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: $1,232 in Phuket versus $1,067 in Vina del Mar.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,054 in Phuket versus $1,714 in Vina del Mar.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,876 in Phuket versus $2,361 in Vina del Mar.

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

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 10% lower, Vina del Mar 22% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.41 ฿147

$8.23 CLP 7,857

-46.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.26 ฿1,077

$59.0 CLP 56.3K

-45.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.93 ฿298

$7.77 CLP 7,414

14.93%

Cappuccino

$2.90 ฿96.6

$3.56 CLP 3,399

-18.54%

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

$0.88 ฿29.38

$1.47 CLP 1,403

-40.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.06

$1.06 CLP 1,014

-54.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.35 ฿78.5

$3.74 CLP 3,567

-37.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿124

$3.44 CLP 3,285

8.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 ฿62.3

$1.31 CLP 1,248

42.75%

White Bread (500g)

$1.47 ฿48.94

$1.22 CLP 1,163

20.49%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.8

$1.65 CLP 1,574

-6.06%

Eggs

$2.10 ฿70.1

$3.73 CLP 3,557

-43.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.59 ฿654

$9.81 CLP 9,358

99.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.42 ฿114

$5.12 CLP 4,885

-33.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.38 ฿380

$12.68 CLP 12.1K

-10.25%

Apples (1kg)

$2.98 ฿99.6

$1.50 CLP 1,432

98.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 ฿56.2

$1.78 CLP 1,703

-5.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.21 ฿73.7

$1.25 CLP 1,197

76.80%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.16 ฿72.1

$1.10 CLP 1,048

96.36%

Potato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿50.9

$1.53 CLP 1,463

-0.65%

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 ฿44.67

$1.25 CLP 1,191

7.20%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 ฿37.67

$1.04 CLP 996

8.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ฿18.24

$1.27 CLP 1,212

-56.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.26 ฿142

$5.12 CLP 4,881

-16.80%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.09 ฿637

$7.33 CLP 6,992

160.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿59.4

$1.77 CLP 1,687

0.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿92.9

$2.29 CLP 2,181

21.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.23 ฿74.4

$0.50 CLP 474

346.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.74 ฿759

$40.18 CLP 38.3K

-43.40%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 ฿101

$1.61 CLP 1,533

88.20%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 ฿34.15

$1.28 CLP 1,222

-20.31%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.89 ฿130

$12.56 CLP 12.0K

-69.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿49.77

$1.32 CLP 1,257

12.88%

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

$26.6K ฿887.3K

$18.8K CLP 18.0M

41.04%

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

$27.0K ฿902.2K

$17.8K CLP 17.0M

51.97%

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

$102 ฿3,420

$111 CLP 106.1K

-7.88%

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

$11.33 ฿378

$15.19 CLP 14.5K

-25.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.40 ฿581

$17.85 CLP 17.0K

-2.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.1 ฿1,738

$43.88 CLP 41.9K

18.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.07 ฿370

$24.49 CLP 23.4K

-54.80%

Cinema Ticket

$7.69 ฿257

$6.36 CLP 6,071

20.91%

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

$561 ฿18.7K

$523 CLP 498.6K

7.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.5K ฿384.1K

$5,125 CLP 4.9M

124.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.0 ฿2,104

$44.42 CLP 42.4K

41.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.52 ฿986

$34.02 CLP 32.5K

-13.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.0 ฿3,272

$57.4 CLP 54.8K

70.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.5 ฿2,954

$90.0 CLP 85.9K

-1.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$738 ฿24.6K

$467 CLP 445.9K

57.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.1K

$333 CLP 317.9K

44.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,107 ฿70.3K

$865 CLP 825.3K

143.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,226 ฿40.9K

$618 CLP 589.7K

98.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,617 ฿120.7K

$2,437 CLP 2.3M

48.44%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,603 ฿86.9K

$1,584 CLP 1.5M

64.30%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.5K

$1,067 CLP 1.0M

-53.72%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

4.83

15.32%

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

Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026

Last update for Vina del Mar: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $738 in Phuket and $467 in Vina del Mar. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Vina del Mar pays 116% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $32.00 in Phuket vs $59.0 in Vina del Mar. Groceries flip the comparison at $274 vs $223, 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 15% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 116% 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: $738 in Phuket versus $467 in Vina del Mar. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $561 in Phuket versus $523 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 23% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,067 in Vina del Mar versus $1,232 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 15% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.