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: $1,071 in Calama versus $1,261 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,603 in Calama versus $2,286 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,136 in Calama versus $3,310 in Phuket.

Living in Calama costs roughly 15% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Calama 20% lower, Phuket 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.19 CLP 7,362

$4.56 ฿149

79.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.14 CLP 29.8K

$46.63 ฿1,519

-28.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.92 CLP 7,121

$8.47 ฿276

-6.49%

Cappuccino

$2.14 CLP 1,920

$3.03 ฿98.6

-29.37%

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

$0.94 CLP 846

$0.69 ฿22.45

36.23%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 CLP 854

$0.37 ฿11.92

156.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.16 CLP 2,839

$2.49 ฿81.0

26.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.07 CLP 3,659

$3.66 ฿119

11.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.23 CLP 1,109

$2.18 ฿71.0

-43.58%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 CLP 1,409

$1.90 ฿62.0

-17.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.94 CLP 1,747

$2.20 ฿71.6

-11.82%

Eggs

$3.47 CLP 3,120

$2.22 ฿72.4

56.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.33 CLP 9,279

$19.99 ฿651

-48.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.51 CLP 5,847

$3.66 ฿119

77.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.02 CLP 9,905

$13.25 ฿432

-16.83%

Apples (1kg)

$1.83 CLP 1,647

$3.23 ฿105

-43.34%

Banana (1kg)

$1.53 CLP 1,371

$1.70 ฿55.3

-10.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 CLP 1,370

$2.39 ฿78.0

-36.40%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 CLP 1,345

$2.08 ฿67.7

-27.88%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 CLP 1,149

$1.59 ฿51.8

-19.50%

Onion (1kg)

$1.41 CLP 1,269

$1.48 ฿48.31

-4.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.27 CLP 1,137

$1.03 ฿33.54

23.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.17 CLP 1,050

$0.52 ฿16.83

125.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.26 CLP 4,727

$4.25 ฿138

23.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.06 CLP 5,445

$18.79 ฿612

-67.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.56 CLP 1,403

$1.76 ฿57.2

-11.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.32 CLP 2,089

$2.76 ฿89.8

-15.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.59 CLP 529

$1.36 ฿44.32

-56.62%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.36 ฿370

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.51 CLP 459

$3.14 ฿102

-83.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.48 CLP 1,327

$1.04 ฿33.74

42.31%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.77 ฿448

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.58 CLP 1,424

$1.34 ฿43.79

17.91%

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

$19.3K CLP 17.3M

$27.7K ฿901.4K

-30.29%

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

$21.1K CLP 19.0M

$33.9K ฿1.1M

-37.70%

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

$134 CLP 120.1K

$124 ฿4,025

8.15%

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

$13.39 CLP 12.0K

$13.52 ฿440

-0.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.23 CLP 20.0K

$18.69 ฿609

18.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.84 CLP 34.9K

$61.8 ฿2,013

-37.17%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.27 CLP 19.1K

$17.25 ฿562

23.30%

Cinema Ticket

$5.57 CLP 5,010

$9.14 ฿298

-39.06%

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

$431 CLP 387.5K

$703 ฿22.9K

-38.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.9K ฿517.0K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.0 CLP 45.0K

$59.5 ฿1,937

-15.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.88 CLP 26.9K

$35.07 ฿1,142

-14.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$61.3 CLP 55.1K

$115 ฿3,754

-46.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.1 CLP 74.7K

$84.1 ฿2,737

-1.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$356 CLP 320.1K

$619 ฿20.1K

-42.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 CLP 338.2K

$433 ฿14.1K

-13.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$847 CLP 761.6K

$2,062 ฿67.2K

-58.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$599 CLP 537.9K

$1,511 ฿49.2K

-60.39%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,473 CLP 1.3M

$3,646 ฿118.7K

-59.61%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,322 CLP 1.2M

$2,626 ฿85.5K

-49.67%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,175 CLP 1.1M

$507 ฿16.5K

131.82%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $356 in Calama and $619 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: $33.00 in Calama vs $47.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $228 vs $293 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 18% 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: $356 in Calama versus $619 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 28% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,071 per month in Calama versus $1,261 in Phuket – a 18% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,071 in Calama versus $1,261 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 $1,071 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 18% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.