30.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,034 ฿67.8K

$730 CLP 679.3K

178.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,496 ฿49.9K

$538 CLP 500.8K

177.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,455 ฿115.3K

$2,083 CLP 1.9M

65.88%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,531 ฿84.4K

$1,697 CLP 1.6M

49.16%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.5K

$540 CLP 502.1K

-8.52%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

4.8

11.04%

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

Last update for Phuket: July 27, 2026

Last update for Temuco: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $621 in Phuket and $417 in Temuco. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Temuco pays 9% 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 $33.00 in Temuco for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $291 vs $242 per month, with Temuco 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 Temuco: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Temuco is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 6% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 9% lower in Temuco. 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 $417 in Temuco. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $688 in Phuket versus $232 in Temuco. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 20% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,193 in Temuco versus $1,264 in Phuket, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Temuco but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Temuco the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Temuco 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 Temuco 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 Temuco gentler on the wallet – expenses run 6% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.