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 $1,264 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,071 in Santiago versus $2,256 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,727 in Santiago versus $3,248 in Phuket.

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

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.43 PAB 4.43

$4.48 ฿150

-1.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.51 PAB 30.51

$45.59 ฿1,521

-33.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.88 PAB 4.88

$8.76 ฿292

-44.29%

Cappuccino

$3.67 PAB 3.67

$2.97 ฿99.0

23.57%

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

$0.69 PAB 0.69

$0.69 ฿22.90

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 PAB 0.82

$0.39 ฿13.04

110.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.99 PAB 0.99

$2.53 ฿84.4

-60.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 PAB 2.05

$3.75 ฿125

-45.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.88 PAB 1.88

$2.15 ฿71.6

-12.56%

White Bread (500g)

$2.47 PAB 2.47

$1.82 ฿60.6

35.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.51 PAB 2.51

$2.18 ฿72.9

15.14%

Eggs

$2.91 PAB 2.91

$2.25 ฿75.0

29.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.60 PAB 11.60

$20.00 ฿667

-42.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.05 PAB 7.05

$3.63 ฿121

94.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.99 PAB 9.99

$13.56 ฿452

-26.33%

Apples (1kg)

$3.37 PAB 3.37

$3.24 ฿108

4.01%

Banana (1kg)

$1.53 PAB 1.53

$1.64 ฿54.6

-6.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.75 PAB 2.75

$2.33 ฿77.8

18.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.21 PAB 3.21

$2.07 ฿69.1

55.07%

Potato (1kg)

$2.31 PAB 2.31

$1.55 ฿51.6

49.03%

Onion (1kg)

$2.81 PAB 2.81

$1.46 ฿48.54

92.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.20 PAB 2.20

$0.98 ฿32.86

124.49%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.59 PAB 1.59

$0.48 ฿16.09

231.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.93 PAB 5.93

$4.35 ฿145

36.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.67 PAB 10.67

$18.57 ฿620

-42.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.24 PAB 1.24

$1.86 ฿61.9

-33.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.45 PAB 2.45

$2.65 ฿88.6

-7.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.42 ฿47.28

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.57 ฿386

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.49 PAB 2.49

$3.17 ฿106

-21.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.76 PAB 1.76

$1.03 ฿34.41

70.87%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$21.77 PAB 21.77

$13.89 ฿463

56.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 PAB 0.94

$1.34 ฿44.84

-29.85%

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

$19.7K PAB 19.7K

$27.8K ฿927.1K

-28.99%

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

$20.8K PAB 20.8K

$33.4K ฿1.1M

-37.67%

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

$122 PAB 122

$123 ฿4,105

-1.06%

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

$14.70 PAB 14.70

$13.77 ฿459

6.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.42 PAB 42.42

$18.33 ฿611

131.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.7 ฿2,025

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.16 ฿573

Cinema Ticket

$7.88 PAB 7.88

$8.87 ฿296

-11.16%

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

$481 PAB 481

$688 ฿22.9K

-30.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.6K PAB 15.6K

$15.8K ฿526.4K

-0.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.7 PAB 50.7

$59.3 ฿1,978

-14.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.54 PAB 46.54

$34.69 ฿1,157

34.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.3 PAB 90.3

$115 ฿3,843

-21.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 PAB 121

$83.8 ฿2,794

44.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$444 PAB 444

$621 ฿20.7K

-28.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$639 PAB 639

$446 ฿14.9K

43.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$658 PAB 658

$2,034 ฿67.8K

-67.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,105 PAB 1,105

$1,496 ฿49.9K

-26.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,455 ฿115.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,531 ฿84.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿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: July 25, 2026

Last update for Phuket: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $444 in Santiago and $621 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $31.00 in Santiago vs $46.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $291 vs $291 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 Groceries & Markets, 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 $1,896 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: $444 in Santiago versus $621 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $481 in Santiago versus $688 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 $46.00 versus $31.00 in Santiago. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,264 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.