🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,095 in Valparaiso versus $1,232 in Phuket.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,625 in Valparaiso versus $2,054 in Phuket.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,154 in Valparaiso versus $2,876 in Phuket.
🌍Living in Valparaiso costs roughly 11% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Valparaiso20% lower, Phuket10% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Valparaiso
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$9.14CLP 8,718
$4.41฿147
107.26%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$36.21CLP 34.5K
$32.26฿1,077
12.24%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.85CLP 8,443
$8.93฿298
-0.90%
Cappuccino
$2.73CLP 2,607
$2.90฿96.6
-5.86%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.20CLP 1,141
$0.88฿29.38
36.36%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.85CLP 808
$0.48฿16.06
77.08%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$4.16CLP 3,967
$2.35฿78.5
77.02%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.57CLP 4,363
$3.72฿124
22.85%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Valparaiso
Phuket
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.31CLP 1,253
$1.87฿62.3
-29.95%
White Bread(500g)
$1.74CLP 1,661
$1.47฿48.94
18.37%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.59CLP 1,518
$1.55฿51.8
2.58%
Eggs
$4.19CLP 3,997
$2.10฿70.1
99.52%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$11.41CLP 10.9K
$19.59฿654
-41.76%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$6.81CLP 6,494
$3.42฿114
99.12%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$8.99CLP 8,580
$11.38฿380
-21.00%
Apples(1kg)
$1.65CLP 1,577
$2.98฿99.6
-44.63%
Banana(1kg)
$1.60CLP 1,530
$1.68฿56.2
-4.76%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.53CLP 1,462
$2.21฿73.7
-30.77%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.48CLP 1,413
$2.16฿72.1
-31.48%
Potato(1kg)
$1.00CLP 959
$1.52฿50.9
-34.21%
Onion(1kg)
$1.27CLP 1,211
$1.34฿44.67
-5.22%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.17CLP 1,117
$1.13฿37.67
3.54%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.15CLP 1,100
$0.55฿18.24
109.09%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.45CLP 4,247
$4.26฿142
4.46%
Wine(Bottle)
$5.08CLP 4,851
$19.09฿637
-73.39%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.37CLP 1,307
$1.78฿59.4
-23.03%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.76CLP 1,678
$2.78฿92.9
-36.69%
🚌 Getting Around
Valparaiso
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.74CLP 704
$2.23฿74.4
-66.82%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$53.0CLP 50.5K
$22.74฿759
132.89%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$0.40CLP 381
$3.03฿101
-86.80%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.91CLP 866
$1.02฿34.15
-10.78%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$3.55CLP 3,390
$3.89฿130
-8.74%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.50CLP 1,433
$1.49฿49.77
0.67%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$14.7KCLP 14.0M
$26.6K฿887.3K
-44.78%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$19.7KCLP 18.8M
$27.0K฿902.2K
-27.03%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Valparaiso
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$119CLP 113.7K
$102฿3,420
16.24%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.97CLP 11.4K
$11.33฿378
5.65%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$19.78CLP 18.9K
$17.40฿581
13.68%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Valparaiso
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$25.10CLP 24.0K
$52.1฿1,738
-51.80%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$23.47CLP 22.4K
$11.07฿370
112.01%
Cinema Ticket
$7.34CLP 7,007
$7.69฿257
-4.55%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Valparaiso
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$450CLP 429.5K
$561฿18.7K
-19.72%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$10.9KCLP 10.4M
$11.5K฿384.1K
-4.88%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Valparaiso
Phuket
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$32.80CLP 31.3K
$63.0฿2,104
-47.96%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$29.23CLP 27.9K
$29.52฿986
-0.98%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$55.9CLP 53.3K
$98.0฿3,272
-42.99%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$49.95CLP 47.7K
$88.5฿2,954
-43.56%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Valparaiso
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$467CLP 445.4K
$738฿24.6K
-36.76%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$389CLP 371.2K
$482฿16.1K
-19.35%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$681CLP 649.6K
$2,107฿70.3K
-67.69%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$554CLP 528.3K
$1,226฿40.9K
-54.84%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$1,567CLP 1.5M
$3,617฿120.7K
-56.68%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,050CLP 1.0M
$2,603฿86.9K
-59.68%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Valparaiso
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$766CLP 730.9K
$494฿16.5K
55.19%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.39
5.57
-3.23%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Valparaiso: September 14, 2026
Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $467 in Valparaiso and $738 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: $36.00 in Valparaiso vs $32.00 in Phuket. Groceries flip the comparison at $225 vs $274, with Valparaiso 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
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 12% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Valparaiso or Phuket?
Average pay runs 55% 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: $467 in Valparaiso versus $738 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $450 in Valparaiso versus $561 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 22% 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 $1,095 in Valparaiso versus $1,232 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 12% 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