😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,265 in Phuket versus $952 in Villa Alemana.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,297 in Phuket versus $1,517 in Villa Alemana.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,329 in Phuket versus $2,083 in Villa Alemana.
😐Living in Phuket is roughly 33% more expensive than Villa Alemana, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket6% lower, Villa Alemana29% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Villa Alemana
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.70฿154
$6.37CLP 5,818
-26.22%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$45.37฿1,489
$54.3CLP 49.6K
-16.45%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.43฿277
$8.35CLP 7,625
0.96%
Cappuccino
$2.93฿96.1
$1.39CLP 1,266
110.79%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.69฿22.50
$0.91CLP 828
-24.18%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.37฿12.04
$1.25CLP 1,137
-70.40%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.41฿79.0
$3.31CLP 3,020
-27.19%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.72฿122
$2.10CLP 1,915
77.14%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Villa Alemana
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.23฿73.3
$1.23CLP 1,119
81.30%
White Bread(500g)
$1.83฿60.1
$1.56CLP 1,424
17.31%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.17฿71.1
$2.17CLP 1,983
-
Eggs
$2.21฿72.6
$3.88CLP 3,542
-43.04%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$19.74฿648
$10.41CLP 9,505
89.63%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.63฿119
$4.88CLP 4,450
-25.61%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$13.53฿444
$11.15CLP 10.2K
21.35%
Apples(1kg)
$3.28฿108
$2.05CLP 1,870
60.00%
Banana(1kg)
$1.61฿52.9
$1.63CLP 1,491
-1.23%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.41฿79.0
$2.10CLP 1,920
14.76%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.08฿68.4
$1.60CLP 1,456
30.00%
Potato(1kg)
$1.53฿50.2
$1.78CLP 1,625
-14.04%
Onion(1kg)
$1.48฿48.58
$1.63CLP 1,490
-9.20%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.99฿32.44
$1.31CLP 1,193
-24.43%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.51฿16.74
$1.19CLP 1,087
-57.14%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.41฿145
$5.58CLP 5,092
-20.97%
Wine(Bottle)
$19.38฿636
$6.64CLP 6,057
191.87%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.78฿58.4
$1.61CLP 1,466
10.56%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.71฿89.0
$2.51CLP 2,291
7.97%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Villa Alemana
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.37฿44.99
$0.56CLP 514
144.64%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$11.39฿374
-
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.02฿99.1
$0.50CLP 457
504.00%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.99฿32.63
$1.42CLP 1,294
-30.28%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$14.10฿463
$11.67CLP 10.6K
20.82%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.36฿44.71
$1.39CLP 1,267
-2.16%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.2K฿925.3K
$19.5KCLP 17.8M
44.68%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$32.9K฿1.1M
$22.3KCLP 20.4M
47.43%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Villa Alemana
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$122฿3,993
$63.9CLP 58.3K
90.39%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.57฿445
$13.68CLP 12.5K
-0.80%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.31฿601
$22.19CLP 20.3K
-17.49%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Villa Alemana
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$60.2฿1,976
$38.15CLP 34.8K
57.85%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.14฿562
$21.43CLP 19.6K
-20.02%
Cinema Ticket
$8.69฿285
$6.58CLP 6,009
32.07%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Villa Alemana
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$693฿22.8K
$430CLP 392.6K
61.21%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$15.7K฿514.7K
$8,696CLP 7.9M
80.40%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Villa Alemana
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$59.5฿1,953
$42.37CLP 38.7K
40.50%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$34.77฿1,141
$21.18CLP 19.3K
64.16%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$115฿3,760
$60.2CLP 54.9K
90.49%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$83.3฿2,733
$32.57CLP 29.7K
155.73%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Villa Alemana
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$613฿20.1K
$476CLP 434.9K
28.70%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$437฿14.3K
$334CLP 304.8K
30.86%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,094฿68.7K
$900CLP 821.6K
132.66%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,509฿49.5K
$626CLP 571.4K
141.09%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,749฿123.0K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,616฿85.8K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Villa Alemana
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$508฿16.7K
$481CLP 438.8K
5.68%
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: June 2, 2026
Last update for Villa Alemana: May 31, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $613 in Phuket and $476 in Villa Alemana. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Phuket pays 6% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.
🛒Dining out: $45.00 in Phuket vs $54.0 in Villa Alemana. Groceries flip the comparison at $293 vs $232, with Villa Alemana 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 Villa Alemana: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Villa Alemana cheaper than Phuket?
Villa Alemana is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 33% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Phuket or Villa Alemana?
Phuket pays 6% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
What is the rent difference between Phuket and Villa Alemana?
Rent for a central apartment: $613 in Phuket versus $476 in Villa Alemana. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $693 in Phuket versus $430 in Villa Alemana. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Is eating out cheaper in Phuket or Villa Alemana?
Dining out is cheaper in Villa Alemana – a meal for two runs $54.0 versus $45.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Phuket or Villa Alemana?
At $952 in Villa Alemana versus $1,265 in Phuket, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Villa Alemana but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Villa Alemana the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Phuket or Villa Alemana more family-friendly?
For families, Villa Alemana 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.
Which city is safer, Phuket or Villa Alemana?
Safety-wise, Phuket and Villa Alemana are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Villa Alemana gentler on the wallet – expenses run 33% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.