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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,091 in Calama versus $866 in Chiang Mai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,592 in Calama versus $1,351 in Chiang Mai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,094 in Calama versus $1,835 in Chiang Mai.

Living in Calama is roughly 26% more expensive than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Calama 19% lower, Chiang Mai 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.90 CLP 7,070

$1.94 ฿63.6

307.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.27 CLP 29.8K

$18.64 ฿609

78.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.03 CLP 7,184

$7.82 ฿256

2.69%

Cappuccino

$2.14 CLP 1,912

$1.95 ฿63.9

9.74%

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

$0.94 CLP 840

$0.85 ฿27.80

10.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.96 CLP 857

$0.35 ฿11.60

174.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.25 CLP 2,908

$2.13 ฿69.7

52.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.05 CLP 3,628

$3.73 ฿122

8.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 CLP 1,051

$1.71 ฿56.0

-31.58%

White Bread (500g)

$1.58 CLP 1,411

$1.63 ฿53.3

-3.07%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.92 CLP 1,715

$1.14 ฿37.18

68.42%

Eggs

$3.57 CLP 3,198

$1.93 ฿63.2

84.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.62 CLP 9,500

$16.21 ฿530

-34.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.78 CLP 6,066

$3.12 ฿102

117.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.08 CLP 9,913

$10.90 ฿356

1.65%

Apples (1kg)

$1.89 CLP 1,694

$2.75 ฿90.1

-31.27%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 CLP 1,350

$1.21 ฿39.56

24.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.60 CLP 1,433

$1.62 ฿53.0

-1.23%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.49 CLP 1,334

$1.59 ฿51.9

-6.29%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 CLP 1,150

$1.40 ฿45.75

-8.57%

Onion (1kg)

$1.40 CLP 1,250

$1.17 ฿38.20

19.66%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.21 CLP 1,080

$0.66 ฿21.62

83.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 CLP 1,064

$0.53 ฿17.24

124.53%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.34 CLP 4,780

$4.69 ฿153

13.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.19 CLP 5,541

$18.66 ฿610

-66.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.55 CLP 1,390

$1.80 ฿58.8

-13.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.21 CLP 1,981

$3.23 ฿106

-31.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.62 CLP 550

$0.90 ฿29.28

-31.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.47 CLP 423

$1.41 ฿45.96

-66.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.52 CLP 1,356

$1.29 ฿42.16

17.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.57 CLP 1,409

$1.27 ฿41.62

23.62%

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

$19.7K CLP 17.6M

$21.3K ฿695.5K

-7.45%

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

$21.8K CLP 19.5M

$22.2K ฿726.1K

-1.70%

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

$132 CLP 117.8K

$69.1 ฿2,258

90.71%

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

$13.64 CLP 12.2K

$14.08 ฿460

-3.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.20 CLP 19.9K

$18.00 ฿588

23.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.42 CLP 34.4K

$41.06 ฿1,342

-6.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.96 CLP 18.8K

$6.96 ฿227

201.15%

Cinema Ticket

$5.76 CLP 5,154

$5.92 ฿193

-2.70%

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

$433 CLP 387.0K

$299 ฿9,775

44.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿488.8K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.5 CLP 45.2K

$54.7 ฿1,788

-7.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.42 CLP 27.2K

$26.77 ฿875

13.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$61.2 CLP 54.8K

$85.0 ฿2,778

-27.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.1 CLP 74.3K

$70.6 ฿2,308

17.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$356 CLP 318.6K

$428 ฿14.0K

-16.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$369 CLP 329.7K

$237 ฿7,759

55.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$861 CLP 770.4K

$801 ฿26.2K

7.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$604 CLP 540.0K

$515 ฿16.9K

17.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,542 CLP 1.4M

$1,975 ฿64.5K

-21.93%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,365 CLP 1.2M

$1,475 ฿48.2K

-7.43%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,240 CLP 1.1M

$617 ฿20.2K

100.82%

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 Calama: June 1, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $356 in Calama and $428 in Chiang Mai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Calama pays 101% 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: $33.00 in Calama vs $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries flip the comparison at $231 vs $246, with Calama 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

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

Chiang Mai wins on cost – living expenses run 26% lower than in Calama. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Chiang Mai the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Calama pays 101% 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: $356 in Calama versus $428 in Chiang Mai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Calama pay roughly 7% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $1,091 per month in Calama versus $866 in Chiang Mai – a 26% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

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, Calama 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 26% less than in Calama. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.