Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Valparaiso Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Valparaiso

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,264 in Phuket versus $1,169 in Valparaiso.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,256 in Phuket versus $1,696 in Valparaiso.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,248 in Phuket versus $2,223 in Valparaiso.

Living in Phuket is roughly 8% more expensive than in Valparaiso, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 5% lower, Valparaiso 12% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.48 ฿150

$9.75 CLP 9,071

-54.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.59 ฿1,521

$37.86 CLP 35.2K

20.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.76 ฿292

$8.25 CLP 7,674

6.18%

Cappuccino

$2.97 ฿99.0

$2.90 CLP 2,701

2.41%

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

$0.69 ฿22.90

$1.19 CLP 1,105

-42.02%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 ฿13.04

$0.90 CLP 842

-56.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.53 ฿84.4

$3.27 CLP 3,039

-22.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.75 ฿125

$4.34 CLP 4,042

-13.59%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.15 ฿71.6

$1.17 CLP 1,092

83.76%

White Bread (500g)

$1.82 ฿60.6

$1.56 CLP 1,455

16.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.18 ฿72.9

$2.09 CLP 1,946

4.31%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.0

$4.17 CLP 3,878

-46.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$20.00 ฿667

$10.40 CLP 9,674

92.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿121

$6.65 CLP 6,184

-45.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.56 ฿452

$9.71 CLP 9,035

39.65%

Apples (1kg)

$3.24 ฿108

$1.76 CLP 1,641

84.09%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ฿54.6

$1.55 CLP 1,445

5.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.33 ฿77.8

$1.58 CLP 1,472

47.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.07 ฿69.1

$1.40 CLP 1,303

47.86%

Potato (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.6

$1.17 CLP 1,092

32.48%

Onion (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.54

$1.36 CLP 1,266

7.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.86

$1.31 CLP 1,218

-25.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.09

$1.19 CLP 1,111

-59.66%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 ฿145

$4.68 CLP 4,356

-7.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.57 ฿620

$5.22 CLP 4,860

255.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿61.9

$1.47 CLP 1,368

26.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.65 ฿88.6

$1.83 CLP 1,701

44.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.42 ฿47.28

$0.56 CLP 525

153.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.57 ฿386

$53.2 CLP 49.5K

-78.26%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 ฿106

$0.50 CLP 470

534.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.03 ฿34.41

$0.75 CLP 696

37.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.89 ฿463

$3.88 CLP 3,607

257.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ฿44.84

$1.37 CLP 1,277

-2.19%

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

$27.8K ฿927.1K

$15.0K CLP 13.9M

85.85%

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

$33.4K ฿1.1M

$20.3K CLP 18.9M

64.21%

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

$123 ฿4,105

$134 CLP 124.8K

-8.23%

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

$13.77 ฿459

$13.51 CLP 12.6K

1.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.33 ฿611

$21.81 CLP 20.3K

-15.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.7 ฿2,025

$22.40 CLP 20.8K

170.94%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.16 ฿573

$24.28 CLP 22.6K

-29.32%

Cinema Ticket

$8.87 ฿296

$5.38 CLP 5,006

64.87%

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

$688 ฿22.9K

$435 CLP 404.9K

58.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿526.4K

$8,602 CLP 8.0M

83.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.3 ฿1,978

$32.60 CLP 30.3K

81.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.69 ฿1,157

$21.96 CLP 20.4K

57.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,843

$60.7 CLP 56.4K

89.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.8 ฿2,794

$51.1 CLP 47.5K

64.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$621 ฿20.7K

$489 CLP 454.7K

27.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$446 ฿14.9K

$438 CLP 407.7K

1.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,034 ฿67.8K

$707 CLP 657.6K

187.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,496 ฿49.9K

$563 CLP 524.2K

165.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,455 ฿115.3K

$1,604 CLP 1.5M

115.46%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,531 ฿84.4K

$1,045 CLP 972.7K

142.13%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.5K

$783 CLP 728.6K

-36.96%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

5.18

2.90%

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

Last update for Phuket: July 27, 2026

Last update for Valparaiso: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $621 in Phuket and $489 in Valparaiso. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Valparaiso pays 59% 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 $38.00 in Valparaiso for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $291 vs $225 per month, with Valparaiso 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 Valparaiso: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Valparaiso is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment. The 8% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 59% lower in Valparaiso. 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: $621 in Phuket versus $489 in Valparaiso. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $688 in Phuket versus $435 in Valparaiso. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 29% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,169 in Valparaiso versus $1,264 in Phuket, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Valparaiso but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Valparaiso the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Valparaiso 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 Valparaiso 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 Valparaiso gentler on the wallet – expenses run 8% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.