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: $1,261 in Phuket versus $1,189 in Temuco.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,286 in Phuket versus $1,758 in Temuco.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,310 in Phuket versus $2,327 in Temuco.

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

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 6% lower, Temuco 12% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.56 ฿149

$7.22 CLP 6,486

-36.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.63 ฿1,519

$32.40 CLP 29.1K

43.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.47 ฿276

$7.53 CLP 6,764

12.48%

Cappuccino

$3.03 ฿98.6

$3.93 CLP 3,535

-22.90%

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

$0.69 ฿22.45

$2.29 CLP 2,055

-69.87%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.92

$1.27 CLP 1,144

-70.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.49 ฿81.0

$3.69 CLP 3,319

-32.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

$3.43 CLP 3,080

6.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.18 ฿71.0

$1.19 CLP 1,067

83.19%

White Bread (500g)

$1.90 ฿62.0

$1.47 CLP 1,324

29.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.20 ฿71.6

$1.30 CLP 1,173

69.23%

Eggs

$2.22 ฿72.4

$3.40 CLP 3,053

-34.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.99 ฿651

$9.49 CLP 8,526

110.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.66 ฿119

$6.33 CLP 5,686

-42.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.25 ฿432

$12.04 CLP 10.8K

10.05%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿105

$1.89 CLP 1,700

70.90%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.3

$2.07 CLP 1,860

-17.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.39 ฿78.0

$2.21 CLP 1,988

8.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿67.7

$2.28 CLP 2,052

-8.77%

Potato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$2.46 CLP 2,209

-35.37%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.31

$2.60 CLP 2,333

-43.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 ฿33.54

$1.96 CLP 1,759

-47.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿16.83

$1.23 CLP 1,107

-57.72%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.25 ฿138

$4.77 CLP 4,291

-10.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.79 ฿612

$5.09 CLP 4,572

269.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 ฿57.2

$1.57 CLP 1,412

12.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 ฿89.8

$2.15 CLP 1,935

28.37%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.36 ฿44.32

$0.88 CLP 788

54.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.36 ฿370

$35.47 CLP 31.9K

-67.97%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 ฿102

$0.84 CLP 754

273.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿33.74

$1.56 CLP 1,399

-33.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.77 ฿448

$9.58 CLP 8,607

43.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ฿43.79

$1.42 CLP 1,274

-5.63%

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

$27.7K ฿901.4K

$13.0K CLP 11.7M

113.40%

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

$33.9K ฿1.1M

$18.1K CLP 16.2M

87.41%

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

$124 ฿4,025

$219 CLP 196.6K

-43.52%

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

$13.52 ฿440

$11.78 CLP 10.6K

14.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.69 ฿609

$14.90 CLP 13.4K

25.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.8 ฿2,013

$50.6 CLP 45.5K

22.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.25 ฿562

$47.64 CLP 42.8K

-63.79%

Cinema Ticket

$9.14 ฿298

$4.72 CLP 4,238

93.64%

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

$703 ฿22.9K

$227 CLP 204.4K

208.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.9K ฿517.0K

$2,864 CLP 2.6M

454.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,937

$47.54 CLP 42.7K

25.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.07 ฿1,142

$18.02 CLP 16.2K

94.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,754

$68.1 CLP 61.2K

69.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.1 ฿2,737

$89.1 CLP 80.1K

-5.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$619 ฿20.1K

$417 CLP 375.2K

48.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$433 ฿14.1K

$344 CLP 309.2K

25.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,062 ฿67.2K

$735 CLP 660.1K

180.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,511 ฿49.2K

$538 CLP 483.2K

181.07%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,646 ฿118.7K

$2,082 CLP 1.9M

75.13%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,626 ฿85.5K

$1,780 CLP 1.6M

47.47%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$507 ฿16.5K

$555 CLP 498.8K

-8.66%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Temuco: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $619 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: $47.00 in Phuket vs $32.00 in Temuco for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $241 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, Temuco earns 9% 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 $417 in Temuco. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $703 in Phuket versus $227 in Temuco. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 21% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,189 in Temuco versus $1,261 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.