🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,151 in Valparaiso versus $1,261 in Phuket.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,674 in Valparaiso versus $2,286 in Phuket.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,196 in Valparaiso versus $3,310 in Phuket.
🙂Living in Valparaiso costs roughly 9% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Valparaiso14% lower, Phuket6% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Valparaiso
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$9.65CLP 8,674
$4.56฿149
111.62%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$38.03CLP 34.2K
$46.63฿1,519
-18.44%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.55CLP 7,681
$8.47฿276
0.94%
Cappuccino
$2.78CLP 2,501
$3.03฿98.6
-8.25%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.19CLP 1,067
$0.69฿22.45
72.46%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.87CLP 785
$0.37฿11.92
135.14%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$3.29CLP 2,954
$2.49฿81.0
32.13%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.33CLP 3,895
$3.66฿119
18.31%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Valparaiso
Phuket
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.23CLP 1,103
$2.18฿71.0
-43.58%
White Bread(500g)
$1.57CLP 1,415
$1.90฿62.0
-17.37%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.11CLP 1,900
$2.20฿71.6
-4.09%
Eggs
$4.07CLP 3,656
$2.22฿72.4
83.33%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$10.37CLP 9,322
$19.99฿651
-48.12%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$6.64CLP 5,969
$3.66฿119
81.42%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$9.74CLP 8,750
$13.25฿432
-26.49%
Apples(1kg)
$1.80CLP 1,619
$3.23฿105
-44.27%
Banana(1kg)
$1.55CLP 1,397
$1.70฿55.3
-8.82%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.59CLP 1,428
$2.39฿78.0
-33.47%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.48CLP 1,328
$2.08฿67.7
-28.85%
Potato(1kg)
$1.18CLP 1,056
$1.59฿51.8
-25.79%
Onion(1kg)
$1.35CLP 1,213
$1.48฿48.31
-8.78%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.34CLP 1,202
$1.03฿33.54
30.10%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.23CLP 1,103
$0.52฿16.83
136.54%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.46CLP 4,011
$4.25฿138
4.94%
Wine(Bottle)
$5.53CLP 4,969
$18.79฿612
-70.57%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.46CLP 1,311
$1.76฿57.2
-17.05%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.84CLP 1,653
$2.76฿89.8
-33.33%
🚌 Getting Around
Valparaiso
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.57CLP 511
$1.36฿44.32
-58.09%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$54.7CLP 49.2K
$11.36฿370
381.78%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$0.47CLP 419
$3.14฿102
-85.03%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.71CLP 640
$1.04฿33.74
-31.73%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$3.76CLP 3,377
$13.77฿448
-72.69%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.41CLP 1,267
$1.34฿43.79
5.22%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$14.9KCLP 13.4M
$27.7K฿901.4K
-46.29%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$19.8KCLP 17.8M
$33.9K฿1.1M
-41.61%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Valparaiso
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$134CLP 120.1K
$124฿4,025
8.16%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.75CLP 12.4K
$13.52฿440
1.70%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$22.01CLP 19.8K
$18.69฿609
17.76%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Valparaiso
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$22.74CLP 20.4K
$61.8฿2,013
-63.22%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$24.54CLP 22.1K
$17.25฿562
42.26%
Cinema Ticket
$5.34CLP 4,798
$9.14฿298
-41.58%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Valparaiso
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$440CLP 395.9K
$703฿22.9K
-37.31%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$8,751CLP 7.9M
$15.9K฿517.0K
-44.87%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Valparaiso
Phuket
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$32.56CLP 29.3K
$59.5฿1,937
-45.24%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$21.65CLP 19.5K
$35.07฿1,142
-38.27%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$61.1CLP 54.9K
$115฿3,754
-47.03%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$50.5CLP 45.4K
$84.1฿2,737
-39.92%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Valparaiso
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$496CLP 445.8K
$619฿20.1K
-19.81%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$439CLP 394.2K
$433฿14.1K
1.40%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$702CLP 630.5K
$2,062฿67.2K
-65.98%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$580CLP 521.2K
$1,511฿49.2K
-61.62%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$1,703CLP 1.5M
$3,646฿118.7K
-53.29%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,137CLP 1.0M
$2,626฿85.5K
-56.71%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Valparaiso
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$785CLP 705.6K
$507฿16.5K
54.85%
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: June 9, 2026
Last update for Phuket: June 7, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $496 in Valparaiso and $619 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Valparaiso pays 55% 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 $47.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $227 vs $293 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 10% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Valparaiso or Phuket?
Valparaiso pays 55% more on average, 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: $496 in Valparaiso versus $619 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $440 in Valparaiso versus $703 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 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 Valparaiso or Phuket?
At $1,151 in Valparaiso versus $1,261 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 10% 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