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: $947 in Chiang Mai versus $924 in Antofagasta.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,411 in Chiang Mai versus $1,501 in Antofagasta.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,874 in Chiang Mai versus $2,078 in Antofagasta.

Living in Chiang Mai is roughly 3% more expensive than in Antofagasta, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Chiang Mai 31% lower, Antofagasta 33% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿69.2

$7.43 CLP 6,962

-72.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.64 ฿651

$36.73 CLP 34.4K

-46.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.65 ฿188

$7.67 CLP 7,186

-26.34%

Cappuccino

$1.81 ฿59.9

$2.64 CLP 2,472

-31.44%

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

$0.71 ฿23.66

$1.31 CLP 1,228

-45.80%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 ฿10.48

$0.89 CLP 831

-64.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.24 ฿74.2

$1.63 CLP 1,526

37.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 ฿121

$1.92 CLP 1,796

89.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.96 ฿65.0

$1.14 CLP 1,067

71.93%

White Bread (500g)

$1.50 ฿49.83

$1.75 CLP 1,638

-14.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.34 ฿44.32

$1.29 CLP 1,213

3.88%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿75.1

$2.94 CLP 2,760

-23.13%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.26 ฿539

$9.79 CLP 9,177

66.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.95 ฿98.0

$4.11 CLP 3,853

-28.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.94 ฿330

$8.83 CLP 8,273

12.57%

Apples (1kg)

$2.57 ฿85.3

$2.10 CLP 1,966

22.38%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 ฿35.04

$2.37 CLP 2,223

-55.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.61 ฿53.5

$2.57 CLP 2,406

-37.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿50.4

$1.15 CLP 1,076

32.17%

Potato (1kg)

$1.27 ฿42.14

$0.95 CLP 889

33.68%

Onion (1kg)

$1.07 ฿35.37

$0.91 CLP 858

17.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.89

$1.19 CLP 1,112

-39.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.87

$1.16 CLP 1,090

-56.03%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 ฿139

$4.70 CLP 4,409

-10.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.87 ฿593

$6.06 CLP 5,683

194.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 ฿56.2

$1.52 CLP 1,428

11.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 ฿94.1

$1.35 CLP 1,268

110.37%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.93 ฿30.70

$0.63 CLP 590

47.62%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.9 ฿1,787

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.23 ฿40.95

$2.72 CLP 2,551

-54.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ฿19.13

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.42 ฿80.4

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 ฿46.84

$1.34 CLP 1,258

5.22%

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

$21.4K ฿711.3K

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

$27.3K ฿906.7K

$18.4K CLP 17.2M

48.64%

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

$63.7 ฿2,112

$47.56 CLP 44.6K

33.87%

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

$12.85 ฿426

$10.14 CLP 9,506

26.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.22 ฿671

$13.38 CLP 12.5K

51.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.74 ฿1,285

$42.88 CLP 40.2K

-9.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.97 ฿132

$26.82 CLP 25.1K

-85.20%

Cinema Ticket

$6.74 ฿223

$5.25 CLP 4,918

28.38%

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

$778 ฿25.8K

$273 CLP 255.8K

185.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿484.6K

$3,311 CLP 3.1M

341.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.3 ฿1,801

$41.56 CLP 39.0K

30.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.45 ฿844

$15.87 CLP 14.9K

60.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.3 ฿3,129

$61.3 CLP 57.4K

53.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.4 ฿2,436

$72.7 CLP 68.2K

1.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.2K

$460 CLP 430.8K

6.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$289 ฿9,596

$370 CLP 346.8K

-21.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$894 ฿29.6K

$843 CLP 790.2K

6.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$517 ฿17.1K

$686 CLP 643.4K

-24.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,955 ฿64.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,477 ฿49.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿20.0K

$742 CLP 695.1K

-18.81%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: August 31, 2026

Last update for Antofagasta: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $490 in Chiang Mai and $460 in Antofagasta. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Antofagasta pays 23% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $20.00 in Chiang Mai vs $37.00 in Antofagasta. Groceries flip the comparison at $240 vs $209, 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

Antofagasta wins on cost – living expenses run 3% lower than in Chiang Mai. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Antofagasta the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 23% 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: $490 in Chiang Mai versus $460 in Antofagasta. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $778 in Chiang Mai versus $273 in Antofagasta. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Antofagasta – a meal for two runs $37.00 versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $924 in Antofagasta versus $947 in Chiang Mai, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Antofagasta but tight or insufficient in Chiang Mai. The gap between the two cities makes Antofagasta the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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.

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 Antofagasta gentler on the wallet – expenses run 3% less than in Chiang Mai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.