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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,056 per month in Iquique vs $950 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,664 per month in Iquique vs $1,430 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,271 per month in Iquique vs $1,909 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Iquique costs about 11% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Iquique and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Iquique 23% lower, Chiang Mai 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.98 CLP 7,513

$2.10 ฿69.3

280.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.00 CLP 40.5K

$19.84 ฿656

116.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.33 CLP 6,898

$5.79 ฿191

26.60%

Cappuccino

$3.71 CLP 3,489

$1.83 ฿60.4

102.73%

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

$1.35 CLP 1,271

$0.78 ฿25.61

73.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.01 CLP 954

$0.31 ฿10.37

225.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.46 CLP 3,256

$2.34 ฿77.2

47.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.70 CLP 3,480

$3.70 ฿122

Milk (1 liter)

$1.13 CLP 1,063

$2.03 ฿67.1

-44.33%

White Bread (500g)

$1.17 CLP 1,103

$1.60 ฿52.7

-26.88%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.42 CLP 1,334

$1.42 ฿46.75

Eggs

$3.19 CLP 2,998

$2.18 ฿71.9

46.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.91 CLP 10.3K

$15.91 ฿526

-31.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.58 CLP 9,956

$3.07 ฿102

244.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.87 ฿326

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 CLP 2,146

$2.63 ฿86.8

-13.31%

Banana (1kg)

$2.33 CLP 2,189

$1.10 ฿36.19

111.82%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.65 CLP 1,549

$1.63 ฿53.8

1.23%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.14 CLP 1,078

$1.53 ฿50.6

-25.49%

Potato (1kg)

$0.79 CLP 741

$1.24 ฿41.13

-36.29%

Onion (1kg)

$0.61 CLP 578

$1.13 ฿37.37

-46.02%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 CLP 1,018

$0.74 ฿24.38

45.95%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 CLP 1,277

$0.50 ฿16.48

172.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.52 CLP 7,076

$4.28 ฿141

75.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.93 CLP 7,464

$17.97 ฿594

-55.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 ฿56.1

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.85 CLP 800

$2.90 ฿95.7

-70.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.73 CLP 690

$0.94 ฿31.13

-22.34%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$55.3 ฿1,827

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.23 ฿40.76

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 ฿17.66

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.40 ฿79.3

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 CLP 1,445

$1.44 ฿47.55

6.94%

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

$21.2K ฿700.2K

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

$27.3K ฿902.1K

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

$91.6 CLP 86.2K

$64.9 ฿2,145

41.04%

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

$16.16 CLP 15.2K

$13.35 ฿441

21.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.08 CLP 23.6K

$20.83 ฿688

20.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.5 CLP 50.3K

$40.42 ฿1,336

32.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.95 ฿131

Cinema Ticket

$7.29 CLP 6,864

$6.71 ฿222

8.64%

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

$271 CLP 254.8K

$787 ฿26.0K

-65.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.1K ฿499.6K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$32.34 CLP 30.4K

$56.2 ฿1,858

-42.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.01 CLP 22.6K

$24.95 ฿824

-3.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$48.76 CLP 45.9K

$92.7 ฿3,063

-47.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$61.5 CLP 57.9K

$75.1 ฿2,482

-18.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$440 CLP 414.4K

$484 ฿16.0K

-8.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$400 CLP 376.8K

$287 ฿9,491

39.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$721 CLP 678.3K

$910 ฿30.1K

-20.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$811 CLP 763.2K

$531 ฿17.5K

52.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,783 CLP 1.7M

$1,980 ฿65.4K

-9.93%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,013 CLP 1.9M

$1,451 ฿47.9K

38.72%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,003 CLP 944.3K

$605 ฿20.0K

65.78%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.5

5.57

34.65%

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

Last update for Iquique: September 5, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $440 in Iquique versus $484 in Chiang Mai. 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 66% 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 $43.00 in Iquique versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $206 in Iquique vs $242 in Chiang Mai – 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

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

Iquique costs about 11% 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 $1,584 per month in Iquique and $1,426 in Chiang Mai. 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 $43.00 in Iquique and $20.00 in Chiang Mai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 17% cheaper in Iquique – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $950, than in Iquique at $1,056. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Iquique it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $950 versus $1,056 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.