🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,169 in Valparaiso versus $1,264 in Phuket.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,696 in Valparaiso versus $2,256 in Phuket.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,223 in Valparaiso versus $3,248 in Phuket.
🌍Living in Valparaiso costs roughly 8% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Valparaiso12% lower, Phuket5% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Valparaiso
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$9.75CLP 9,071
$4.48฿150
117.63%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$37.86CLP 35.2K
$45.59฿1,521
-16.96%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.25CLP 7,674
$8.76฿292
-5.82%
Cappuccino
$2.90CLP 2,701
$2.97฿99.0
-2.36%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.19CLP 1,105
$0.69฿22.90
72.46%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.90CLP 842
$0.39฿13.04
130.77%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$3.27CLP 3,039
$2.53฿84.4
29.25%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.34CLP 4,042
$3.75฿125
15.73%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Valparaiso
Phuket
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.17CLP 1,092
$2.15฿71.6
-45.58%
White Bread(500g)
$1.56CLP 1,455
$1.82฿60.6
-14.29%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.09CLP 1,946
$2.18฿72.9
-4.13%
Eggs
$4.17CLP 3,878
$2.25฿75.0
85.33%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$10.40CLP 9,674
$20.00฿667
-48.00%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$6.65CLP 6,184
$3.63฿121
83.20%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$9.71CLP 9,035
$13.56฿452
-28.39%
Apples(1kg)
$1.76CLP 1,641
$3.24฿108
-45.68%
Banana(1kg)
$1.55CLP 1,445
$1.64฿54.6
-5.49%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.58CLP 1,472
$2.33฿77.8
-32.19%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.40CLP 1,303
$2.07฿69.1
-32.37%
Potato(1kg)
$1.17CLP 1,092
$1.55฿51.6
-24.52%
Onion(1kg)
$1.36CLP 1,266
$1.46฿48.54
-6.85%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.31CLP 1,218
$0.98฿32.86
33.67%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.19CLP 1,111
$0.48฿16.09
147.92%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.68CLP 4,356
$4.35฿145
7.59%
Wine(Bottle)
$5.22CLP 4,860
$18.57฿620
-71.89%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.47CLP 1,368
$1.86฿61.9
-20.97%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.83CLP 1,701
$2.65฿88.6
-30.94%
🚌 Getting Around
Valparaiso
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.56CLP 525
$1.42฿47.28
-60.56%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$53.2CLP 49.5K
$11.57฿386
359.90%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$0.50CLP 470
$3.17฿106
-84.23%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.75CLP 696
$1.03฿34.41
-27.18%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$3.88CLP 3,607
$13.89฿463
-72.07%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.37CLP 1,277
$1.34฿44.84
2.24%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$15.0KCLP 13.9M
$27.8K฿927.1K
-46.19%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$20.3KCLP 18.9M
$33.4K฿1.1M
-39.10%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Valparaiso
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$134CLP 124.8K
$123฿4,105
8.97%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.51CLP 12.6K
$13.77฿459
-1.89%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$21.81CLP 20.3K
$18.33฿611
18.99%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Valparaiso
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$22.40CLP 20.8K
$60.7฿2,025
-63.09%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$24.28CLP 22.6K
$17.16฿573
41.49%
Cinema Ticket
$5.38CLP 5,006
$8.87฿296
-39.35%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Valparaiso
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$435CLP 404.9K
$688฿22.9K
-36.74%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$8,602CLP 8.0M
$15.8K฿526.4K
-45.49%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Valparaiso
Phuket
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$32.60CLP 30.3K
$59.3฿1,978
-45.03%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$21.96CLP 20.4K
$34.69฿1,157
-36.70%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$60.7CLP 56.4K
$115฿3,843
-47.33%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$51.1CLP 47.5K
$83.8฿2,794
-39.05%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Valparaiso
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$489CLP 454.7K
$621฿20.7K
-21.34%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$438CLP 407.7K
$446฿14.9K
-1.77%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$707CLP 657.6K
$2,034฿67.8K
-65.25%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$563CLP 524.2K
$1,496฿49.9K
-62.34%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$1,604CLP 1.5M
$3,455฿115.3K
-53.59%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,045CLP 972.7K
$2,531฿84.4K
-58.70%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Valparaiso
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$783CLP 728.6K
$494฿16.5K
58.64%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.18
5.33
-2.81%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Valparaiso: July 26, 2026
Last update for Phuket: July 27, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $489 in Valparaiso and $621 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Valparaiso pays 59% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.
🛒Dining out: $38.00 in Valparaiso vs $46.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $225 vs $291 per month, with Valparaiso 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
Valparaiso vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Phuket cheaper than Valparaiso?
Valparaiso is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment. The 8% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Valparaiso or Phuket?
Average pay runs 59% higher in Valparaiso, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
What is the rent difference between Valparaiso and Phuket?
Rent for a central apartment: $489 in Valparaiso versus $621 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $435 in Valparaiso versus $688 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
How do food prices compare in Valparaiso and in Phuket?
Supermarket bills run roughly 29% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Is $2,000 a realistic budget for living in Valparaiso or in Phuket?
At $1,169 in Valparaiso versus $1,264 in Phuket, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Valparaiso but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Valparaiso the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Valparaiso or Phuket more family-friendly?
For families, Valparaiso 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.
Which city is safer, Valparaiso or Phuket?
Safety-wise, Valparaiso 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.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Valparaiso gentler on the wallet – expenses run 8% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.
Valparaiso vs other spots: cost of living compared