Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Antofagasta

For one person, living is cheaper in Antofagasta: $888 a month against $1,207 in Phuket, rent and utilities included – about $3,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

Phuket
🇹🇭 Thailand
$1,207
/mo nomad
Antofagasta
🇨🇱 Chile
$888
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Phuket and in Antofagasta

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Phuket and in Antofagasta actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,207 in Phuket versus $888 in Antofagasta.

  • Phuket $1,207
  • Antofagasta $888

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,037 in Phuket versus $1,416 in Antofagasta.

  • Phuket $2,037
  • Antofagasta $1,416

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,867 in Phuket versus $1,944 in Antofagasta.

  • Phuket $2,867
  • Antofagasta $1,944

Living in Phuket is roughly 36% more expensive than in Antofagasta, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 11% lower, Antofagasta 34% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Antofagasta
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.58 ฿153
$7.05 CLP 6,935
-35.04%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.48 ฿1,086
$35.93 CLP 35.4K
-9.60%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.55 ฿286
$7.29 CLP 7,179
17.28%
Cappuccino
$2.72 ฿91.0
$2.57 CLP 2,528
5.84%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.94 ฿31.25
$1.28 CLP 1,264
-26.56%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.49 ฿16.39
$0.88 CLP 862
-44.32%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.59 ฿86.6
$1.51 CLP 1,488
71.52%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.83 ฿128
$1.79 CLP 1,765
113.97%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Antofagasta
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.74 ฿58.1
$1.07 CLP 1,054
62.62%
White Bread (500g)
$1.43 ฿47.82
$1.86 CLP 1,834
-23.12%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.53 ฿51.0
$1.22 CLP 1,199
25.41%
Eggs
$2.17 ฿72.7
$2.59 CLP 2,553
-16.22%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$19.15 ฿640
$9.02 CLP 8,878
112.31%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.30 ฿110
$3.31 CLP 3,260
-0.30%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$11.14 ฿372
$7.72 CLP 7,599
44.30%
Apples (1kg)
$2.95 ฿98.5
$2.03 CLP 1,996
45.32%
Banana (1kg)
$1.68 ฿56.1
$2.26 CLP 2,223
-25.66%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.30 ฿76.8
$2.85 CLP 2,809
-19.30%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.13 ฿71.3
$1.10 CLP 1,081
93.64%
Potato (1kg)
$1.53 ฿51.1
$0.88 CLP 864
73.86%
Onion (1kg)
$1.36 ฿45.55
$0.78 CLP 772
74.36%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.12 ฿37.44
$1.30 CLP 1,283
-13.85%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.55 ฿18.24
$1.12 CLP 1,102
-50.89%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.26 ฿142
$5.29 CLP 5,209
-19.47%
Wine (Bottle)
$18.19 ฿608
$5.13 CLP 5,048
254.58%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.74 ฿58.2
$1.35 CLP 1,328
28.89%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.79 ฿93.3
$1.01 CLP 992
176.24%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Antofagasta
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.22 ฿74.1
$0.62 CLP 613
258.06%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$22.06 ฿737
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.91 ฿97.3
$2.63 CLP 2,584
10.65%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.01 ฿33.79
-
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$3.83 ฿128
-
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.49 ฿49.85
$1.34 CLP 1,318
11.19%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.7K ฿891.6K
-
-
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.7K ฿892.7K
$17.5K CLP 17.2M
52.61%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Antofagasta
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$99.4 ฿3,321
$46.23 CLP 45.5K
114.95%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.28 ฿377
$9.82 CLP 9,669
14.87%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$17.36 ฿580
$12.54 CLP 12.3K
38.44%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Antofagasta
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$52.3 ฿1,747
$41.34 CLP 40.7K
26.49%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$10.85 ฿362
$25.15 CLP 24.8K
-56.86%
Cinema Ticket
$7.57 ฿253
$5.17 CLP 5,086
46.42%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Antofagasta
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$558 ฿18.7K
$255 CLP 250.6K
119.31%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$11.5K ฿383.9K
$3,160 CLP 3.1M
263.55%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Antofagasta
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$62.9 ฿2,102
$39.01 CLP 38.4K
61.19%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$28.58 ฿955
$15.18 CLP 14.9K
88.27%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$96.1 ฿3,213
$58.3 CLP 57.4K
64.99%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$88.1 ฿2,943
$67.7 CLP 66.6K
30.07%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Antofagasta
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$729 ฿24.4K
$437 CLP 430.0K
66.98%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$460 ฿15.4K
$359 CLP 352.9K
28.29%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,096 ฿70.0K
$811 CLP 798.7K
158.30%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,222 ฿40.8K
$659 CLP 648.9K
85.41%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,459 ฿115.6K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,489 ฿83.2K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Antofagasta
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$493 ฿16.5K
$711 CLP 700.2K
-30.69%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.57
0
-

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

Last update for Phuket: October 13, 2026

Last update for Antofagasta: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Phuket
$460
Antofagasta
$359 22.1% $101
Groceries & Markets
Phuket
$268
Antofagasta
$194 27.6% $74
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
$128
Antofagasta
$69 46.4% $59
Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
$124
Antofagasta
$81 34.6% $43
Eating Out
Phuket
$121
Antofagasta
$129 6.2% $7.5
Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
$67
Antofagasta
$52 23.3% $16
Getting Around
Phuket
$39
Antofagasta
$5.1 * 86.8% $34

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $729 in Phuket and $437 in Antofagasta. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Antofagasta pays 44% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $32.00 in Phuket vs $36.00 in Antofagasta. Groceries flip the comparison at $268 vs $194, with Antofagasta cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know
🇹🇭 Phuket
🇨🇱 Antofagasta
🕒 Local time
04:14 4:14 AM
18:14 6:14 PM
10 h behind Phuket
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
79,308
348,517
💱 Currency
Thai Baht THB ฿
Exchange rates and currency converter

CLP, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 33.42 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.57 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

Chilean Peso exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 984 CLP (1,000 CLP = 1.02 USD). 1 EUR = 1,107 CLP (10,000 CLP = 9.04 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Phuket Antofagasta 17,890 km ≈ 23 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Phuket
  • Antofagasta

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Which city is more expensive, Phuket or Antofagasta?
Antofagasta wins on cost – living expenses run 36% 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.
Are salaries higher in Phuket or in Antofagasta?
On paper, salaries run 44% 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.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Phuket compared to Antofagasta?
Rent for a central apartment: $729 in Phuket versus $437 in Antofagasta. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do childcare costs compare in Phuket and in Antofagasta?
Childcare runs $558 in Phuket versus $255 in Antofagasta. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
How do dining costs compare in Phuket and in Antofagasta?
Dining out is cheaper in Antofagasta – a meal for two runs $36.00 versus $32.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Phuket or in Antofagasta?
At $888 in Antofagasta versus $1,207 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.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Phuket or Antofagasta?
Both work as nomad bases, but Antofagasta delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $888 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Antofagasta hard to pass up.
How safe is Phuket compared to Antofagasta?
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.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Antofagasta gentler on the wallet – expenses run 36% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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