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 $1,113 in Temuco.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,054 in Phuket versus $1,656 in Temuco.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,876 in Phuket versus $2,199 in Temuco.

Living in Phuket is roughly 11% more expensive than in Temuco, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 10% lower, Temuco 19% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.41 ฿147

$7.66 CLP 7,309

-42.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.26 ฿1,077

$31.48 CLP 30.0K

2.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.93 ฿298

$7.14 CLP 6,817

25.07%

Cappuccino

$2.90 ฿96.6

$3.87 CLP 3,693

-25.06%

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

$0.88 ฿29.38

$2.25 CLP 2,143

-60.89%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.06

$1.15 CLP 1,093

-58.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.35 ฿78.5

$3.72 CLP 3,553

-36.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿124

$3.35 CLP 3,199

11.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 ฿62.3

$1.18 CLP 1,121

58.47%

White Bread (500g)

$1.47 ฿48.94

$1.43 CLP 1,366

2.80%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.8

$1.33 CLP 1,265

16.54%

Eggs

$2.10 ฿70.1

$3.48 CLP 3,317

-39.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.59 ฿654

$9.25 CLP 8,828

111.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.42 ฿114

$6.05 CLP 5,774

-43.47%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.38 ฿380

$11.72 CLP 11.2K

-2.90%

Apples (1kg)

$2.98 ฿99.6

$1.87 CLP 1,781

59.36%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 ฿56.2

$2.06 CLP 1,965

-18.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.21 ฿73.7

$2.03 CLP 1,939

8.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.16 ฿72.1

$2.24 CLP 2,141

-3.57%

Potato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿50.9

$2.40 CLP 2,291

-36.67%

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 ฿44.67

$2.64 CLP 2,519

-49.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 ฿37.67

$1.88 CLP 1,792

-39.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ฿18.24

$1.21 CLP 1,154

-54.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.26 ฿142

$4.76 CLP 4,545

-10.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.09 ฿637

$4.89 CLP 4,665

290.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿59.4

$1.56 CLP 1,493

14.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿92.9

$2.17 CLP 2,072

28.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.23 ฿74.4

$0.90 CLP 861

147.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.74 ฿759

$34.55 CLP 33.0K

-34.18%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 ฿101

$0.87 CLP 828

248.28%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 ฿34.15

$1.53 CLP 1,463

-33.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.89 ฿130

$9.48 CLP 9,047

-58.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿49.77

$1.36 CLP 1,296

9.56%

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

$26.6K ฿887.3K

$12.5K CLP 12.0M

111.99%

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

$27.0K ฿902.2K

$17.7K CLP 16.9M

52.44%

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

$102 ฿3,420

$140 CLP 133.2K

-26.60%

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

$11.33 ฿378

$11.45 CLP 10.9K

-1.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.40 ฿581

$23.22 CLP 22.2K

-25.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.1 ฿1,738

$48.19 CLP 46.0K

8.07%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.07 ฿370

$46.11 CLP 44.0K

-75.99%

Cinema Ticket

$7.69 ฿257

$4.79 CLP 4,568

60.54%

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

$561 ฿18.7K

$218 CLP 207.8K

157.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.5K ฿384.1K

$2,845 CLP 2.7M

304.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.0 ฿2,104

$44.53 CLP 42.5K

41.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.52 ฿986

$18.01 CLP 17.2K

63.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.0 ฿3,272

$65.5 CLP 62.5K

49.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.5 ฿2,954

$84.3 CLP 80.4K

5.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$738 ฿24.6K

$400 CLP 382.0K

84.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.1K

$332 CLP 316.7K

45.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,107 ฿70.3K

$733 CLP 699.7K

187.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,226 ฿40.9K

$522 CLP 498.2K

134.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,617 ฿120.7K

$2,064 CLP 2.0M

75.21%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,603 ฿86.9K

$1,696 CLP 1.6M

53.50%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.5K

$542 CLP 516.8K

-8.87%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

4.8

16.04%

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

Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026

Last update for Temuco: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $738 in Phuket and $400 in Temuco. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Temuco pays 10% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $32.00 in Phuket vs $31.00 in Temuco for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $274 vs $236 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. The 11% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 10% 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: $738 in Phuket versus $400 in Temuco. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $561 in Phuket versus $218 in Temuco. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 16% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,113 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 11% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.