Cost of Living Comparison Between Calama and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Calama and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,077 in Calama versus $1,232 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,598 in Calama versus $2,255 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,119 in Calama versus $3,279 in Phuket.

Living in Calama costs roughly 13% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Calama 20% lower, Phuket 8% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.95 CLP 7,068

$4.63 ฿151

71.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.74 CLP 30.0K

$46.84 ฿1,532

-27.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.75 CLP 6,890

$8.84 ฿289

-12.33%

Cappuccino

$2.20 CLP 1,959

$3.00 ฿98.0

-26.67%

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

$0.92 CLP 822

$0.74 ฿24.25

24.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 CLP 847

$0.37 ฿11.95

156.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.31 CLP 2,948

$2.44 ฿79.8

35.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.06 CLP 3,612

$3.61 ฿118

12.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.19 CLP 1,061

$2.26 ฿73.9

-47.35%

White Bread (500g)

$1.55 CLP 1,379

$1.84 ฿60.1

-15.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.96 CLP 1,740

$2.24 ฿73.4

-12.50%

Eggs

$3.47 CLP 3,084

$2.32 ฿75.7

49.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.29 CLP 9,147

$19.67 ฿643

-47.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.55 CLP 5,822

$3.65 ฿119

79.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.04 CLP 9,815

$13.10 ฿428

-15.73%

Apples (1kg)

$1.88 CLP 1,675

$3.39 ฿111

-44.54%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 CLP 1,334

$1.64 ฿53.7

-8.54%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 CLP 1,350

$2.41 ฿79.0

-36.93%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 CLP 1,334

$2.03 ฿66.4

-26.11%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 CLP 1,142

$1.56 ฿50.9

-17.95%

Onion (1kg)

$1.35 CLP 1,202

$1.50 ฿48.94

-10.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.21 CLP 1,073

$1.02 ฿33.50

18.63%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.23 CLP 1,090

$0.49 ฿16.00

151.02%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.53 CLP 4,917

$4.45 ฿145

24.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.51 CLP 4,006

$18.88 ฿617

-76.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.59 CLP 1,414

$1.78 ฿58.1

-10.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.20 CLP 1,960

$2.75 ฿90.1

-20.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.58 CLP 515

$1.40 ฿45.81

-58.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.48 ฿376

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.50 CLP 447

$3.12 ฿102

-83.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.53 CLP 1,363

$1.00 ฿32.67

53.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.09 ฿461

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.53 CLP 1,356

$1.35 ฿44.19

13.33%

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

$19.9K CLP 17.7M

$27.2K ฿888.9K

-26.72%

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

$21.1K CLP 18.8M

$32.9K ฿1.1M

-35.90%

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

$134 CLP 119.2K

$125 ฿4,087

7.25%

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

$13.69 CLP 12.2K

$13.57 ฿444

0.88%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.18 CLP 19.7K

$18.52 ฿606

19.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.16 CLP 33.9K

$61.5 ฿2,010

-37.93%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.33 CLP 19.0K

$16.84 ฿551

26.66%

Cinema Ticket

$5.68 CLP 5,055

$9.19 ฿300

-38.19%

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

$432 CLP 384.4K

$698 ฿22.8K

-38.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.6K ฿509.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.1 CLP 44.5K

$57.8 ฿1,889

-13.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.74 CLP 26.4K

$35.24 ฿1,152

-15.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$61.5 CLP 54.7K

$113 ฿3,699

-45.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$82.5 CLP 73.3K

$86.4 ฿2,825

-4.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$348 CLP 309.4K

$616 ฿20.1K

-43.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$369 CLP 328.0K

$446 ฿14.6K

-17.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$852 CLP 757.4K

$2,048 ฿67.0K

-58.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$590 CLP 524.8K

$1,492 ฿48.8K

-60.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,543 CLP 1.4M

$3,779 ฿123.6K

-59.18%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,368 CLP 1.2M

$2,649 ฿86.6K

-48.34%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,213 CLP 1.1M

$524 ฿17.1K

131.58%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.18

5.33

-2.81%

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

Last update for Calama: April 26, 2026

Last update for Phuket: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $348 in Calama and $616 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Calama pays 132% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $34.00 in Calama vs $47.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $225 vs $292 per month, with Calama cheaper across the board.

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 Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Calama wins on cost – living expenses run 14% lower than in Phuket. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Calama the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Calama pays 132% 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: $348 in Calama versus $616 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 30% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,077 per month in Calama versus $1,232 in Phuket – a 14% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,077 in Calama versus $1,232 in Phuket, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Calama but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Calama the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Calama delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,077 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Calama hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Calama 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.

Expats usually find Calama gentler on the wallet – expenses run 14% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.