Cost of Living Comparison Between Antofagasta and Chiang Mai Cost of Living Comparison Between Antofagasta and Chiang Mai

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $944 in Antofagasta versus $866 in Chiang Mai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,493 in Antofagasta versus $1,351 in Chiang Mai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,042 in Antofagasta versus $1,835 in Chiang Mai.

Living in Antofagasta is roughly 9% more expensive than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Antofagasta 30% lower, Chiang Mai 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.67 CLP 6,804

$1.94 ฿63.5

295.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.56 CLP 33.3K

$18.64 ฿609

101.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.03 CLP 7,127

$7.82 ฿255

2.69%

Cappuccino

$2.75 CLP 2,438

$1.95 ฿63.8

41.03%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.30 CLP 1,152

$0.85 ฿27.77

52.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.90 CLP 799

$0.35 ฿11.58

157.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.64 CLP 1,457

$2.13 ฿69.6

-23.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.28 CLP 3,798

$3.73 ฿122

14.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.12 CLP 993

$1.71 ฿56.0

-34.50%

White Bread (500g)

$1.74 CLP 1,545

$1.63 ฿53.2

6.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 CLP 1,168

$1.14 ฿37.15

15.79%

Eggs

$3.01 CLP 2,669

$1.93 ฿63.1

55.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.98 CLP 8,861

$16.21 ฿530

-38.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.28 CLP 3,802

$3.12 ฿102

37.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.81 CLP 7,815

$10.90 ฿356

-19.17%

Apples (1kg)

$2.11 CLP 1,873

$2.75 ฿90.0

-23.27%

Banana (1kg)

$2.28 CLP 2,024

$1.21 ฿39.52

88.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.45 CLP 2,176

$1.62 ฿53.0

51.23%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.20 CLP 1,069

$1.59 ฿51.8

-24.53%

Potato (1kg)

$0.95 CLP 847

$1.40 ฿45.70

-32.14%

Onion (1kg)

$0.94 CLP 831

$1.17 ฿38.17

-19.66%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.21 CLP 1,071

$0.66 ฿21.60

83.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 CLP 1,033

$0.53 ฿17.22

118.87%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.81 CLP 4,272

$4.69 ฿153

2.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.00 CLP 5,321

$18.66 ฿609

-67.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.53 CLP 1,359

$1.80 ฿58.8

-15.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.43 CLP 1,268

$3.23 ฿106

-55.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.62 CLP 548

$0.90 ฿29.26

-31.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.47 CLP 416

$1.41 ฿45.91

-66.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿42.12

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.40 CLP 1,240

$1.27 ฿41.58

10.24%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$19.7K CLP 17.4M

$21.3K ฿694.9K

-7.63%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$21.3K CLP 18.9M

$22.2K ฿725.4K

-4.01%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$47.75 CLP 42.4K

$69.1 ฿2,256

-30.87%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$10.47 CLP 9,292

$14.08 ฿460

-25.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.05 CLP 11.6K

$18.00 ฿588

-27.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.14 CLP 38.3K

$41.06 ฿1,341

5.07%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.57 CLP 19.1K

$6.96 ฿227

209.91%

Cinema Ticket

$5.42 CLP 4,806

$5.92 ฿193

-8.45%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$273 CLP 241.9K

$299 ฿9,766

-8.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,289 CLP 2.9M

$15.0K ฿488.3K

-78.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$41.85 CLP 37.1K

$54.7 ฿1,787

-23.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$16.11 CLP 14.3K

$26.77 ฿874

-39.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$61.1 CLP 54.2K

$85.0 ฿2,776

-28.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.2 CLP 64.1K

$70.6 ฿2,306

2.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$463 CLP 411.1K

$428 ฿14.0K

8.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$370 CLP 328.4K

$237 ฿7,752

55.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$859 CLP 762.0K

$801 ฿26.2K

7.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$690 CLP 612.2K

$515 ฿16.8K

33.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$757 CLP 671.5K

$617 ฿20.2K

22.54%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.18

3.60%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Antofagasta: May 30, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $463 in Antofagasta and $428 in Chiang Mai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Antofagasta pays 23% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $38.00 in Antofagasta vs $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries flip the comparison at $210 vs $246, with Antofagasta 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

Antofagasta vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai wins on cost – living expenses run 9% lower than in Antofagasta. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Chiang Mai the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Antofagasta pays 23% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $463 in Antofagasta versus $428 in Chiang Mai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $273 in Antofagasta versus $299 in Chiang Mai. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Chiang Mai – a meal for two runs $19.00 versus $38.00 in Antofagasta. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Either city works on $800 a month, though Chiang Mai gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

Both work as nomad bases, but Chiang Mai delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $866 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Chiang Mai hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Antofagasta and Chiang Mai are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Chiang Mai gentler on the wallet – expenses run 9% less than in Antofagasta. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.