Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Valdivia Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Valdivia

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,265 in Phuket versus $1,061 in Valdivia.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,089 in Phuket versus $1,606 in Valdivia.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,913 in Phuket versus $2,150 in Valdivia.

Living in Phuket is roughly 19% more expensive than in Valdivia, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 8% lower, Valdivia 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.66 ฿154

$6.49 CLP 6,108

-28.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.22 ฿1,065

$47.88 CLP 45.1K

-32.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.68 ฿287

$6.91 CLP 6,503

25.62%

Cappuccino

$2.90 ฿95.8

$2.12 CLP 2,000

36.79%

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

$0.84 ฿27.89

$2.13 CLP 2,005

-60.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.16

$1.37 CLP 1,286

-64.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.48 ฿82.0

$3.65 CLP 3,433

-32.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿123

$3.78 CLP 3,562

-1.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 ฿62.3

$1.22 CLP 1,150

54.92%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 ฿46.54

$1.38 CLP 1,296

2.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.6

$1.69 CLP 1,588

-4.14%

Eggs

$2.24 ฿74.1

$3.06 CLP 2,879

-26.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.84 ฿656

$9.51 CLP 8,949

108.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.48 ฿115

$6.53 CLP 6,150

-46.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.37 ฿376

$13.45 CLP 12.7K

-15.46%

Apples (1kg)

$2.90 ฿95.8

$2.30 CLP 2,169

26.09%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 ฿57.0

$1.91 CLP 1,798

-9.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.27 ฿75.1

$1.89 CLP 1,780

20.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.13 ฿70.4

$1.87 CLP 1,759

13.90%

Potato (1kg)

$1.47 ฿48.72

$2.44 CLP 2,301

-39.75%

Onion (1kg)

$1.42 ฿46.92

$1.62 CLP 1,526

-12.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 ฿36.25

$1.56 CLP 1,467

-29.49%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 ฿19.76

$1.21 CLP 1,142

-50.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.31 ฿142

$5.44 CLP 5,121

-20.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.60 ฿615

$4.78 CLP 4,498

289.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿59.5

$1.59 CLP 1,500

13.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 ฿98.0

$2.12 CLP 1,999

40.09%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.25 ฿74.2

$0.58 CLP 550

287.93%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.49 ฿776

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.10 ฿102

$1.04 CLP 983

198.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.08 ฿35.56

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.87 ฿128

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 ฿47.16

$1.47 CLP 1,384

-2.72%

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

$27.8K ฿918.0K

$15.6K CLP 14.7M

78.18%

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

$27.0K ฿891.5K

$18.3K CLP 17.2M

47.42%

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

$105 ฿3,462

$95.1 CLP 89.5K

10.15%

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

$11.39 ฿376

$14.29 CLP 13.4K

-20.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.54 ฿580

$32.63 CLP 30.7K

-46.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.3 ฿1,795

$42.16 CLP 39.7K

28.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.44 ฿378

$24.53 CLP 23.1K

-53.36%

Cinema Ticket

$7.78 ฿257

$4.78 CLP 4,497

62.76%

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

$576 ฿19.0K

$255 CLP 240.4K

125.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.6K ฿382.7K

$3,226 CLP 3.0M

259.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.6 ฿2,103

$53.4 CLP 50.3K

19.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.10 ฿961

$18.73 CLP 17.6K

55.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.2 ฿3,179

$52.7 CLP 49.6K

82.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.0 ฿2,974

$81.0 CLP 76.2K

11.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$733 ฿24.2K

$610 CLP 574.3K

20.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$501 ฿16.5K

$389 CLP 366.3K

28.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,126 ฿70.2K

$1,022 CLP 961.8K

107.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,252 ฿41.4K

$582 CLP 547.7K

115.21%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,534 ฿116.8K

$4,742 CLP 4.5M

-25.47%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,622 ฿86.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.8K

$659 CLP 620.3K

-22.99%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

4.5

23.78%

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

Last update for Phuket: September 6, 2026

Last update for Valdivia: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $733 in Phuket and $610 in Valdivia. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Valdivia pays 30% 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 $48.00 in Valdivia. Groceries flip the comparison at $275 vs $240, with Valdivia cheaper for home cooking.

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 Valdivia: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Valdivia is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 19% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 30% lower in Valdivia. 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: $733 in Phuket versus $610 in Valdivia. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $576 in Phuket versus $255 in Valdivia. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Valdivia – a meal for two runs $48.00 versus $32.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,061 in Valdivia versus $1,265 in Phuket, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Valdivia but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Valdivia the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Valdivia 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 Valdivia 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 Valdivia gentler on the wallet – expenses run 19% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.