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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $861 in Chiang Mai versus $964 in Antofagasta.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,350 in Chiang Mai versus $1,529 in Antofagasta.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,838 in Chiang Mai versus $2,093 in Antofagasta.

Living in Chiang Mai costs roughly 11% less than in Antofagasta, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Chiang Mai 36% lower, Antofagasta 28% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿65.7

$7.37 CLP 6,864

-73.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.35 ฿616

$37.04 CLP 34.5K

-50.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.48 ฿251

$7.59 CLP 7,068

-1.45%

Cappuccino

$2.02 ฿67.7

$2.75 CLP 2,560

-26.55%

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

$0.85 ฿28.45

$1.29 CLP 1,202

-34.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.94

$0.97 CLP 899

-62.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.7

$1.67 CLP 1,552

28.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 ฿121

$4.27 CLP 3,973

-15.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿55.4

$1.14 CLP 1,064

44.74%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.6

$1.73 CLP 1,608

-9.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿39.95

$1.25 CLP 1,161

-4.80%

Eggs

$1.94 ฿65.0

$2.94 CLP 2,738

-34.01%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿544

$9.94 CLP 9,257

62.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.99 ฿100

$4.30 CLP 4,003

-30.47%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.94 ฿367

$8.88 CLP 8,267

23.20%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 ฿91.0

$2.11 CLP 1,967

28.44%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿39.18

$2.36 CLP 2,193

-50.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.69 ฿56.6

$2.57 CLP 2,397

-34.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 ฿53.9

$1.16 CLP 1,082

37.93%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿46.45

$0.89 CLP 831

55.06%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 ฿40.38

$0.94 CLP 877

27.66%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿22.46

$1.25 CLP 1,162

-46.40%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.70

$1.22 CLP 1,141

-54.10%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.64 ฿156

$4.84 CLP 4,503

-4.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.62 ฿591

$5.87 CLP 5,468

200.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.4

$1.55 CLP 1,447

20.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 ฿111

$1.37 CLP 1,275

140.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.63

$0.63 CLP 590

39.68%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.34 ฿649

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿45.82

$0.50 CLP 467

172.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.90

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.21 ฿276

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ฿41.11

$1.40 CLP 1,308

-12.86%

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

$21.4K ฿716.8K

$19.4K CLP 18.0M

10.24%

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

$22.5K ฿756.3K

$21.6K CLP 20.1M

4.45%

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

$70.7 ฿2,372

$47.85 CLP 44.6K

47.69%

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

$14.04 ฿471

$10.53 CLP 9,807

33.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.49 ฿587

$13.11 CLP 12.2K

33.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.15 ฿1,415

$43.75 CLP 40.7K

-3.66%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿231

$21.04 CLP 19.6K

-67.30%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿199

$5.48 CLP 5,102

8.03%

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

$309 ฿10.4K

$270 CLP 251.5K

14.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K ฿499.5K

$3,357 CLP 3.1M

343.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,872

$41.10 CLP 38.3K

35.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.11 ฿877

$16.09 CLP 15.0K

62.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.0 ฿2,787

$60.8 CLP 56.6K

36.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.5 ฿2,365

$71.1 CLP 66.2K

-0.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$432 ฿14.5K

$472 CLP 439.3K

-8.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿8,020

$374 CLP 348.0K

-36.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$822 ฿27.6K

$851 CLP 792.8K

-3.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$512 ฿17.2K

$704 CLP 655.8K

-27.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,915 ฿64.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,467 ฿49.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$579 ฿19.4K

$732 CLP 682.1K

-20.90%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.18

-3.47%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Last update for Antofagasta: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $432 in Chiang Mai and $472 in Antofagasta. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Antofagasta pays 26% 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: $18.00 in Chiang Mai vs $37.00 in Antofagasta. Groceries flip the comparison at $243 vs $211, 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

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

Chiang Mai wins on cost – living expenses run 12% 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.

On paper, salaries run 26% lower in Antofagasta. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $432 in Chiang Mai versus $472 in Antofagasta. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $309 in Chiang Mai versus $270 in Antofagasta. 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 $18.00 versus $37.00 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 $861 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Chiang Mai hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Chiang Mai and Antofagasta 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 12% less than in Antofagasta. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.