🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,067 in Vina del Mar versus $1,232 in Phuket.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,714 in Vina del Mar versus $2,054 in Phuket.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,361 in Vina del Mar versus $2,876 in Phuket.
🌍Living in Vina del Mar costs roughly 13% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Vina del Mar22% lower, Phuket10% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Vina del Mar
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$8.23CLP 7,857
$4.41฿147
86.62%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$59.0CLP 56.3K
$32.26฿1,077
82.89%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$7.77CLP 7,414
$8.93฿298
-12.99%
Cappuccino
$3.56CLP 3,399
$2.90฿96.6
22.76%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.47CLP 1,403
$0.88฿29.38
67.05%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.06CLP 1,014
$0.48฿16.06
120.83%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$3.74CLP 3,567
$2.35฿78.5
59.15%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.44CLP 3,285
$3.72฿124
-7.53%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Vina del Mar
Phuket
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.31CLP 1,248
$1.87฿62.3
-29.95%
White Bread(500g)
$1.22CLP 1,163
$1.47฿48.94
-17.01%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.65CLP 1,574
$1.55฿51.8
6.45%
Eggs
$3.73CLP 3,557
$2.10฿70.1
77.62%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$9.81CLP 9,358
$19.59฿654
-49.92%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$5.12CLP 4,885
$3.42฿114
49.71%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$12.68CLP 12.1K
$11.38฿380
11.42%
Apples(1kg)
$1.50CLP 1,432
$2.98฿99.6
-49.66%
Banana(1kg)
$1.78CLP 1,703
$1.68฿56.2
5.95%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.25CLP 1,197
$2.21฿73.7
-43.44%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.10CLP 1,048
$2.16฿72.1
-49.07%
Potato(1kg)
$1.53CLP 1,463
$1.52฿50.9
0.66%
Onion(1kg)
$1.25CLP 1,191
$1.34฿44.67
-6.72%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.04CLP 996
$1.13฿37.67
-7.96%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.27CLP 1,212
$0.55฿18.24
130.91%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$5.12CLP 4,881
$4.26฿142
20.19%
Wine(Bottle)
$7.33CLP 6,992
$19.09฿637
-61.60%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.77CLP 1,687
$1.78฿59.4
-0.56%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.29CLP 2,181
$2.78฿92.9
-17.63%
🚌 Getting Around
Vina del Mar
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.50CLP 474
$2.23฿74.4
-77.58%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$40.18CLP 38.3K
$22.74฿759
76.69%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$1.61CLP 1,533
$3.03฿101
-46.86%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.28CLP 1,222
$1.02฿34.15
25.49%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$12.56CLP 12.0K
$3.89฿130
222.88%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.32CLP 1,257
$1.49฿49.77
-11.41%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$18.8KCLP 18.0M
$26.6K฿887.3K
-29.10%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$17.8KCLP 17.0M
$27.0K฿902.2K
-34.20%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Vina del Mar
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$111CLP 106.1K
$102฿3,420
8.56%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$15.19CLP 14.5K
$11.33฿378
34.07%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$17.85CLP 17.0K
$17.40฿581
2.59%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Vina del Mar
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$43.88CLP 41.9K
$52.1฿1,738
-15.75%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$24.49CLP 23.4K
$11.07฿370
121.23%
Cinema Ticket
$6.36CLP 6,071
$7.69฿257
-17.30%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Vina del Mar
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$523CLP 498.6K
$561฿18.7K
-6.80%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$5,125CLP 4.9M
$11.5K฿384.1K
-55.46%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Vina del Mar
Phuket
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$44.42CLP 42.4K
$63.0฿2,104
-29.53%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$34.02CLP 32.5K
$29.52฿986
15.24%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$57.4CLP 54.8K
$98.0฿3,272
-41.42%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$90.0CLP 85.9K
$88.5฿2,954
1.73%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Vina del Mar
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$467CLP 445.9K
$738฿24.6K
-36.69%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$333CLP 317.9K
$482฿16.1K
-30.93%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$865CLP 825.3K
$2,107฿70.3K
-58.95%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$618CLP 589.7K
$1,226฿40.9K
-49.59%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$2,437CLP 2.3M
$3,617฿120.7K
-32.63%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,584CLP 1.5M
$2,603฿86.9K
-39.14%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Vina del Mar
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$1,067CLP 1.0M
$494฿16.5K
116.07%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
4.83
5.57
-13.29%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Vina del Mar: September 13, 2026
Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $467 in Vina del Mar and $738 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Vina del Mar pays 116% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.
🛒Dining out: $59.0 in Vina del Mar vs $32.00 in Phuket. Groceries flip the comparison at $223 vs $274, with Vina del Mar 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
Vina del Mar vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Phuket cheaper than Vina del Mar?
Vina del Mar is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment. The 15% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Vina del Mar or Phuket?
Average pay runs 116% higher in Vina del Mar, 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 Vina del Mar and Phuket?
Rent for a central apartment: $467 in Vina del Mar 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 $523 in Vina del Mar 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 Vina del Mar and in Phuket?
Supermarket bills run roughly 23% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Is $1,000 a realistic budget for living in Vina del Mar or in Phuket?
At $1,067 in Vina del Mar versus $1,232 in Phuket, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Vina del Mar but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Vina del Mar the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Vina del Mar or Phuket more family-friendly?
For families, Vina del Mar 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, Vina del Mar or Phuket?
Safety-wise, Vina del Mar 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 Vina del Mar gentler on the wallet – expenses run 15% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.
Vina del Mar vs other spots: cost of living compared