Cost of Living Comparison Between Iquique and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Iquique and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,063 in Iquique versus $1,253 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,657 in Iquique versus $2,043 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,251 in Iquique versus $2,833 in Phuket.

Living in Iquique costs roughly 15% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Iquique 23% lower, Phuket 9% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.96 CLP 7,408

$4.56 ฿150

74.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.56 CLP 40.5K

$32.62 ฿1,073

33.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.42 CLP 6,902

$8.90 ฿293

-16.63%

Cappuccino

$3.54 CLP 3,296

$2.80 ฿92.2

26.43%

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

$1.30 CLP 1,213

$0.88 ฿28.94

47.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.05 CLP 973

$0.49 ฿16.08

114.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.33 CLP 3,094

$2.39 ฿78.5

39.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 CLP 3,462

$3.71 ฿122

0.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 CLP 1,091

$1.79 ฿58.8

-34.64%

White Bread (500g)

$1.22 CLP 1,134

$1.44 ฿47.40

-15.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.37 CLP 1,279

$1.58 ฿52.1

-13.29%

Eggs

$3.14 CLP 2,922

$2.13 ฿69.9

47.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.51 CLP 9,777

$19.92 ฿655

-47.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.80 CLP 10.0K

$3.43 ฿113

214.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.33 ฿372

Apples (1kg)

$2.42 CLP 2,251

$2.95 ฿97.0

-17.97%

Banana (1kg)

$2.24 CLP 2,089

$1.72 ฿56.6

30.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.64 CLP 1,524

$2.32 ฿76.5

-29.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.09 CLP 1,011

$2.08 ฿68.4

-47.60%

Potato (1kg)

$0.77 CLP 715

$1.47 ฿48.34

-47.62%

Onion (1kg)

$0.66 CLP 610

$1.36 ฿44.65

-51.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 CLP 1,024

$1.10 ฿36.13

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.41 CLP 1,314

$0.57 ฿18.89

147.37%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.42 CLP 6,901

$4.27 ฿140

73.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.10 CLP 7,537

$18.42 ฿606

-56.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.87 ฿61.5

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 CLP 767

$2.92 ฿96.1

-71.92%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.73 CLP 680

$2.22 ฿73.0

-67.12%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.90 ฿753

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 ฿99.6

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.07 ฿35.32

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.93 ฿129

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.46 CLP 1,362

$1.49 ฿49.06

-2.01%

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

$27.1K ฿892.0K

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

$27.5K ฿902.6K

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

$92.0 CLP 85.6K

$103 ฿3,380

-10.54%

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

$15.79 CLP 14.7K

$10.99 ฿361

43.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.70 CLP 23.0K

$17.51 ฿576

41.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.1 CLP 49.4K

$53.5 ฿1,760

-0.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.20 ฿368

Cinema Ticket

$7.32 CLP 6,810

$7.48 ฿246

-2.14%

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

$271 CLP 252.1K

$557 ฿18.3K

-51.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K ฿389.7K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$31.86 CLP 29.6K

$64.1 ฿2,107

-50.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.23 CLP 22.5K

$29.07 ฿956

-16.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$47.84 CLP 44.5K

$96.0 ฿3,155

-50.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$60.9 CLP 56.7K

$90.3 ฿2,970

-32.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$449 CLP 417.9K

$730 ฿24.0K

-38.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$407 CLP 378.4K

$500 ฿16.4K

-18.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$710 CLP 660.8K

$2,090 ฿68.7K

-66.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$801 CLP 745.4K

$1,209 ฿39.8K

-33.75%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,787 CLP 1.7M

$3,596 ฿118.2K

-50.32%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,057 CLP 1.9M

$2,512 ฿82.6K

-18.14%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$972 CLP 904.1K

$503 ฿16.6K

93.04%

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: August 29, 2026

Last update for Phuket: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $449 in Iquique and $730 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Iquique pays 93% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $44.00 in Iquique vs $33.00 in Phuket. Groceries flip the comparison at $208 vs $273, with Iquique 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

Iquique vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Iquique and Phuket differ by about 18% in total monthly costs ($1,063 vs $1,253 including rent). Iquique is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 93% higher in Iquique, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $449 in Iquique versus $730 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 31% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,063 per month in Iquique versus $1,253 in Phuket – a 18% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,063 in Iquique versus $1,253 in Phuket, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Iquique but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Iquique the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Iquique and Phuket 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 Iquique gentler on the wallet – expenses run 18% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.