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 $1,057 in Valdivia.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,297 in Phuket versus $1,602 in Valdivia.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,329 in Phuket versus $2,147 in Valdivia.

Living in Phuket is roughly 20% more expensive than Valdivia, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 6% lower, Valdivia 21% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.70 ฿153

$6.32 CLP 5,610

-25.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.37 ฿1,482

$43.69 CLP 38.8K

3.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.43 ฿275

$7.23 CLP 6,413

16.60%

Cappuccino

$2.93 ฿95.6

$2.54 CLP 2,253

15.35%

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

$0.69 ฿22.40

$2.41 CLP 2,137

-71.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.99

$1.48 CLP 1,312

-75.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 ฿78.6

$3.86 CLP 3,429

-37.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿122

$4.02 CLP 3,567

-7.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 ฿72.9

$1.19 CLP 1,060

87.39%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 ฿59.8

$1.43 CLP 1,267

27.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 ฿70.8

$1.65 CLP 1,462

31.52%

Eggs

$2.21 ฿72.3

$3.13 CLP 2,777

-29.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.74 ฿645

$9.23 CLP 8,191

113.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿119

$6.92 CLP 6,140

-47.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.53 ฿442

$13.33 CLP 11.8K

1.50%

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 ฿107

$2.24 CLP 1,986

46.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ฿52.6

$1.95 CLP 1,733

-17.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿78.6

$1.84 CLP 1,631

30.98%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿68.1

$1.95 CLP 1,732

6.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.93

$2.44 CLP 2,168

-37.30%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.36

$1.63 CLP 1,445

-9.20%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 ฿32.29

$1.58 CLP 1,401

-37.34%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.67

$1.21 CLP 1,070

-57.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 ฿144

$5.36 CLP 4,756

-17.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.38 ฿633

$5.19 CLP 4,605

273.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

$1.62 CLP 1,437

9.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 ฿88.6

$2.24 CLP 1,990

20.98%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.37 ฿44.79

$0.60 CLP 528

128.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.39 ฿372

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ฿98.6

$1.67 CLP 1,479

80.84%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 ฿32.48

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.10 ฿461

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 ฿44.51

$1.43 CLP 1,268

-4.90%

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

$28.2K ฿921.1K

$15.8K CLP 14.1M

78.09%

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$18.1K CLP 16.1M

81.89%

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

$122 ฿3,975

$97.8 CLP 86.8K

24.45%

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

$13.57 ฿443

$19.03 CLP 16.9K

-28.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.31 ฿598

$29.10 CLP 25.8K

-37.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.2 ฿1,967

$42.85 CLP 38.0K

40.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.14 ฿560

$24.36 CLP 21.6K

-29.64%

Cinema Ticket

$8.69 ฿284

$4.92 CLP 4,363

76.63%

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

$693 ฿22.6K

$272 CLP 241.6K

154.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ฿512.3K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,944

$54.0 CLP 47.9K

10.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.77 ฿1,136

$18.42 CLP 16.3K

88.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,743

$51.4 CLP 45.6K

122.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.3 ฿2,720

$79.6 CLP 70.6K

4.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$613 ฿20.0K

$612 CLP 543.5K

0.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$437 ฿14.3K

$393 CLP 349.2K

11.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,094 ฿68.4K

$1,057 CLP 938.0K

98.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,509 ฿49.3K

$590 CLP 523.4K

155.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,749 ฿122.5K

$4,853 CLP 4.3M

-22.73%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,616 ฿85.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.6K

$680 CLP 603.2K

-25.24%

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: June 2, 2026

Last update for Valdivia: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $613 in Phuket and $612 in Valdivia. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Valdivia pays 34% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $45.00 in Phuket vs $44.00 in Valdivia for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 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 20% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Valdivia earns 34% 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: $613 in Phuket versus $612 in Valdivia. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $693 in Phuket versus $272 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 $44.00 versus $45.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,057 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 20% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.