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: $1,061 in Valdivia versus $1,265 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,606 in Valdivia versus $2,089 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,150 in Valdivia versus $2,913 in Phuket.

Living in Valdivia costs roughly 16% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Valdivia 23% lower, Phuket 8% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.49 CLP 6,108

$4.66 ฿154

39.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.88 CLP 45.1K

$32.22 ฿1,065

48.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.91 CLP 6,503

$8.68 ฿287

-20.39%

Cappuccino

$2.12 CLP 2,000

$2.90 ฿95.8

-26.90%

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

$2.13 CLP 2,005

$0.84 ฿27.89

153.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.37 CLP 1,286

$0.49 ฿16.16

179.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.65 CLP 3,433

$2.48 ฿82.0

47.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.78 CLP 3,562

$3.73 ฿123

1.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.22 CLP 1,150

$1.89 ฿62.3

-35.45%

White Bread (500g)

$1.38 CLP 1,296

$1.41 ฿46.54

-2.13%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.69 CLP 1,588

$1.62 ฿53.6

4.32%

Eggs

$3.06 CLP 2,879

$2.24 ฿74.1

36.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.51 CLP 8,949

$19.84 ฿656

-52.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.53 CLP 6,150

$3.48 ฿115

87.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.45 CLP 12.7K

$11.37 ฿376

18.29%

Apples (1kg)

$2.30 CLP 2,169

$2.90 ฿95.8

-20.69%

Banana (1kg)

$1.91 CLP 1,798

$1.72 ฿57.0

11.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.89 CLP 1,780

$2.27 ฿75.1

-16.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.87 CLP 1,759

$2.13 ฿70.4

-12.21%

Potato (1kg)

$2.44 CLP 2,301

$1.47 ฿48.72

65.99%

Onion (1kg)

$1.62 CLP 1,526

$1.42 ฿46.92

14.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.56 CLP 1,467

$1.10 ฿36.25

41.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 CLP 1,142

$0.60 ฿19.76

101.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.44 CLP 5,121

$4.31 ฿142

26.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.78 CLP 4,498

$18.60 ฿615

-74.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.59 CLP 1,500

$1.80 ฿59.5

-11.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.12 CLP 1,999

$2.97 ฿98.0

-28.62%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.58 CLP 550

$2.25 ฿74.2

-74.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.49 ฿776

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.04 CLP 983

$3.10 ฿102

-66.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.08 ฿35.56

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.87 ฿128

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 CLP 1,384

$1.43 ฿47.16

2.80%

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

$15.6K CLP 14.7M

$27.8K ฿918.0K

-43.88%

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

$18.3K CLP 17.2M

$27.0K ฿891.5K

-32.17%

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

$95.1 CLP 89.5K

$105 ฿3,462

-9.22%

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

$14.29 CLP 13.4K

$11.39 ฿376

25.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.63 CLP 30.7K

$17.54 ฿580

86.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.16 CLP 39.7K

$54.3 ฿1,795

-22.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.53 CLP 23.1K

$11.44 ฿378

114.42%

Cinema Ticket

$4.78 CLP 4,497

$7.78 ฿257

-38.56%

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

$255 CLP 240.4K

$576 ฿19.0K

-55.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,226 CLP 3.0M

$11.6K ฿382.7K

-72.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.4 CLP 50.3K

$63.6 ฿2,103

-16.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$18.73 CLP 17.6K

$29.10 ฿961

-35.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$52.7 CLP 49.6K

$96.2 ฿3,179

-45.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$81.0 CLP 76.2K

$90.0 ฿2,974

-10.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$610 CLP 574.3K

$733 ฿24.2K

-16.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$389 CLP 366.3K

$501 ฿16.5K

-22.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,022 CLP 961.8K

$2,126 ฿70.2K

-51.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$582 CLP 547.7K

$1,252 ฿41.4K

-53.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,742 CLP 4.5M

$3,534 ฿116.8K

34.18%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,622 ฿86.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$659 CLP 620.3K

$508 ฿16.8K

29.85%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.5

5.57

-19.21%

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

Last update for Valdivia: September 7, 2026

Last update for Phuket: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $610 in Valdivia and $733 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Valdivia pays 30% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $48.00 in Valdivia vs $32.00 in Phuket. Groceries flip the comparison at $240 vs $275, with Valdivia 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

Valdivia vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Valdivia is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 19% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 30% 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: $610 in Valdivia versus $733 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $255 in Valdivia versus $576 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 $48.00 versus $32.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,061 in Valdivia versus $1,265 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 19% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.