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: $1,232 in Phuket versus $1,095 in Valparaiso.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,054 in Phuket versus $1,625 in Valparaiso.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,876 in Phuket versus $2,154 in Valparaiso.

Living in Phuket is roughly 12% more expensive than in Valparaiso, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 10% lower, Valparaiso 20% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.41 ฿147

$9.14 CLP 8,718

-51.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.26 ฿1,077

$36.21 CLP 34.5K

-10.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.93 ฿298

$8.85 CLP 8,443

0.90%

Cappuccino

$2.90 ฿96.6

$2.73 CLP 2,607

6.23%

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

$0.88 ฿29.38

$1.20 CLP 1,141

-26.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.06

$0.85 CLP 808

-43.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.35 ฿78.5

$4.16 CLP 3,967

-43.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿124

$4.57 CLP 4,363

-18.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 ฿62.3

$1.31 CLP 1,253

42.75%

White Bread (500g)

$1.47 ฿48.94

$1.74 CLP 1,661

-15.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.8

$1.59 CLP 1,518

-2.52%

Eggs

$2.10 ฿70.1

$4.19 CLP 3,997

-49.88%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.59 ฿654

$11.41 CLP 10.9K

71.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.42 ฿114

$6.81 CLP 6,494

-49.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.38 ฿380

$8.99 CLP 8,580

26.59%

Apples (1kg)

$2.98 ฿99.6

$1.65 CLP 1,577

80.61%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 ฿56.2

$1.60 CLP 1,530

5.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.21 ฿73.7

$1.53 CLP 1,462

44.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.16 ฿72.1

$1.48 CLP 1,413

45.95%

Potato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿50.9

$1.00 CLP 959

52.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 ฿44.67

$1.27 CLP 1,211

5.51%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 ฿37.67

$1.17 CLP 1,117

-3.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ฿18.24

$1.15 CLP 1,100

-52.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.26 ฿142

$4.45 CLP 4,247

-4.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.09 ฿637

$5.08 CLP 4,851

275.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿59.4

$1.37 CLP 1,307

29.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿92.9

$1.76 CLP 1,678

57.95%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.23 ฿74.4

$0.74 CLP 704

201.35%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.74 ฿759

$53.0 CLP 50.5K

-57.06%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 ฿101

$0.40 CLP 381

657.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 ฿34.15

$0.91 CLP 866

12.09%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.89 ฿130

$3.55 CLP 3,390

9.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿49.77

$1.50 CLP 1,433

-0.67%

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

$26.6K ฿887.3K

$14.7K CLP 14.0M

81.09%

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

$27.0K ฿902.2K

$19.7K CLP 18.8M

37.04%

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

$102 ฿3,420

$119 CLP 113.7K

-13.97%

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

$11.33 ฿378

$11.97 CLP 11.4K

-5.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.40 ฿581

$19.78 CLP 18.9K

-12.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.1 ฿1,738

$25.10 CLP 24.0K

107.49%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.07 ฿370

$23.47 CLP 22.4K

-52.83%

Cinema Ticket

$7.69 ฿257

$7.34 CLP 7,007

4.77%

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

$561 ฿18.7K

$450 CLP 429.5K

24.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.5K ฿384.1K

$10.9K CLP 10.4M

5.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.0 ฿2,104

$32.80 CLP 31.3K

92.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.52 ฿986

$29.23 CLP 27.9K

0.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.0 ฿3,272

$55.9 CLP 53.3K

75.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.5 ฿2,954

$49.95 CLP 47.7K

77.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$738 ฿24.6K

$467 CLP 445.4K

58.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.1K

$389 CLP 371.2K

24.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,107 ฿70.3K

$681 CLP 649.6K

209.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,226 ฿40.9K

$554 CLP 528.3K

121.42%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,617 ฿120.7K

$1,567 CLP 1.5M

130.86%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,603 ฿86.9K

$1,050 CLP 1.0M

148.00%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.5K

$766 CLP 730.9K

-35.56%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

5.39

3.34%

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

Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026

Last update for Valparaiso: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $738 in Phuket and $467 in Valparaiso. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Valparaiso pays 55% 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 $36.00 in Valparaiso. Groceries flip the comparison at $274 vs $225, with Valparaiso 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 Valparaiso: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Valparaiso is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment. The 12% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 55% 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: $738 in Phuket versus $467 in Valparaiso. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $561 in Phuket versus $450 in Valparaiso. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 22% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,095 in Valparaiso versus $1,232 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 12% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.