Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Villarrica Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Villarrica

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,265 in Phuket versus $1,100 in Villarrica.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,297 in Phuket versus $1,675 in Villarrica.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,329 in Phuket versus $2,250 in Villarrica.

Living in Phuket is roughly 15% more expensive than Villarrica, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 6% lower, Villarrica 18% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.70 ฿153

$8.51 CLP 7,553

-44.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.37 ฿1,482

$45.16 CLP 40.1K

0.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.43 ฿275

$8.21 CLP 7,284

2.68%

Cappuccino

$2.93 ฿95.6

$2.72 CLP 2,416

7.72%

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

$0.69 ฿22.40

$1.31 CLP 1,159

-47.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.99

$1.06 CLP 939

-65.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 ฿78.6

$3.15 CLP 2,796

-23.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿122

$4.11 CLP 3,644

-9.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 ฿72.9

$1.23 CLP 1,092

81.30%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 ฿59.8

$1.56 CLP 1,385

17.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 ฿70.8

$1.88 CLP 1,671

15.43%

Eggs

$2.21 ฿72.3

$3.55 CLP 3,150

-37.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.74 ฿645

$10.40 CLP 9,231

89.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿119

$6.49 CLP 5,758

-44.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.53 ฿442

$10.94 CLP 9,707

23.67%

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 ฿107

$1.81 CLP 1,604

81.22%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ฿52.6

$1.57 CLP 1,396

2.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿78.6

$1.60 CLP 1,418

50.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿68.1

$1.51 CLP 1,336

37.75%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.93

$1.30 CLP 1,150

17.69%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.36

$1.41 CLP 1,254

4.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 ฿32.29

$1.26 CLP 1,115

-21.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.67

$1.24 CLP 1,096

-58.87%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 ฿144

$5.44 CLP 4,831

-18.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.38 ฿633

$6.29 CLP 5,580

208.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

$1.55 CLP 1,376

14.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 ฿88.6

$2.23 CLP 1,981

21.52%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.37 ฿44.79

$0.63 CLP 556

117.46%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.39 ฿372

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ฿98.6

$0.51 CLP 450

492.16%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 ฿32.48

$2.07 CLP 1,839

-52.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.10 ฿461

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 ฿44.51

$1.38 CLP 1,221

-1.45%

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

$28.2K ฿921.1K

$19.7K CLP 17.5M

43.11%

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$21.7K CLP 19.2M

51.72%

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

$122 ฿3,975

$131 CLP 116.2K

-7.08%

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

$13.57 ฿443

$13.53 CLP 12.0K

0.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.31 ฿598

$22.17 CLP 19.7K

-17.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.2 ฿1,967

$37.83 CLP 33.6K

59.19%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.14 ฿560

$21.49 CLP 19.1K

-20.24%

Cinema Ticket

$8.69 ฿284

$5.51 CLP 4,893

57.71%

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

$693 ฿22.6K

$438 CLP 388.8K

58.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ฿512.3K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,944

$51.4 CLP 45.6K

15.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.77 ฿1,136

$30.16 CLP 26.8K

15.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,743

$62.7 CLP 55.6K

82.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.3 ฿2,720

$83.4 CLP 74.0K

-0.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$613 ฿20.0K

$473 CLP 419.4K

29.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$437 ฿14.3K

$368 CLP 326.3K

18.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,094 ฿68.4K

$886 CLP 786.2K

136.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,509 ฿49.3K

$602 CLP 534.1K

150.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,749 ฿122.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,616 ฿85.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.6K

$558 CLP 495.6K

-9.01%

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 Villarrica: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $613 in Phuket and $473 in Villarrica. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Villarrica pays 10% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $45.00 in Phuket vs $45.00 in Villarrica. Groceries flip the comparison at $293 vs $230, with Villarrica 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 Villarrica: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Villarrica is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 15% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Villarrica earns 10% less. 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: $613 in Phuket versus $473 in Villarrica. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $693 in Phuket versus $438 in Villarrica. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Villarrica – a meal for two runs $45.00 versus $45.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,100 in Villarrica versus $1,265 in Phuket, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Villarrica but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Villarrica the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Villarrica 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 Villarrica 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 Villarrica gentler on the wallet – expenses run 15% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.