Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Vina del Mar Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Vina del Mar

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,264 in Phuket versus $1,074 in Vina del Mar.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,256 in Phuket versus $1,721 in Vina del Mar.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,248 in Phuket versus $2,368 in Vina del Mar.

Living in Phuket is roughly 18% more expensive than in Vina del Mar, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 5% lower, Vina del Mar 19% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.48 ฿150

$6.81 CLP 6,333

-34.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.59 ฿1,521

$53.7 CLP 50.0K

-15.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.76 ฿292

$7.73 CLP 7,197

13.32%

Cappuccino

$2.97 ฿99.0

$2.77 CLP 2,577

7.22%

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

$0.69 ฿22.90

$1.14 CLP 1,059

-39.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 ฿13.04

$0.85 CLP 794

-54.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.53 ฿84.4

$2.20 CLP 2,052

15.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.75 ฿125

$3.57 CLP 3,326

5.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.15 ฿71.6

$1.24 CLP 1,149

73.39%

White Bread (500g)

$1.82 ฿60.6

$1.28 CLP 1,188

42.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.18 ฿72.9

$1.63 CLP 1,520

33.74%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.0

$2.97 CLP 2,767

-24.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$20.00 ฿667

$9.62 CLP 8,955

107.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿121

$5.24 CLP 4,880

-30.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.56 ฿452

$10.82 CLP 10.1K

25.32%

Apples (1kg)

$3.24 ฿108

$1.96 CLP 1,824

65.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ฿54.6

$1.51 CLP 1,401

8.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.33 ฿77.8

$1.39 CLP 1,292

67.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.07 ฿69.1

$1.40 CLP 1,298

47.86%

Potato (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.6

$1.30 CLP 1,209

19.23%

Onion (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.54

$1.41 CLP 1,308

3.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.86

$1.00 CLP 934

-2.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.09

$1.11 CLP 1,037

-56.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 ฿145

$5.03 CLP 4,683

-13.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.57 ฿620

$7.51 CLP 6,987

147.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿61.9

$1.56 CLP 1,450

19.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.65 ฿88.6

$2.29 CLP 2,135

15.72%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.42 ฿47.28

$0.58 CLP 538

144.83%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.57 ฿386

$38.45 CLP 35.8K

-69.91%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 ฿106

$0.51 CLP 474

521.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.03 ฿34.41

$1.42 CLP 1,318

-27.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.89 ฿463

$11.64 CLP 10.8K

19.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ฿44.84

$1.41 CLP 1,313

-4.96%

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

$27.8K ฿927.1K

$19.6K CLP 18.2M

41.84%

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

$33.4K ฿1.1M

$18.7K CLP 17.4M

78.08%

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

$123 ฿4,105

$133 CLP 123.8K

-7.50%

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

$13.77 ฿459

$13.62 CLP 12.7K

1.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.33 ฿611

$19.41 CLP 18.1K

-5.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.7 ฿2,025

$54.6 CLP 50.8K

11.17%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.16 ฿573

$21.32 CLP 19.8K

-19.51%

Cinema Ticket

$8.87 ฿296

$5.53 CLP 5,142

60.40%

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

$688 ฿22.9K

$439 CLP 408.9K

56.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿526.4K

$5,304 CLP 4.9M

197.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.3 ฿1,978

$48.13 CLP 44.8K

23.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.69 ฿1,157

$32.73 CLP 30.5K

5.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,843

$61.6 CLP 57.3K

86.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.8 ฿2,794

$84.6 CLP 78.7K

-0.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$621 ฿20.7K

$450 CLP 418.4K

38.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$446 ฿14.9K

$338 CLP 314.7K

31.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,034 ฿67.8K

$826 CLP 768.3K

146.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,496 ฿49.9K

$629 CLP 585.7K

137.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,455 ฿115.3K

$2,430 CLP 2.3M

42.15%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,531 ฿84.4K

$1,610 CLP 1.5M

57.19%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.5K

$1,105 CLP 1.0M

-55.34%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

4.83

10.35%

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

Last update for Phuket: July 27, 2026

Last update for Vina del Mar: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $621 in Phuket and $450 in Vina del Mar. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Vina del Mar pays 124% 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 $54.0 in Vina del Mar. Groceries flip the comparison at $291 vs $214, with Vina del Mar 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 Vina del Mar: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Vina del Mar is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment. The 18% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 124% lower in Vina del Mar. 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: $621 in Phuket versus $450 in Vina del Mar. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $688 in Phuket versus $439 in Vina del Mar. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 36% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,074 in Vina del Mar versus $1,264 in Phuket, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Vina del Mar but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Vina del Mar the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Vina del Mar 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 Vina del Mar 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 Vina del Mar gentler on the wallet – expenses run 18% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.