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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $852 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,022 in Iquique, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,354 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,703 in Iquique, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,857 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,385 in Iquique, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 17% cheaper than Iquique, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Chiang Mai and Iquique are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Iquique 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿64.0

$8.06 CLP 7,169

-75.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.81 ฿615

$43.07 CLP 38.3K

-56.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.92 ฿259

$7.34 CLP 6,527

7.90%

Cappuccino

$1.91 ฿62.6

$3.61 CLP 3,212

-47.09%

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

$0.84 ฿27.41

$1.29 CLP 1,151

-34.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.51

$1.01 CLP 902

-65.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$3.37 CLP 2,993

-34.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.80 ฿124

$3.66 CLP 3,257

3.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$1.20 CLP 1,069

36.67%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 ฿53.1

$1.18 CLP 1,049

37.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.62

$1.42 CLP 1,265

-16.90%

Eggs

$2.01 ฿65.8

$3.57 CLP 3,176

-43.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.89 ฿520

$10.33 CLP 9,189

53.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.01 ฿98.5

$6.71 CLP 5,968

-55.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.77 ฿352

$10.91 CLP 9,704

-1.28%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 ฿85.5

$1.82 CLP 1,620

43.41%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ฿39.88

$2.33 CLP 2,075

-47.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.7

$1.59 CLP 1,412

6.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 ฿51.5

$1.14 CLP 1,018

38.60%

Potato (1kg)

$1.32 ฿43.14

$0.79 CLP 700

67.09%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.23

$0.67 CLP 596

74.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿21.98

$1.21 CLP 1,075

-44.63%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.32

$1.17 CLP 1,041

-52.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.53 ฿148

$5.47 CLP 4,866

-17.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.20 ฿595

$8.53 CLP 7,585

113.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿60.0

$1.62 CLP 1,439

12.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$2.31 CLP 2,057

39.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ฿29.00

$0.68 CLP 606

30.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.38 ฿634

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.35 ฿44.20

$0.47 CLP 417

187.23%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 ฿44.05

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.25 ฿270

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.64

$1.43 CLP 1,276

-11.19%

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

$21.2K ฿691.8K

$19.7K CLP 17.5M

7.65%

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

$22.5K ฿735.3K

$21.7K CLP 19.3M

3.51%

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

$70.2 ฿2,294

$81.6 CLP 72.6K

-14.06%

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

$13.77 ฿450

$13.41 CLP 11.9K

2.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.60 ฿575

$22.05 CLP 19.6K

-20.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.57 ฿1,360

$43.65 CLP 38.8K

-4.77%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.60 ฿216

$21.59 CLP 19.2K

-69.43%

Cinema Ticket

$5.78 ฿189

$5.60 CLP 4,982

3.21%

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

$306 ฿10.0K

$438 CLP 389.4K

-30.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿484.8K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.4 ฿1,778

$32.79 CLP 29.2K

65.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.14 ฿855

$24.41 CLP 21.7K

7.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.5 ฿2,764

$47.76 CLP 42.5K

77.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.4 ฿2,270

$61.9 CLP 55.0K

12.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$424 ฿13.9K

$438 CLP 389.6K

-3.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$238 ฿7,788

$395 CLP 351.6K

-39.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$825 ฿27.0K

$757 CLP 673.3K

8.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$838 CLP 745.1K

-38.51%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,049 ฿67.0K

$1,893 CLP 1.7M

8.25%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,523 ฿49.8K

$2,160 CLP 1.9M

-29.51%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$635 ฿20.8K

$1,024 CLP 910.4K

-37.96%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.5

-33.33%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 27, 2026

Last update for Iquique: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $424 in Chiang Mai versus $438 in Iquique. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 61% higher in Iquique, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $43.00 in Iquique. Groceries tell a different story – $243 in Chiang Mai vs $229 in Iquique – so Iquique wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Iquique: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Iquique costs about 20% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,278 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,532 in Iquique. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Chiang Mai, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai and $43.00 in Iquique. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 6% cheaper in Iquique – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $852 in Chiang Mai and $1,022 in Iquique, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $852 versus $1,022 in Iquique. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Chiang Mai. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Iquique makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.