🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,156 in San Bernardo versus $1,264 in Phuket.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,786 in San Bernardo versus $2,256 in Phuket.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,416 in San Bernardo versus $3,248 in Phuket.
🌍Living in San Bernardo costs roughly 9% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: San Bernardo13% lower, Phuket5% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
San Bernardo
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$10.84CLP 10.1K
$4.48฿150
141.96%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$53.4CLP 49.7K
$45.59฿1,521
17.11%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.40CLP 7,813
$8.76฿292
-4.11%
Cappuccino
$3.14CLP 2,923
$2.97฿99.0
5.72%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.94CLP 870
$0.69฿22.90
36.23%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.29CLP 1,200
$0.39฿13.04
230.77%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$3.19CLP 2,972
$2.53฿84.4
26.09%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.27CLP 3,975
$3.75฿125
13.87%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
San Bernardo
Phuket
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.11CLP 1,036
$2.15฿71.6
-48.37%
White Bread(500g)
$1.52CLP 1,418
$1.82฿60.6
-16.48%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.12CLP 1,969
$2.18฿72.9
-2.75%
Eggs
$4.12CLP 3,834
$2.25฿75.0
83.11%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$10.51CLP 9,783
$20.00฿667
-47.45%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$6.72CLP 6,248
$3.63฿121
85.12%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$10.83CLP 10.1K
$13.56฿452
-20.13%
Apples(1kg)
$2.07CLP 1,930
$3.24฿108
-36.11%
Banana(1kg)
$1.63CLP 1,513
$1.64฿54.6
-0.61%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.11CLP 1,962
$2.33฿77.8
-9.44%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.93CLP 1,791
$2.07฿69.1
-6.76%
Potato(1kg)
$1.93CLP 1,796
$1.55฿51.6
24.52%
Onion(1kg)
$1.61CLP 1,498
$1.46฿48.54
10.27%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.29CLP 1,199
$0.98฿32.86
31.63%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.22CLP 1,137
$0.48฿16.09
154.17%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$3.48CLP 3,242
$4.35฿145
-20.00%
Wine(Bottle)
$6.24CLP 5,807
$18.57฿620
-66.40%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.54CLP 1,431
$1.86฿61.9
-17.20%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.47CLP 2,301
$2.65฿88.6
-6.79%
🚌 Getting Around
San Bernardo
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.58CLP 539
$1.42฿47.28
-59.15%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
-
$11.57฿386
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$0.51CLP 471
$3.17฿106
-83.91%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.46CLP 1,354
$1.03฿34.41
41.75%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$11.69CLP 10.9K
$13.89฿463
-15.84%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.42CLP 1,320
$1.34฿44.84
5.97%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$19.4KCLP 18.0M
$27.8K฿927.1K
-30.25%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.1KCLP 21.5M
$33.4K฿1.1M
-30.92%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
San Bernardo
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$130CLP 121.0K
$123฿4,105
5.65%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.61CLP 12.7K
$13.77฿459
-1.16%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$22.23CLP 20.7K
$18.33฿611
21.28%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
San Bernardo
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$38.49CLP 35.8K
$60.7฿2,025
-36.58%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$20.84CLP 19.4K
$17.16฿573
21.45%
Cinema Ticket
$6.52CLP 6,066
$8.87฿296
-26.49%
🧸 Childcare & Education
San Bernardo
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$444CLP 413.0K
$688฿22.9K
-35.47%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$8,593CLP 8.0M
$15.8K฿526.4K
-45.54%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
San Bernardo
Phuket
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$54.4CLP 50.7K
$59.3฿1,978
-8.20%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$32.35CLP 30.1K
$34.69฿1,157
-6.75%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$78.0CLP 72.5K
$115฿3,843
-32.31%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$83.8CLP 78.0K
$83.8฿2,794
0.05%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
San Bernardo
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$485CLP 451.1K
$621฿20.7K
-21.97%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$380CLP 353.7K
$446฿14.9K
-14.78%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$889CLP 827.4K
$2,034฿67.8K
-56.27%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$592CLP 551.0K
$1,496฿49.9K
-60.42%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$1,945CLP 1.8M
$3,455฿115.3K
-43.69%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,395CLP 1.3M
$2,531฿84.4K
-44.91%
💵 Salaries & Financials
San Bernardo
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$1,390CLP 1.3M
$494฿16.5K
181.52%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.18
5.33
-2.81%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for San Bernardo: July 26, 2026
Last update for Phuket: July 27, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $485 in San Bernardo and $621 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰San Bernardo pays 182% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.
🛒Dining out: $53.0 in San Bernardo vs $46.00 in Phuket. Groceries flip the comparison at $241 vs $291, with San Bernardo 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
San Bernardo vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Phuket cheaper than San Bernardo?
San Bernardo is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 9% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: San Bernardo or Phuket?
Average pay runs 182% higher in San Bernardo, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
What is the rent difference between San Bernardo and Phuket?
Rent for a central apartment: $485 in San Bernardo versus $621 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $444 in San Bernardo versus $688 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Is eating out cheaper in San Bernardo or in Phuket?
Dining out is cheaper in San Bernardo – a meal for two runs $53.0 versus $46.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Is $1,000 a realistic budget for living in San Bernardo or in Phuket?
At $1,156 in San Bernardo versus $1,264 in Phuket, a $1,000 budget is realistic in San Bernardo but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes San Bernardo the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is San Bernardo or Phuket more family-friendly?
For families, San Bernardo 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, San Bernardo or Phuket?
Safety-wise, San Bernardo and Phuket 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 San Bernardo gentler on the wallet – expenses run 9% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.
San Bernardo vs other spots: cost of living compared