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: $1,232 in Phuket versus $1,200 in Temuco.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,255 in Phuket versus $1,768 in Temuco.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,279 in Phuket versus $2,335 in Temuco.

Living in Phuket is roughly 3% more expensive than Temuco, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 8% lower, Temuco 10% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.63 ฿151

$6.99 CLP 6,215

-33.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.84 ฿1,532

$32.11 CLP 28.6K

45.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 ฿289

$7.74 CLP 6,886

14.21%

Cappuccino

$3.00 ฿98.0

$3.87 CLP 3,445

-22.48%

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

$0.74 ฿24.25

$2.32 CLP 2,067

-68.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.95

$1.28 CLP 1,136

-71.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.44 ฿79.8

$3.69 CLP 3,285

-33.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.61 ฿118

$3.47 CLP 3,088

4.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ฿73.9

$1.18 CLP 1,046

91.53%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 ฿60.1

$1.47 CLP 1,307

25.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.24 ฿73.4

$1.31 CLP 1,162

70.99%

Eggs

$2.32 ฿75.7

$3.54 CLP 3,149

-34.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.67 ฿643

$9.63 CLP 8,561

104.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.65 ฿119

$6.05 CLP 5,375

-39.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.10 ฿428

$12.01 CLP 10.7K

9.08%

Apples (1kg)

$3.39 ฿111

$1.95 CLP 1,735

73.85%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.7

$2.09 CLP 1,860

-21.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿79.0

$2.13 CLP 1,891

13.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿66.4

$2.25 CLP 1,998

-9.78%

Potato (1kg)

$1.56 ฿50.9

$2.47 CLP 2,199

-36.84%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿48.94

$2.60 CLP 2,311

-42.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 ฿33.50

$1.93 CLP 1,717

-47.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.00

$1.19 CLP 1,056

-58.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.45 ฿145

$4.78 CLP 4,253

-6.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.88 ฿617

$5.16 CLP 4,590

265.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

$1.58 CLP 1,401

12.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.75 ฿90.1

$2.13 CLP 1,896

29.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.40 ฿45.81

$0.86 CLP 761

62.79%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.48 ฿376

$34.54 CLP 30.7K

-66.76%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.12 ฿102

$0.84 CLP 744

271.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.00 ฿32.67

$1.55 CLP 1,381

-35.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.09 ฿461

$9.97 CLP 8,868

41.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 ฿44.19

$1.41 CLP 1,258

-4.26%

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

$27.2K ฿888.9K

$13.2K CLP 11.7M

106.30%

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$18.3K CLP 16.3M

79.44%

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

$125 ฿4,087

$217 CLP 192.6K

-42.30%

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

$13.57 ฿444

$11.89 CLP 10.6K

14.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.52 ฿606

$14.96 CLP 13.3K

23.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.5 ฿2,010

$49.69 CLP 44.2K

23.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.84 ฿551

$48.98 CLP 43.6K

-65.62%

Cinema Ticket

$9.19 ฿300

$4.83 CLP 4,299

90.27%

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

$698 ฿22.8K

$228 CLP 202.8K

206.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.6K ฿509.9K

$2,869 CLP 2.6M

443.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.8 ฿1,889

$45.94 CLP 40.8K

25.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.24 ฿1,152

$18.48 CLP 16.4K

90.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 ฿3,699

$69.4 CLP 61.7K

62.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.4 ฿2,825

$88.3 CLP 78.5K

-2.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$616 ฿20.1K

$422 CLP 375.2K

45.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$446 ฿14.6K

$343 CLP 304.9K

30.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,048 ฿67.0K

$740 CLP 658.0K

176.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 ฿48.8K

$524 CLP 465.7K

184.90%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,779 ฿123.6K

$2,187 CLP 1.9M

72.73%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,649 ฿86.6K

$1,837 CLP 1.6M

44.19%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$524 ฿17.1K

$585 CLP 520.0K

-10.43%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Temuco: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $616 in Phuket and $422 in Temuco. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Temuco pays 12% 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 $32.00 in Temuco for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $292 vs $240 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 3% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Temuco earns 12% 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 $422 in Temuco. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $698 in Phuket versus $228 in Temuco. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 22% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,200 in Temuco versus $1,232 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 3% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.