Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Calama Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Calama

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,232 in Phuket versus $1,077 in Calama.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,255 in Phuket versus $1,598 in Calama.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,279 in Phuket versus $2,119 in Calama.

Living in Phuket is roughly 14% more expensive than Calama, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 8% lower, Calama 20% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.63 ฿151

$7.95 CLP 7,068

-41.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.84 ฿1,532

$33.74 CLP 30.0K

38.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 ฿289

$7.75 CLP 6,890

14.06%

Cappuccino

$3.00 ฿98.0

$2.20 CLP 1,959

36.36%

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

$0.74 ฿24.25

$0.92 CLP 822

-19.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.95

$0.95 CLP 847

-61.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.44 ฿79.8

$3.31 CLP 2,948

-26.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.61 ฿118

$4.06 CLP 3,612

-11.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ฿73.9

$1.19 CLP 1,061

89.92%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 ฿60.1

$1.55 CLP 1,379

18.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.24 ฿73.4

$1.96 CLP 1,740

14.29%

Eggs

$2.32 ฿75.7

$3.47 CLP 3,084

-33.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.67 ฿643

$10.29 CLP 9,147

91.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.65 ฿119

$6.55 CLP 5,822

-44.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.10 ฿428

$11.04 CLP 9,815

18.66%

Apples (1kg)

$3.39 ฿111

$1.88 CLP 1,675

80.32%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.7

$1.50 CLP 1,334

9.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿79.0

$1.52 CLP 1,350

58.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿66.4

$1.50 CLP 1,334

35.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.56 ฿50.9

$1.28 CLP 1,142

21.88%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿48.94

$1.35 CLP 1,202

11.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 ฿33.50

$1.21 CLP 1,073

-15.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.00

$1.23 CLP 1,090

-60.16%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.45 ฿145

$5.53 CLP 4,917

-19.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.88 ฿617

$4.51 CLP 4,006

318.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

$1.59 CLP 1,414

11.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.75 ฿90.1

$2.20 CLP 1,960

25.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.40 ฿45.81

$0.58 CLP 515

141.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.48 ฿376

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.12 ฿102

$0.50 CLP 447

524.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.00 ฿32.67

$1.53 CLP 1,363

-34.64%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.09 ฿461

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 ฿44.19

$1.53 CLP 1,356

-11.76%

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

$27.2K ฿888.9K

$19.9K CLP 17.7M

36.45%

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$21.1K CLP 18.8M

56.01%

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

$125 ฿4,087

$134 CLP 119.2K

-6.76%

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

$13.57 ฿444

$13.69 CLP 12.2K

-0.88%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.52 ฿606

$22.18 CLP 19.7K

-16.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.5 ฿2,010

$38.16 CLP 33.9K

61.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.84 ฿551

$21.33 CLP 19.0K

-21.05%

Cinema Ticket

$9.19 ฿300

$5.68 CLP 5,055

61.80%

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

$698 ฿22.8K

$432 CLP 384.4K

61.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.6K ฿509.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.8 ฿1,889

$50.1 CLP 44.5K

15.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.24 ฿1,152

$29.74 CLP 26.4K

18.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 ฿3,699

$61.5 CLP 54.7K

83.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.4 ฿2,825

$82.5 CLP 73.3K

4.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$616 ฿20.1K

$348 CLP 309.4K

77.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$446 ฿14.6K

$369 CLP 328.0K

20.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,048 ฿67.0K

$852 CLP 757.4K

140.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 ฿48.8K

$590 CLP 524.8K

152.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,779 ฿123.6K

$1,543 CLP 1.4M

144.95%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,649 ฿86.6K

$1,368 CLP 1.2M

93.58%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$524 ฿17.1K

$1,213 CLP 1.1M

-56.82%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Calama: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $616 in Phuket and $348 in Calama. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Calama pays 132% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $47.00 in Phuket vs $34.00 in Calama for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $292 vs $225 per month, with Calama 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 Calama: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Calama wins on cost – living expenses run 14% lower than in Phuket. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Calama the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, Calama earns 132% less. 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: $616 in Phuket versus $348 in Calama. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 30% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,232 per month in Phuket versus $1,077 in Calama – a 14% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,077 in Calama versus $1,232 in Phuket, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Calama but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Calama the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Calama delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,077 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Calama hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Phuket and Calama 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 Calama gentler on the wallet – expenses run 14% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.