🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $924 in Antofagasta versus $1,253 in Phuket.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,501 in Antofagasta versus $2,043 in Phuket.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,078 in Antofagasta versus $2,833 in Phuket.
🌍Living in Antofagasta costs roughly 26% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Antofagasta33% lower, Phuket9% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Antofagasta
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$7.43CLP 6,962
$4.56฿151
62.94%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$36.73CLP 34.4K
$32.62฿1,082
12.60%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$7.67CLP 7,186
$8.90฿295
-13.82%
Cappuccino
$2.64CLP 2,472
$2.80฿93.0
-5.71%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.31CLP 1,228
$0.88฿29.19
48.86%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.89CLP 831
$0.49฿16.23
81.63%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$1.63CLP 1,526
$2.39฿79.2
-31.80%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.92CLP 1,796
$3.71฿123
-48.25%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Antofagasta
Phuket
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.14CLP 1,067
$1.79฿59.3
-36.31%
White Bread(500g)
$1.75CLP 1,638
$1.44฿47.81
21.53%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.29CLP 1,213
$1.58฿52.6
-18.35%
Eggs
$2.94CLP 2,760
$2.13฿70.5
38.03%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$9.79CLP 9,177
$19.92฿661
-50.85%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$4.11CLP 3,853
$3.43฿114
19.83%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$8.83CLP 8,273
$11.33฿376
-22.07%
Apples(1kg)
$2.10CLP 1,966
$2.95฿97.8
-28.81%
Banana(1kg)
$2.37CLP 2,223
$1.72฿57.1
37.79%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.57CLP 2,406
$2.32฿77.1
10.78%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.15CLP 1,076
$2.08฿69.0
-44.71%
Potato(1kg)
$0.95CLP 889
$1.47฿48.77
-35.37%
Onion(1kg)
$0.91CLP 858
$1.36฿45.05
-33.09%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.19CLP 1,112
$1.10฿36.45
8.18%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.16CLP 1,090
$0.57฿19.06
103.51%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.70CLP 4,409
$4.27฿142
10.07%
Wine(Bottle)
$6.06CLP 5,683
$18.42฿611
-67.10%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.52CLP 1,428
$1.87฿62.1
-18.72%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.35CLP 1,268
$2.92฿96.9
-53.77%
🚌 Getting Around
Antofagasta
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.63CLP 590
$2.22฿73.6
-71.62%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
-
$22.90฿759
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$2.72CLP 2,551
$3.03฿101
-10.23%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
-
$1.07฿35.63
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
-
$3.93฿130
-
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.34CLP 1,258
$1.49฿49.49
-10.07%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
-
$27.1K฿899.8K
-
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$18.4KCLP 17.2M
$27.5K฿910.6K
-33.01%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Antofagasta
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$47.56CLP 44.6K
$103฿3,410
-53.74%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$10.14CLP 9,506
$10.99฿365
-7.73%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$13.38CLP 12.5K
$17.51฿581
-23.59%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Antofagasta
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$42.88CLP 40.2K
$53.5฿1,776
-19.90%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$26.82CLP 25.1K
$11.20฿371
139.46%
Cinema Ticket
$5.25CLP 4,918
$7.48฿248
-29.81%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Antofagasta
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$273CLP 255.8K
$557฿18.5K
-51.01%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$3,311CLP 3.1M
$11.9K฿393.2K
-72.06%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Antofagasta
Phuket
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$41.56CLP 39.0K
$64.1฿2,125
-35.13%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$15.87CLP 14.9K
$29.07฿964
-45.41%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$61.3CLP 57.4K
$96.0฿3,183
-36.15%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$72.7CLP 68.2K
$90.3฿2,997
-19.52%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Antofagasta
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$460CLP 430.8K
$730฿24.2K
-37.07%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$370CLP 346.8K
$500฿16.6K
-25.97%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$843CLP 790.2K
$2,090฿69.3K
-59.68%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$686CLP 643.4K
$1,209฿40.1K
-43.24%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
-
$3,596฿119.3K
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
-
$2,512฿83.3K
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Antofagasta
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$742CLP 695.1K
$503฿16.7K
47.33%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
0
5.57
-
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Antofagasta: August 30, 2026
Last update for Phuket: August 31, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $460 in Antofagasta and $730 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Antofagasta pays 47% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.
🛒Dining out: $37.00 in Antofagasta vs $33.00 in Phuket. Groceries flip the comparison at $209 vs $273, 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 Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Antofagasta or Phuket?
Antofagasta wins on cost – living expenses run 36% lower than in Phuket. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Antofagasta the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Antofagasta or in Phuket?
Average pay runs 47% higher in Antofagasta, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Antofagasta compared to Phuket?
Rent for a central apartment: $460 in Antofagasta versus $730 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do childcare costs compare in Antofagasta and in Phuket?
Childcare runs $273 in Antofagasta versus $557 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
How do dining costs compare in Antofagasta and in Phuket?
Dining out is cheaper in Antofagasta – a meal for two runs $37.00 versus $33.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Antofagasta or in Phuket?
At $924 in Antofagasta versus $1,253 in Phuket, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Antofagasta but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Antofagasta the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Antofagasta or Phuket?
Both work as nomad bases, but Antofagasta delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $924 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Antofagasta hard to pass up.
How safe is Antofagasta compared to Phuket?
Safety-wise, Antofagasta 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 more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Antofagasta gentler on the wallet – expenses run 36% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.
Antofagasta vs other spots: cost of living compared