😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,261 in Phuket versus $973 in Villa Alemana.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,276 in Phuket versus $1,511 in Villa Alemana.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,291 in Phuket versus $2,048 in Villa Alemana.
🌍Living in Phuket is roughly 30% more expensive than in Villa Alemana, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket6% lower, Villa Alemana27% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Villa Alemana
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.53฿153
$6.32CLP 5,926
-28.32%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.36฿1,565
$53.2CLP 49.9K
-12.86%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.65฿292
$8.62CLP 8,077
0.35%
Cappuccino
$3.09฿104
$1.43CLP 1,344
116.08%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.68฿22.89
$0.96CLP 903
-29.17%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.37฿12.44
$1.24CLP 1,166
-70.16%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.42฿81.6
$3.14CLP 2,942
-22.93%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.81฿129
$2.12CLP 1,984
79.72%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Villa Alemana
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.18฿73.5
$1.23CLP 1,151
77.24%
White Bread(500g)
$1.82฿61.3
$1.51CLP 1,412
20.53%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.18฿73.5
$2.19CLP 2,050
-0.46%
Eggs
$2.24฿75.4
$4.08CLP 3,820
-45.10%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$19.93฿673
$10.40CLP 9,744
91.63%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.64฿123
$4.91CLP 4,605
-25.87%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$13.56฿458
$10.87CLP 10.2K
24.75%
Apples(1kg)
$3.29฿111
$2.12CLP 1,986
55.19%
Banana(1kg)
$1.69฿56.9
$1.63CLP 1,529
3.68%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.33฿78.8
$2.05CLP 1,919
13.66%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.03฿68.4
$1.57CLP 1,470
29.30%
Potato(1kg)
$1.60฿54.0
$1.87CLP 1,751
-14.44%
Onion(1kg)
$1.49฿50.5
$1.67CLP 1,565
-10.78%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.01฿34.17
$1.34CLP 1,251
-24.63%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.48฿16.09
$1.19CLP 1,119
-59.66%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.45฿150
$5.72CLP 5,363
-22.20%
Wine(Bottle)
$18.63฿629
$6.29CLP 5,894
196.18%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.79฿60.3
$1.61CLP 1,506
11.18%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.80฿94.4
$2.49CLP 2,333
12.45%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Villa Alemana
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.42฿47.90
$0.59CLP 550
140.68%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$11.33฿382
-
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.09฿104
$0.51CLP 477
505.88%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.04฿35.19
$1.43CLP 1,337
-27.27%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$13.63฿460
$11.46CLP 10.7K
18.94%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.31฿44.23
$1.43CLP 1,339
-8.39%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.3K฿920.7K
$19.4KCLP 18.2M
40.37%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.2K฿1.1M
$22.3KCLP 20.9M
48.77%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Villa Alemana
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$123฿4,157
$63.6CLP 59.6K
93.62%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.81฿466
$13.41CLP 12.6K
2.98%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.52฿625
$21.63CLP 20.3K
-14.38%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Villa Alemana
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$60.4฿2,037
$36.71CLP 34.4K
64.42%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.80฿567
$21.01CLP 19.7K
-20.04%
Cinema Ticket
$8.89฿300
$6.51CLP 6,100
36.56%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Villa Alemana
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$687฿23.2K
$435CLP 407.3K
58.00%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$15.6K฿524.8K
$8,630CLP 8.1M
80.19%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Villa Alemana
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$57.6฿1,945
$43.25CLP 40.5K
33.25%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$34.66฿1,170
$21.67CLP 20.3K
59.94%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$115฿3,879
$59.6CLP 55.8K
92.95%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$84.9฿2,865
$32.43CLP 30.4K
161.79%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Villa Alemana
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$618฿20.8K
$485CLP 455.0K
27.21%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$443฿15.0K
$377CLP 353.6K
17.43%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,047฿69.1K
$889CLP 833.0K
130.30%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,506฿50.8K
$588CLP 551.1K
156.10%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,568฿120.4K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,511฿84.7K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Villa Alemana
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$503฿17.0K
$453CLP 424.4K
11.02%
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 20, 2026
Last update for Villa Alemana: July 20, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $618 in Phuket and $485 in Villa Alemana. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Phuket pays 11% 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: $46.00 in Phuket vs $53.0 in Villa Alemana. Groceries flip the comparison at $292 vs $231, 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, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 30% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Phuket or Villa Alemana?
Average pay runs 11% higher in Phuket, 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: $618 in Phuket versus $485 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 $687 in Phuket versus $435 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 in Villa Alemana?
Dining out is cheaper in Villa Alemana – a meal for two runs $53.0 versus $46.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Phuket or in Villa Alemana?
At $973 in Villa Alemana versus $1,261 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 30% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.