😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,265 in Phuket versus $541 in Villa Alemana.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,089 in Phuket versus $945 in Villa Alemana.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,913 in Phuket versus $1,348 in Villa Alemana.
🌍Living in Phuket is roughly 134% more expensive than in Villa Alemana, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket8% lower, Villa Alemana61% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Villa Alemana
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.66฿154
$6.48CLP 6,097
-28.09%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.22฿1,065
$54.5CLP 51.2K
-40.83%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.68฿287
$8.92CLP 8,395
-2.69%
Cappuccino
$2.90฿95.8
$1.42CLP 1,340
104.23%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.84฿27.89
$0.88CLP 826
-4.55%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.49฿16.16
$1.32CLP 1,244
-62.88%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.48฿82.0
$4.22CLP 3,972
-41.23%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.73฿123
$2.19CLP 2,058
70.32%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Villa Alemana
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.89฿62.3
$1.20CLP 1,132
57.50%
White Bread(500g)
$1.41฿46.54
$1.82CLP 1,709
-22.53%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.62฿53.6
$1.70CLP 1,599
-4.71%
Eggs
$2.24฿74.1
$3.84CLP 3,618
-41.67%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$19.84฿656
$11.58CLP 10.9K
71.33%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.48฿115
$4.87CLP 4,581
-28.54%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$11.37฿376
$11.28CLP 10.6K
0.80%
Apples(1kg)
$2.90฿95.8
$2.05CLP 1,934
41.46%
Banana(1kg)
$1.72฿57.0
$1.63CLP 1,536
5.52%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.27฿75.1
$1.68CLP 1,578
35.12%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.13฿70.4
$1.58CLP 1,486
34.81%
Potato(1kg)
$1.47฿48.72
$1.11CLP 1,041
32.43%
Onion(1kg)
$1.42฿46.92
$1.61CLP 1,512
-11.80%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.10฿36.25
$1.26CLP 1,186
-12.70%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.60฿19.76
$1.16CLP 1,096
-48.28%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.31฿142
$5.39CLP 5,069
-20.04%
Wine(Bottle)
$18.60฿615
$6.49CLP 6,110
186.59%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.80฿59.5
$1.67CLP 1,574
7.78%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.97฿98.0
$2.50CLP 2,348
18.80%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Villa Alemana
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$2.25฿74.2
-
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$23.49฿776
-
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.10฿102
$0.42CLP 394
638.10%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.08฿35.56
$0.94CLP 881
14.89%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$3.87฿128
$12.26CLP 11.5K
-68.43%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.43฿47.16
$1.57CLP 1,478
-8.92%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.8K฿918.0K
$18.7KCLP 17.6M
48.41%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$27.0K฿891.5K
$22.5KCLP 21.2M
19.68%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Villa Alemana
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$105฿3,462
$64.7CLP 60.9K
62.00%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.39฿376
$12.82CLP 12.1K
-11.15%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$17.54฿580
$20.60CLP 19.4K
-14.85%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Villa Alemana
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$54.3฿1,795
-
-
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$11.44฿378
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$7.78฿257
$7.50CLP 7,059
3.73%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Villa Alemana
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$576฿19.0K
$455CLP 428.0K
26.77%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$11.6K฿382.7K
$11.4KCLP 10.7M
1.46%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Villa Alemana
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$63.6฿2,103
$42.37CLP 39.9K
50.20%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$29.10฿961
$21.31CLP 20.1K
36.56%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$96.2฿3,179
$59.6CLP 56.1K
61.39%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$90.0฿2,974
$32.68CLP 30.8K
175.43%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Villa Alemana
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$733฿24.2K
-
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$501฿16.5K
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,126฿70.2K
$377CLP 355.3K
463.09%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,252฿41.4K
-
-
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,534฿116.8K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,622฿86.6K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Villa Alemana
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$508฿16.8K
$466CLP 438.5K
8.93%
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 6, 2026
Last update for Villa Alemana: September 6, 2026
Cost Breakdown
💰Phuket pays 9% 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: $32.00 in Phuket vs $54.0 in Villa Alemana. Groceries flip the comparison at $275 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 134% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Phuket or Villa Alemana?
Average pay runs 9% higher in Phuket, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $576 in Phuket versus $455 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 $54.0 versus $32.00 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 $541 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 134% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.