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: $1,250 in Phuket versus $1,062 in Valdivia.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,284 in Phuket versus $1,610 in Valdivia.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,317 in Phuket versus $2,157 in Valdivia.

Living in Phuket is roughly 18% more expensive than in Valdivia, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 6% lower, Valdivia 20% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.55 ฿153

$6.61 CLP 6,170

-31.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.18 ฿1,553

$42.26 CLP 39.5K

9.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 ฿297

$6.94 CLP 6,475

27.38%

Cappuccino

$3.06 ฿103

$2.51 CLP 2,341

21.91%

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

$0.73 ฿24.40

$2.31 CLP 2,156

-68.40%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 ฿13.39

$1.53 CLP 1,431

-73.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 ฿81.8

$3.81 CLP 3,560

-36.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.78 ฿127

$3.94 CLP 3,675

-4.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ฿76.0

$1.23 CLP 1,151

83.74%

White Bread (500g)

$1.81 ฿60.9

$1.43 CLP 1,332

26.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.25 ฿75.8

$1.64 CLP 1,527

37.20%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.5

$3.17 CLP 2,963

-29.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.51 ฿656

$9.38 CLP 8,759

108.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.65 ฿123

$6.95 CLP 6,490

-47.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.05 ฿439

$13.38 CLP 12.5K

-2.47%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿109

$2.22 CLP 2,068

45.50%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 ฿54.4

$1.94 CLP 1,809

-16.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.38 ฿80.1

$1.83 CLP 1,710

30.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿68.1

$1.97 CLP 1,837

3.05%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿51.6

$2.44 CLP 2,280

-37.30%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.5

$1.58 CLP 1,477

-5.06%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.91

$1.58 CLP 1,477

-37.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.39

$1.21 CLP 1,126

-57.02%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.44 ฿149

$5.25 CLP 4,904

-15.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.32 ฿616

$4.78 CLP 4,465

283.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.7

$1.60 CLP 1,490

16.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 ฿90.1

$2.14 CLP 1,994

25.23%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.41 ฿47.46

$0.59 CLP 552

138.98%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.70 ฿393

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.11 ฿105

$1.59 CLP 1,480

95.60%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿35.06

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.11 ฿474

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 ฿44.10

$1.42 CLP 1,322

-7.75%

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

$27.8K ฿935.4K

$15.6K CLP 14.6M

78.01%

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

$33.2K ฿1.1M

$18.2K CLP 17.0M

82.09%

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

$122 ฿4,118

$96.1 CLP 89.8K

27.36%

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

$13.59 ฿457

$18.60 CLP 17.4K

-26.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.70 ฿629

$29.22 CLP 27.3K

-36.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.5 ฿2,034

$42.96 CLP 40.1K

40.81%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.98 ฿571

$24.61 CLP 23.0K

-31.00%

Cinema Ticket

$9.07 ฿305

$4.90 CLP 4,572

85.10%

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

$706 ฿23.8K

$275 CLP 256.4K

157.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿531.5K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.6 ฿1,969

$54.7 CLP 51.1K

7.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.36 ฿1,189

$18.60 CLP 17.4K

90.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,883

$52.2 CLP 48.7K

121.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.7 ฿2,816

$82.0 CLP 76.5K

2.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$626 ฿21.0K

$598 CLP 558.2K

4.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$445 ฿15.0K

$383 CLP 357.9K

16.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,040 ฿68.6K

$1,039 CLP 970.4K

96.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 ฿50.2K

$593 CLP 553.9K

151.51%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,483 ฿117.1K

$4,745 CLP 4.4M

-26.61%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,577 ฿86.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$500 ฿16.8K

$661 CLP 616.7K

-24.33%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

4.5

18.44%

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

Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026

Last update for Valdivia: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $626 in Phuket and $598 in Valdivia. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Valdivia pays 32% 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 $42.00 in Valdivia for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $289 vs $242 per month, with Valdivia 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 Valdivia: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Valdivia is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 18% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 32% 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: $626 in Phuket versus $598 in Valdivia. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $706 in Phuket versus $275 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 $42.00 versus $46.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,062 in Valdivia versus $1,250 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 18% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.