Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Villarrica

For one person, living is cheaper in Villarrica: $406 a month against $1,208 in Phuket, rent and utilities included – about $9,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Phuket
🇹🇭 Thailand
$1,208
/mo nomad
Villarrica
🇨🇱 Chile
$406
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Phuket and in Villarrica

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Phuket and in Villarrica actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,208 in Phuket versus $406 in Villarrica.

  • Phuket $1,208
  • Villarrica $406

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,027 in Phuket versus $608 in Villarrica.

  • Phuket $2,027
  • Villarrica $608

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,845 in Phuket versus $811 in Villarrica.

  • Phuket $2,845
  • Villarrica $811

Living in Phuket is roughly 198% more expensive than in Villarrica, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 11% lower, Villarrica 70% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Villarrica
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.40 ฿147
-
-
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.26 ฿1,078
-
-
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.76 ฿293
-
-
Cappuccino
$2.83 ฿94.5
$2.34 CLP 2,303
20.94%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.90 ฿30.14
$1.55 CLP 1,528
-41.94%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.47 ฿15.56
$1.01 CLP 990
-53.47%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.55 ฿85.2
$2.50 CLP 2,465
2.00%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.83 ฿128
$4.50 CLP 4,431
-14.89%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Villarrica
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.73 ฿57.7
$1.24 CLP 1,223
39.52%
White Bread (500g)
$1.47 ฿49.11
$2.58 CLP 2,535
-43.02%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.51 ฿50.6
$2.41 CLP 2,374
-37.34%
Eggs
$2.17 ฿72.7
$3.03 CLP 2,986
-28.38%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$19.70 ฿658
$8.26 CLP 8,134
138.50%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.34 ฿112
$10.72 CLP 10.5K
-68.84%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$11.16 ฿373
-
-
Apples (1kg)
$2.85 ฿95.1
$2.56 CLP 2,525
11.33%
Banana (1kg)
$1.70 ฿56.9
$1.80 CLP 1,775
-5.56%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.19 ฿73.3
$2.69 CLP 2,648
-18.59%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.05 ฿68.4
$1.38 CLP 1,363
48.55%
Potato (1kg)
$1.45 ฿48.57
$1.47 CLP 1,448
-1.36%
Onion (1kg)
$1.38 ฿46.16
$1.21 CLP 1,189
14.05%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.07 ฿35.69
$1.56 CLP 1,538
-31.41%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.51 ฿16.91
$1.95 CLP 1,924
-73.85%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.26 ฿142
-
-
Wine (Bottle)
$18.58 ฿621
$5.50 CLP 5,417
237.82%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.78 ฿59.7
-
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.85 ฿95.2
$3.52 CLP 3,469
-19.03%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Villarrica
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.26 ฿75.6
$1.81 CLP 1,777
24.86%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$22.10 ฿738
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.01 ฿101
$2.02 CLP 1,984
49.01%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.06 ฿35.34
$2.02 CLP 1,989
-47.52%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$3.86 ฿129
-
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.45 ฿48.45
-
-
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.3K ฿879.9K
-
-
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.9K ฿900.4K
-
-
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Villarrica
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$96.4 ฿3,221
$62.1 CLP 61.1K
55.15%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.04 ฿369
-
-
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$17.14 ฿573
-
-
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Villarrica
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$52.2 ฿1,744
$30.23 CLP 29.8K
72.61%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$11.16 ฿373
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$7.81 ฿261
-
-
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Villarrica
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$556 ฿18.6K
-
-
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$11.6K ฿387.0K
-
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Villarrica
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$64.2 ฿2,146
-
-
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$28.69 ฿959
-
-
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$95.4 ฿3,187
-
-
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$88.0 ฿2,940
-
-
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Villarrica
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$737 ฿24.6K
-
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$462 ฿15.5K
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,095 ฿70.0K
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,201 ฿40.1K
-
-
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,488 ฿116.6K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,523 ฿84.3K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Villarrica
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$501 ฿16.7K
$509 CLP 501.0K
-1.63%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.57
0
-

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Phuket: October 19, 2026

Last update for Villarrica: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Phuket
$462
Villarrica
- * 100%
Groceries & Markets
Phuket
$269
Villarrica
$234 * 12.8% $34
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
$125
Villarrica
$62 * 50.1% $62
Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
$124
Villarrica
- * 100%
Eating Out
Phuket
$121
Villarrica
$60 * 50.7% $61
Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
$68
Villarrica
$30 * 55.4% $38
Getting Around
Phuket
$39
Villarrica
$19 * 51% $20

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

Villarrica pays 2% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Good to know
🇹🇭 Phuket
🇨🇱 Villarrica
🕒 Local time
19:35 7:35 PM
09:35 9:35 AM
10 h behind Phuket
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
79,308
31,780
💱 Currency
Thai Baht THB ฿
Exchange rates and currency converter

CLP, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 33.42 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.57 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

Chilean Peso exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 984 CLP (1,000 CLP = 1.02 USD). 1 EUR = 1,107 CLP (10,000 CLP = 9.04 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Phuket Villarrica 16,400 km ≈ 21 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Phuket
  • Villarrica

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Is Villarrica cheaper than Phuket?
Villarrica is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, clothing, and eating out. The 198% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Phuket or Villarrica?
On paper, salaries run 2% 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.
How do food prices compare in Phuket and in Villarrica?
Supermarket bills run roughly 15% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
What are total monthly expenses in Phuket and in Villarrica?
All in, you'll spend $1,208 per month in Phuket versus $406 in Villarrica – a 198% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Is $2,000 a realistic budget for living in Phuket or in Villarrica?
At $406 in Villarrica versus $1,208 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.
Is Phuket or Villarrica more family-friendly?
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.
Which city is safer, Phuket or Villarrica?
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.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Villarrica gentler on the wallet – expenses run 198% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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