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: $1,250 in Phuket versus $1,090 in Villarrica.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,284 in Phuket versus $1,651 in Villarrica.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,317 in Phuket versus $2,213 in Villarrica.

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

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.55 ฿153

$8.53 CLP 7,960

-46.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.18 ฿1,553

$45.13 CLP 42.1K

2.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 ฿297

$8.11 CLP 7,567

9.00%

Cappuccino

$3.06 ฿103

$2.74 CLP 2,562

11.68%

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

$0.73 ฿24.40

$1.35 CLP 1,260

-45.93%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 ฿13.39

$1.03 CLP 959

-61.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 ฿81.8

$3.21 CLP 2,999

-24.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.78 ฿127

$4.09 CLP 3,818

-7.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ฿76.0

$1.19 CLP 1,107

89.92%

White Bread (500g)

$1.81 ฿60.9

$1.52 CLP 1,424

19.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.25 ฿75.8

$1.93 CLP 1,802

16.58%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.5

$3.48 CLP 3,248

-35.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.51 ฿656

$10.64 CLP 9,937

83.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.65 ฿123

$6.61 CLP 6,173

-44.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.05 ฿439

$11.14 CLP 10.4K

17.15%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿109

$1.82 CLP 1,696

77.47%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 ฿54.4

$1.58 CLP 1,473

2.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.38 ฿80.1

$1.53 CLP 1,430

55.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿68.1

$1.46 CLP 1,359

39.04%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿51.6

$1.28 CLP 1,193

19.53%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.5

$1.37 CLP 1,278

9.49%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.91

$1.26 CLP 1,175

-22.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.39

$1.22 CLP 1,140

-57.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.44 ฿149

$5.55 CLP 5,182

-20.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.32 ฿616

$5.90 CLP 5,511

210.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.7

$1.57 CLP 1,464

18.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 ฿90.1

$2.29 CLP 2,134

17.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.41 ฿47.46

$0.62 CLP 577

127.42%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.70 ฿393

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.11 ฿105

$0.51 CLP 477

509.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿35.06

$2.13 CLP 1,991

-51.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.11 ฿474

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 ฿44.10

$1.43 CLP 1,332

-8.39%

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

$27.8K ฿935.4K

$19.2K CLP 18.0M

44.53%

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

$33.2K ฿1.1M

$21.0K CLP 19.6M

58.05%

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

$122 ฿4,118

$129 CLP 120.8K

-5.40%

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

$13.59 ฿457

$13.68 CLP 12.8K

-0.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.70 ฿629

$22.34 CLP 20.9K

-16.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.5 ฿2,034

$37.93 CLP 35.4K

59.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.98 ฿571

$21.14 CLP 19.7K

-19.68%

Cinema Ticket

$9.07 ฿305

$5.60 CLP 5,228

61.96%

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

$706 ฿23.8K

$433 CLP 403.9K

63.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿531.5K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.6 ฿1,969

$50.3 CLP 46.9K

16.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.36 ฿1,189

$30.34 CLP 28.3K

16.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,883

$61.1 CLP 57.0K

89.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.7 ฿2,816

$81.6 CLP 76.1K

2.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$626 ฿21.0K

$475 CLP 443.5K

31.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$445 ฿15.0K

$377 CLP 352.3K

17.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,040 ฿68.6K

$895 CLP 835.9K

127.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 ฿50.2K

$589 CLP 550.3K

153.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,483 ฿117.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,577 ฿86.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$500 ฿16.8K

$536 CLP 500.8K

-6.82%

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 12, 2026

Last update for Villarrica: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $626 in Phuket and $475 in Villarrica. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Villarrica pays 7% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $46.00 in Phuket vs $45.00 in Villarrica for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $289 vs $230 per month, with Villarrica cheaper across the board.

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, salaries run 7% lower in Villarrica. 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: $626 in Phuket versus $475 in Villarrica. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $706 in Phuket versus $433 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 $46.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,090 in Villarrica versus $1,250 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.