Cost of Living Comparison Between Temuco and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Temuco and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,113 in Temuco versus $1,232 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,656 in Temuco versus $2,054 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,199 in Temuco versus $2,876 in Phuket.

Living in Temuco costs roughly 10% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Temuco 19% lower, Phuket 10% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.66 CLP 7,309

$4.41 ฿147

73.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$31.48 CLP 30.0K

$32.26 ฿1,077

-2.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.14 CLP 6,817

$8.93 ฿298

-20.04%

Cappuccino

$3.87 CLP 3,693

$2.90 ฿96.6

33.45%

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

$2.25 CLP 2,143

$0.88 ฿29.38

155.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.15 CLP 1,093

$0.48 ฿16.06

139.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.72 CLP 3,553

$2.35 ฿78.5

58.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.35 CLP 3,199

$3.72 ฿124

-9.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.18 CLP 1,121

$1.87 ฿62.3

-36.90%

White Bread (500g)

$1.43 CLP 1,366

$1.47 ฿48.94

-2.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.33 CLP 1,265

$1.55 ฿51.8

-14.19%

Eggs

$3.48 CLP 3,317

$2.10 ฿70.1

65.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.25 CLP 8,828

$19.59 ฿654

-52.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.05 CLP 5,774

$3.42 ฿114

76.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.72 CLP 11.2K

$11.38 ฿380

2.99%

Apples (1kg)

$1.87 CLP 1,781

$2.98 ฿99.6

-37.25%

Banana (1kg)

$2.06 CLP 1,965

$1.68 ฿56.2

22.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.03 CLP 1,939

$2.21 ฿73.7

-8.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.24 CLP 2,141

$2.16 ฿72.1

3.70%

Potato (1kg)

$2.40 CLP 2,291

$1.52 ฿50.9

57.89%

Onion (1kg)

$2.64 CLP 2,519

$1.34 ฿44.67

97.01%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.88 CLP 1,792

$1.13 ฿37.67

66.37%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 CLP 1,154

$0.55 ฿18.24

120.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.76 CLP 4,545

$4.26 ฿142

11.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.89 CLP 4,665

$19.09 ฿637

-74.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.56 CLP 1,493

$1.78 ฿59.4

-12.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.17 CLP 2,072

$2.78 ฿92.9

-21.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 CLP 861

$2.23 ฿74.4

-59.64%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.55 CLP 33.0K

$22.74 ฿759

51.93%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.87 CLP 828

$3.03 ฿101

-71.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.53 CLP 1,463

$1.02 ฿34.15

50.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.48 CLP 9,047

$3.89 ฿130

143.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 CLP 1,296

$1.49 ฿49.77

-8.72%

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

$12.5K CLP 12.0M

$26.6K ฿887.3K

-52.83%

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

$17.7K CLP 16.9M

$27.0K ฿902.2K

-34.40%

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

$140 CLP 133.2K

$102 ฿3,420

36.23%

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

$11.45 CLP 10.9K

$11.33 ฿378

1.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.22 CLP 22.2K

$17.40 ฿581

33.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.19 CLP 46.0K

$52.1 ฿1,738

-7.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$46.11 CLP 44.0K

$11.07 ฿370

316.53%

Cinema Ticket

$4.79 CLP 4,568

$7.69 ฿257

-37.71%

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

$218 CLP 207.8K

$561 ฿18.7K

-61.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,845 CLP 2.7M

$11.5K ฿384.1K

-75.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.53 CLP 42.5K

$63.0 ฿2,104

-29.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$18.01 CLP 17.2K

$29.52 ฿986

-38.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$65.5 CLP 62.5K

$98.0 ฿3,272

-33.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.3 CLP 80.4K

$88.5 ฿2,954

-4.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$400 CLP 382.0K

$738 ฿24.6K

-45.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$332 CLP 316.7K

$482 ฿16.1K

-31.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$733 CLP 699.7K

$2,107 ฿70.3K

-65.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$522 CLP 498.2K

$1,226 ฿40.9K

-57.41%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,064 CLP 2.0M

$3,617 ฿120.7K

-42.93%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,696 CLP 1.6M

$2,603 ฿86.9K

-34.85%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$542 CLP 516.8K

$494 ฿16.5K

9.73%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.8

5.57

-13.82%

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

Last update for Temuco: September 12, 2026

Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $400 in Temuco and $738 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Temuco pays 10% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $31.00 in Temuco vs $32.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $236 vs $274 per month, with Temuco 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

Temuco vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Temuco is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment. The 11% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 10% higher in Temuco, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $400 in Temuco versus $738 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $218 in Temuco versus $561 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 16% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,113 in Temuco versus $1,232 in Phuket, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Temuco but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Temuco the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Temuco 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, Temuco 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 Temuco gentler on the wallet – expenses run 11% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.