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: $1,045 in Iquique versus $1,265 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,709 in Iquique versus $2,297 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,374 in Iquique versus $3,329 in Phuket.

Living in Iquique costs roughly 17% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Iquique 22% lower, Phuket 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.01 CLP 7,113

$4.70 ฿153

70.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.47 CLP 37.7K

$45.37 ฿1,482

-6.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.18 CLP 6,374

$8.43 ฿275

-14.83%

Cappuccino

$3.68 CLP 3,268

$2.93 ฿95.6

25.60%

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

$1.30 CLP 1,156

$0.69 ฿22.40

88.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.02 CLP 904

$0.37 ฿11.99

175.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.50 CLP 3,105

$2.41 ฿78.6

45.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.75 CLP 3,331

$3.72 ฿122

0.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.16 CLP 1,029

$2.23 ฿72.9

-47.98%

White Bread (500g)

$1.17 CLP 1,042

$1.83 ฿59.8

-36.07%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.37 CLP 1,219

$2.17 ฿70.8

-36.87%

Eggs

$3.58 CLP 3,174

$2.21 ฿72.3

61.99%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.59 CLP 9,400

$19.74 ฿645

-46.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.58 CLP 5,839

$3.63 ฿119

81.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.97 CLP 9,738

$13.53 ฿442

-18.92%

Apples (1kg)

$1.82 CLP 1,619

$3.28 ฿107

-44.51%

Banana (1kg)

$2.27 CLP 2,013

$1.61 ฿52.6

40.99%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.58 CLP 1,402

$2.41 ฿78.6

-34.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.11 CLP 989

$2.08 ฿68.1

-46.63%

Potato (1kg)

$0.82 CLP 729

$1.53 ฿49.93

-46.41%

Onion (1kg)

$0.63 CLP 557

$1.48 ฿48.36

-57.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.22 CLP 1,082

$0.99 ฿32.29

23.23%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 CLP 1,054

$0.51 ฿16.67

133.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.30 CLP 4,701

$4.41 ฿144

20.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.38 CLP 7,437

$19.38 ฿633

-56.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.56 CLP 1,383

$1.78 ฿58.1

-12.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.30 CLP 2,038

$2.71 ฿88.6

-15.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.68 CLP 604

$1.37 ฿44.79

-50.36%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.39 ฿372

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.51 CLP 454

$3.02 ฿98.6

-83.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 ฿32.48

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.10 ฿461

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 CLP 1,266

$1.36 ฿44.51

5.15%

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

$19.4K CLP 17.2M

$28.2K ฿921.1K

-31.30%

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

$21.7K CLP 19.2M

$32.9K ฿1.1M

-34.18%

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

$81.7 CLP 72.5K

$122 ฿3,975

-32.89%

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

$13.61 CLP 12.1K

$13.57 ฿443

0.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.34 CLP 19.8K

$18.31 ฿598

22.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.96 CLP 38.1K

$60.2 ฿1,967

-28.66%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.01 CLP 18.6K

$17.14 ฿560

22.58%

Cinema Ticket

$5.54 CLP 4,913

$8.69 ฿284

-36.25%

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

$440 CLP 390.7K

$693 ฿22.6K

-36.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ฿512.3K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$32.41 CLP 28.8K

$59.5 ฿1,944

-45.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.37 CLP 21.6K

$34.77 ฿1,136

-29.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$48.10 CLP 42.7K

$115 ฿3,743

-58.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$61.7 CLP 54.8K

$83.3 ฿2,720

-25.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$449 CLP 398.5K

$613 ฿20.0K

-26.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$388 CLP 344.5K

$437 ฿14.3K

-11.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$740 CLP 656.3K

$2,094 ฿68.4K

-64.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$839 CLP 744.5K

$1,509 ฿49.3K

-44.42%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,926 CLP 1.7M

$3,749 ฿122.5K

-48.64%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,137 CLP 1.9M

$2,616 ฿85.4K

-18.31%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,018 CLP 903.9K

$508 ฿16.6K

100.45%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.5

5.33

40.71%

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

Last update for Iquique: May 31, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $449 in Iquique and $613 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Iquique pays 100% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $42.00 in Iquique vs $45.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $227 vs $293 per month, with Iquique cheaper across the board.

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 21% in total monthly costs ($1,045 vs $1,265 including rent). Iquique is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Iquique pays 100% more on average, 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 $613 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 29% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,045 per month in Iquique versus $1,265 in Phuket – a 21% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,045 in Iquique versus $1,265 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 21% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.