Cost of Living Comparison Between Santiago and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Santiago and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,416 in Santiago versus $1,261 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,035 in Santiago versus $2,286 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,653 in Santiago versus $3,310 in Phuket.

Living in Santiago is roughly 12% more expensive than Phuket, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

The two cities straddle the global median: Santiago is 5% above, Phuket is 6% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.47 PAB 4.47

$4.56 ฿149

-1.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.36 PAB 30.36

$46.63 ฿1,519

-34.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.11 PAB 5.11

$8.47 ฿276

-39.67%

Cappuccino

$3.72 PAB 3.72

$3.03 ฿98.6

22.77%

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

$0.73 PAB 0.73

$0.69 ฿22.45

5.80%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 PAB 0.82

$0.37 ฿11.92

121.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.02 PAB 1.02

$2.49 ฿81.0

-59.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 PAB 1.98

$3.66 ฿119

-45.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.90 PAB 1.90

$2.18 ฿71.0

-12.84%

White Bread (500g)

$2.55 PAB 2.55

$1.90 ฿62.0

34.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.38 PAB 2.38

$2.20 ฿71.6

8.18%

Eggs

$2.95 PAB 2.95

$2.22 ฿72.4

32.88%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.33 PAB 11.33

$19.99 ฿651

-43.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.06 PAB 7.06

$3.66 ฿119

92.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.79 PAB 9.79

$13.25 ฿432

-26.11%

Apples (1kg)

$3.30 PAB 3.30

$3.23 ฿105

2.17%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 PAB 1.50

$1.70 ฿55.3

-11.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.77 PAB 2.77

$2.39 ฿78.0

15.90%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.20 PAB 3.20

$2.08 ฿67.7

53.85%

Potato (1kg)

$2.28 PAB 2.28

$1.59 ฿51.8

43.40%

Onion (1kg)

$2.92 PAB 2.92

$1.48 ฿48.31

97.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.21 PAB 2.21

$1.03 ฿33.54

114.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.52 PAB 1.52

$0.52 ฿16.83

192.31%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.89 PAB 5.89

$4.25 ฿138

38.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.81 PAB 10.81

$18.79 ฿612

-42.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.30 PAB 1.30

$1.76 ฿57.2

-26.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.43 PAB 2.43

$2.76 ฿89.8

-11.96%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.36 ฿44.32

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.36 ฿370

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.53 PAB 2.53

$3.14 ฿102

-19.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.83 PAB 1.83

$1.04 ฿33.74

75.96%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$22.36 PAB 22.36

$13.77 ฿448

62.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 PAB 0.95

$1.34 ฿43.79

-29.10%

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

$20.0K PAB 20.0K

$27.7K ฿901.4K

-27.80%

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

$20.7K PAB 20.7K

$33.9K ฿1.1M

-38.80%

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

$117 PAB 117

$124 ฿4,025

-5.02%

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

$14.83 PAB 14.83

$13.52 ฿440

9.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.32 PAB 42.32

$18.69 ฿609

126.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.8 ฿2,013

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.25 ฿562

Cinema Ticket

$7.94 PAB 7.94

$9.14 ฿298

-13.13%

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

$476 PAB 476

$703 ฿22.9K

-32.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.4K PAB 15.4K

$15.9K ฿517.0K

-2.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.2 PAB 51.2

$59.5 ฿1,937

-13.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.80 PAB 45.80

$35.07 ฿1,142

30.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.5 PAB 89.5

$115 ฿3,754

-22.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 PAB 119

$84.1 ฿2,737

41.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$452 PAB 452

$619 ฿20.1K

-26.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$639 PAB 639

$433 ฿14.1K

47.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$639 PAB 639

$2,062 ฿67.2K

-69.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,112 PAB 1,112

$1,511 ฿49.2K

-26.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,646 ฿118.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,626 ฿85.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$507 ฿16.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.23

5.33

16.89%

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

Last update for Santiago: June 7, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $452 in Santiago and $619 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $30.00 in Santiago vs $47.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $290 vs $293 per month, with Santiago 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

Santiago vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 12% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $2,124 in Santiago and $1,892 in Phuket to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $452 in Santiago versus $619 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $476 in Santiago versus $703 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Phuket – a meal for two runs $47.00 versus $30.00 in Santiago. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,261 in Phuket versus $1,416 in Santiago, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Santiago. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Phuket is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Santiago, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Santiago 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.

Expats usually find Phuket gentler on the wallet – expenses run 12% less than in Santiago. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.