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: $866 in Chiang Mai versus $944 in Antofagasta.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,351 in Chiang Mai versus $1,493 in Antofagasta.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,835 in Chiang Mai versus $2,042 in Antofagasta.

Living in Chiang Mai costs roughly 8% less than in Antofagasta, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Chiang Mai 35% lower, Antofagasta 30% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.94 ฿63.5

$7.67 CLP 6,804

-74.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.64 ฿609

$37.56 CLP 33.3K

-50.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.82 ฿255

$8.03 CLP 7,127

-2.62%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.8

$2.75 CLP 2,438

-29.09%

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

$0.85 ฿27.77

$1.30 CLP 1,152

-34.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.58

$0.90 CLP 799

-61.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ฿69.6

$1.64 CLP 1,457

29.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿122

$4.28 CLP 3,798

-12.85%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿56.0

$1.12 CLP 993

52.68%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$1.74 CLP 1,545

-6.32%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 ฿37.15

$1.32 CLP 1,168

-13.64%

Eggs

$1.93 ฿63.1

$3.01 CLP 2,669

-35.88%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.21 ฿530

$9.98 CLP 8,861

62.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ฿102

$4.28 CLP 3,802

-27.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 ฿356

$8.81 CLP 7,815

23.72%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 ฿90.0

$2.11 CLP 1,873

30.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.52

$2.28 CLP 2,024

-46.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.0

$2.45 CLP 2,176

-33.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$1.20 CLP 1,069

32.50%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 ฿45.70

$0.95 CLP 847

47.37%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.17

$0.94 CLP 831

24.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.60

$1.21 CLP 1,071

-45.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.22

$1.16 CLP 1,033

-54.31%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿153

$4.81 CLP 4,272

-2.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.66 ฿609

$6.00 CLP 5,321

211.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.8

$1.53 CLP 1,359

17.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$1.43 CLP 1,268

125.87%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.26

$0.62 CLP 548

45.16%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.91

$0.47 CLP 416

200.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿42.12

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.58

$1.40 CLP 1,240

-9.29%

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

$21.3K ฿694.9K

$19.7K CLP 17.4M

8.26%

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

$22.2K ฿725.4K

$21.3K CLP 18.9M

4.18%

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

$69.1 ฿2,256

$47.75 CLP 42.4K

44.65%

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

$14.08 ฿460

$10.47 CLP 9,292

34.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 ฿588

$13.05 CLP 11.6K

37.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 ฿1,341

$43.14 CLP 38.3K

-4.82%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

$21.57 CLP 19.1K

-67.73%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿193

$5.42 CLP 4,806

9.23%

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

$299 ฿9,766

$273 CLP 241.9K

9.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿488.3K

$3,289 CLP 2.9M

354.61%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,787

$41.85 CLP 37.1K

30.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.77 ฿874

$16.11 CLP 14.3K

66.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.0 ฿2,776

$61.1 CLP 54.2K

39.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.6 ฿2,306

$72.2 CLP 64.1K

-2.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

$463 CLP 411.1K

-7.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,752

$370 CLP 328.4K

-35.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ฿26.2K

$859 CLP 762.0K

-6.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$690 CLP 612.2K

-25.27%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.2K

$757 CLP 671.5K

-18.40%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Antofagasta: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $428 in Chiang Mai and $463 in Antofagasta. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Antofagasta pays 23% 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: $19.00 in Chiang Mai vs $38.00 in Antofagasta. Groceries flip the comparison at $246 vs $210, 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 9% 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, Antofagasta earns 23% less. 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: $428 in Chiang Mai versus $463 in Antofagasta. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $299 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 Chiang Mai – a meal for two runs $19.00 versus $38.00 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 $866 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 9% less than in Antofagasta. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.