Cost of Living Comparison Between Valdivia and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Valdivia and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,062 in Valdivia versus $1,250 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,610 in Valdivia versus $2,284 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,157 in Valdivia versus $3,317 in Phuket.

Living in Valdivia costs roughly 15% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Valdivia 20% lower, Phuket 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.61 CLP 6,154

$4.55 ฿153

45.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.26 CLP 39.4K

$46.18 ฿1,554

-8.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.94 CLP 6,458

$8.84 ฿298

-21.49%

Cappuccino

$2.51 CLP 2,335

$3.06 ฿103

-17.97%

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

$2.31 CLP 2,151

$0.73 ฿24.42

216.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.53 CLP 1,428

$0.40 ฿13.40

282.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.81 CLP 3,551

$2.43 ฿81.8

56.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.94 CLP 3,666

$3.78 ฿127

4.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.23 CLP 1,148

$2.26 ฿76.0

-45.58%

White Bread (500g)

$1.43 CLP 1,329

$1.81 ฿60.9

-20.99%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 CLP 1,523

$2.25 ฿75.8

-27.11%

Eggs

$3.17 CLP 2,955

$2.25 ฿75.6

40.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.38 CLP 8,737

$19.51 ฿656

-51.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.95 CLP 6,474

$3.65 ฿123

90.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.38 CLP 12.5K

$13.05 ฿439

2.53%

Apples (1kg)

$2.22 CLP 2,063

$3.23 ฿109

-31.27%

Banana (1kg)

$1.94 CLP 1,804

$1.62 ฿54.4

19.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.83 CLP 1,706

$2.38 ฿80.2

-23.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.97 CLP 1,833

$2.03 ฿68.2

-2.96%

Potato (1kg)

$2.44 CLP 2,275

$1.53 ฿51.6

59.48%

Onion (1kg)

$1.58 CLP 1,474

$1.50 ฿50.5

5.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.58 CLP 1,474

$0.98 ฿32.93

61.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 CLP 1,123

$0.52 ฿17.40

132.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.25 CLP 4,892

$4.44 ฿149

18.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.78 CLP 4,454

$18.32 ฿616

-73.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.60 CLP 1,486

$1.86 ฿62.7

-13.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.14 CLP 1,989

$2.68 ฿90.2

-20.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.59 CLP 550

$1.41 ฿47.49

-58.16%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.70 ฿394

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.59 CLP 1,476

$3.11 ฿105

-48.87%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿35.08

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.11 ฿475

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.42 CLP 1,318

$1.31 ฿44.13

8.40%

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

$15.6K CLP 14.6M

$27.8K ฿936.0K

-43.82%

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

$18.2K CLP 17.0M

$33.2K ฿1.1M

-45.08%

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

$96.1 CLP 89.5K

$122 ฿4,120

-21.48%

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

$18.60 CLP 17.3K

$13.59 ฿457

36.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.22 CLP 27.2K

$18.70 ฿629

56.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.96 CLP 40.0K

$60.5 ฿2,035

-28.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.61 CLP 22.9K

$16.98 ฿572

44.94%

Cinema Ticket

$4.90 CLP 4,560

$9.07 ฿305

-45.98%

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

$275 CLP 255.7K

$706 ฿23.8K

-61.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿531.8K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 CLP 50.9K

$58.6 ฿1,970

-6.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$18.60 CLP 17.3K

$35.36 ฿1,190

-47.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$52.2 CLP 48.6K

$115 ฿3,885

-54.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$82.0 CLP 76.3K

$83.7 ฿2,818

-2.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$598 CLP 556.8K

$626 ฿21.1K

-4.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$383 CLP 357.0K

$445 ฿15.0K

-13.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,039 CLP 967.9K

$2,040 ฿68.7K

-49.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$593 CLP 552.5K

$1,492 ฿50.2K

-60.24%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,745 CLP 4.4M

$3,483 ฿117.2K

36.25%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,577 ฿86.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$661 CLP 615.1K

$500 ฿16.8K

32.15%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.5

5.33

-15.57%

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

Last update for Valdivia: July 11, 2026

Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $598 in Valdivia and $626 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Valdivia pays 32% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $42.00 in Valdivia vs $46.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $242 vs $289 per month, with Valdivia 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

Valdivia vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Valdivia is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 18% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 32% higher in Valdivia, 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: $598 in Valdivia versus $626 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $275 in Valdivia versus $706 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Valdivia – a meal for two runs $42.00 versus $46.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,062 in Valdivia versus $1,250 in Phuket, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Valdivia but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Valdivia the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Valdivia 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, Valdivia 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 Valdivia gentler on the wallet – expenses run 18% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.