🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,074 in Vina del Mar versus $1,264 in Phuket.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,721 in Vina del Mar versus $2,256 in Phuket.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,368 in Vina del Mar versus $3,248 in Phuket.
🌍Living in Vina del Mar costs roughly 15% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Vina del Mar19% lower, Phuket5% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Vina del Mar
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$6.81CLP 6,333
$4.48฿150
52.01%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$53.7CLP 50.0K
$45.59฿1,521
17.79%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$7.73CLP 7,197
$8.76฿292
-11.76%
Cappuccino
$2.77CLP 2,577
$2.97฿99.0
-6.73%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.14CLP 1,059
$0.69฿22.90
65.22%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.85CLP 794
$0.39฿13.04
117.95%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.20CLP 2,052
$2.53฿84.4
-13.04%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.57CLP 3,326
$3.75฿125
-4.80%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Vina del Mar
Phuket
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.24CLP 1,149
$2.15฿71.6
-42.33%
White Bread(500g)
$1.28CLP 1,188
$1.82฿60.6
-29.67%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.63CLP 1,520
$2.18฿72.9
-25.23%
Eggs
$2.97CLP 2,767
$2.25฿75.0
32.00%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$9.62CLP 8,955
$20.00฿667
-51.90%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$5.24CLP 4,880
$3.63฿121
44.35%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$10.82CLP 10.1K
$13.56฿452
-20.21%
Apples(1kg)
$1.96CLP 1,824
$3.24฿108
-39.51%
Banana(1kg)
$1.51CLP 1,401
$1.64฿54.6
-7.93%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.39CLP 1,292
$2.33฿77.8
-40.34%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.40CLP 1,298
$2.07฿69.1
-32.37%
Potato(1kg)
$1.30CLP 1,209
$1.55฿51.6
-16.13%
Onion(1kg)
$1.41CLP 1,308
$1.46฿48.54
-3.42%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.00CLP 934
$0.98฿32.86
2.04%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.11CLP 1,037
$0.48฿16.09
131.25%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$5.03CLP 4,683
$4.35฿145
15.63%
Wine(Bottle)
$7.51CLP 6,987
$18.57฿620
-59.56%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.56CLP 1,450
$1.86฿61.9
-16.13%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.29CLP 2,135
$2.65฿88.6
-13.58%
🚌 Getting Around
Vina del Mar
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.58CLP 538
$1.42฿47.28
-59.15%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$38.45CLP 35.8K
$11.57฿386
232.32%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$0.51CLP 474
$3.17฿106
-83.91%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.42CLP 1,318
$1.03฿34.41
37.86%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$11.64CLP 10.8K
$13.89฿463
-16.20%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.41CLP 1,313
$1.34฿44.84
5.22%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$19.6KCLP 18.2M
$27.8K฿927.1K
-29.50%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$18.7KCLP 17.4M
$33.4K฿1.1M
-43.85%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Vina del Mar
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$133CLP 123.8K
$123฿4,105
8.11%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.62CLP 12.7K
$13.77฿459
-1.09%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$19.41CLP 18.1K
$18.33฿611
5.89%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Vina del Mar
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$54.6CLP 50.8K
$60.7฿2,025
-10.05%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$21.32CLP 19.8K
$17.16฿573
24.24%
Cinema Ticket
$5.53CLP 5,142
$8.87฿296
-37.66%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Vina del Mar
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$439CLP 408.9K
$688฿22.9K
-36.11%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$5,304CLP 4.9M
$15.8K฿526.4K
-66.39%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Vina del Mar
Phuket
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$48.13CLP 44.8K
$59.3฿1,978
-18.84%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$32.73CLP 30.5K
$34.69฿1,157
-5.65%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$61.6CLP 57.3K
$115฿3,843
-46.51%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$84.6CLP 78.7K
$83.8฿2,794
0.98%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Vina del Mar
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$450CLP 418.4K
$621฿20.7K
-27.62%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$338CLP 314.7K
$446฿14.9K
-24.16%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$826CLP 768.3K
$2,034฿67.8K
-59.40%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$629CLP 585.7K
$1,496฿49.9K
-57.93%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$2,430CLP 2.3M
$3,455฿115.3K
-29.65%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,610CLP 1.5M
$2,531฿84.4K
-36.38%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Vina del Mar
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$1,105CLP 1.0M
$494฿16.5K
123.90%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
4.83
5.33
-9.38%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Vina del Mar: July 28, 2026
Last update for Phuket: July 27, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $450 in Vina del Mar and $621 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Vina del Mar pays 124% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.
🛒Dining out: $54.0 in Vina del Mar vs $46.00 in Phuket. Groceries flip the comparison at $214 vs $291, 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 18% 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 124% 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: $450 in Vina del Mar 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 $439 in Vina del Mar 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 Vina del Mar and in Phuket?
Supermarket bills run roughly 36% 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 $1,074 in Vina del Mar versus $1,264 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 18% 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