Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Antofagasta Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Antofagasta

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,250 in Phuket versus $964 in Antofagasta.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,284 in Phuket versus $1,529 in Antofagasta.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,317 in Phuket versus $2,093 in Antofagasta.

Living in Phuket is roughly 30% more expensive than in Antofagasta, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 6% lower, Antofagasta 28% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.55 ฿153

$7.37 CLP 6,864

-38.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.18 ฿1,554

$37.04 CLP 34.5K

24.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 ฿298

$7.59 CLP 7,068

16.47%

Cappuccino

$3.06 ฿103

$2.75 CLP 2,560

11.27%

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

$0.73 ฿24.42

$1.29 CLP 1,202

-43.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 ฿13.40

$0.97 CLP 899

-58.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 ฿81.8

$1.67 CLP 1,552

45.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.78 ฿127

$4.27 CLP 3,973

-11.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ฿76.0

$1.14 CLP 1,064

98.25%

White Bread (500g)

$1.81 ฿60.9

$1.73 CLP 1,608

4.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.25 ฿75.8

$1.25 CLP 1,161

80.00%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.6

$2.94 CLP 2,738

-23.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.51 ฿656

$9.94 CLP 9,257

96.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.65 ฿123

$4.30 CLP 4,003

-15.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.05 ฿439

$8.88 CLP 8,267

46.96%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿109

$2.11 CLP 1,967

53.08%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 ฿54.4

$2.36 CLP 2,193

-31.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.38 ฿80.2

$2.57 CLP 2,397

-7.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿68.2

$1.16 CLP 1,082

75.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿51.6

$0.89 CLP 831

71.91%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.5

$0.94 CLP 877

59.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.93

$1.25 CLP 1,162

-21.60%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.40

$1.22 CLP 1,141

-57.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.44 ฿149

$4.84 CLP 4,503

-8.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.32 ฿616

$5.87 CLP 5,468

212.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.7

$1.55 CLP 1,447

20.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 ฿90.2

$1.37 CLP 1,275

95.62%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.41 ฿47.49

$0.63 CLP 590

123.81%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.70 ฿394

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.11 ฿105

$0.50 CLP 467

522.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿35.08

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.11 ฿475

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 ฿44.13

$1.40 CLP 1,308

-6.43%

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

$27.8K ฿936.0K

$19.4K CLP 18.0M

43.60%

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

$33.2K ฿1.1M

$21.6K CLP 20.1M

54.01%

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

$122 ฿4,120

$47.85 CLP 44.6K

155.88%

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

$13.59 ฿457

$10.53 CLP 9,807

29.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.70 ฿629

$13.11 CLP 12.2K

42.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.5 ฿2,035

$43.75 CLP 40.7K

38.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.98 ฿572

$21.04 CLP 19.6K

-19.30%

Cinema Ticket

$9.07 ฿305

$5.48 CLP 5,102

65.51%

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

$706 ฿23.8K

$270 CLP 251.5K

161.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿531.8K

$3,357 CLP 3.1M

370.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.6 ฿1,970

$41.10 CLP 38.3K

42.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.36 ฿1,190

$16.09 CLP 15.0K

119.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,885

$60.8 CLP 56.6K

89.87%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.7 ฿2,818

$71.1 CLP 66.2K

17.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$626 ฿21.1K

$472 CLP 439.3K

32.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$445 ฿15.0K

$374 CLP 348.0K

19.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,040 ฿68.7K

$851 CLP 792.8K

139.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 ฿50.2K

$704 CLP 655.8K

111.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,483 ฿117.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,577 ฿86.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$500 ฿16.8K

$732 CLP 682.1K

-31.76%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

5.18

2.90%

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

Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026

Last update for Antofagasta: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $626 in Phuket and $472 in Antofagasta. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Antofagasta pays 47% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $46.00 in Phuket vs $37.00 in Antofagasta for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $289 vs $211 per month, with Antofagasta 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

Phuket vs Antofagasta: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Antofagasta wins on cost – living expenses run 30% lower than in Phuket. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Antofagasta the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 47% lower in Antofagasta. 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: $626 in Phuket versus $472 in Antofagasta. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $706 in Phuket versus $270 in Antofagasta. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Antofagasta – a meal for two runs $37.00 versus $46.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $964 in Antofagasta versus $1,250 in Phuket, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Antofagasta but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Antofagasta the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Antofagasta delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $964 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Antofagasta hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Phuket 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 Antofagasta gentler on the wallet – expenses run 30% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.