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: $1,261 in Phuket versus $1,071 in Calama.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,286 in Phuket versus $1,603 in Calama.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,310 in Phuket versus $2,136 in Calama.

Living in Phuket is roughly 18% more expensive than Calama, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 6% lower, Calama 20% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.56 ฿149

$8.19 CLP 7,362

-44.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.63 ฿1,519

$33.14 CLP 29.8K

40.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.47 ฿276

$7.92 CLP 7,121

6.94%

Cappuccino

$3.03 ฿98.6

$2.14 CLP 1,920

41.59%

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

$0.69 ฿22.45

$0.94 CLP 846

-26.60%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.92

$0.95 CLP 854

-61.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.49 ฿81.0

$3.16 CLP 2,839

-21.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

$4.07 CLP 3,659

-10.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.18 ฿71.0

$1.23 CLP 1,109

77.24%

White Bread (500g)

$1.90 ฿62.0

$1.57 CLP 1,409

21.02%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.20 ฿71.6

$1.94 CLP 1,747

13.40%

Eggs

$2.22 ฿72.4

$3.47 CLP 3,120

-36.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.99 ฿651

$10.33 CLP 9,279

93.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.66 ฿119

$6.51 CLP 5,847

-43.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.25 ฿432

$11.02 CLP 9,905

20.24%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿105

$1.83 CLP 1,647

76.50%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.3

$1.53 CLP 1,371

11.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.39 ฿78.0

$1.52 CLP 1,370

57.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿67.7

$1.50 CLP 1,345

38.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$1.28 CLP 1,149

24.22%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.31

$1.41 CLP 1,269

4.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 ฿33.54

$1.27 CLP 1,137

-18.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿16.83

$1.17 CLP 1,050

-55.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.25 ฿138

$5.26 CLP 4,727

-19.20%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.79 ฿612

$6.06 CLP 5,445

210.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 ฿57.2

$1.56 CLP 1,403

12.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 ฿89.8

$2.32 CLP 2,089

18.97%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.36 ฿44.32

$0.59 CLP 529

130.51%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.36 ฿370

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 ฿102

$0.51 CLP 459

515.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿33.74

$1.48 CLP 1,327

-29.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.77 ฿448

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ฿43.79

$1.58 CLP 1,424

-15.19%

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

$27.7K ฿901.4K

$19.3K CLP 17.3M

43.46%

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

$33.9K ฿1.1M

$21.1K CLP 19.0M

60.51%

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

$124 ฿4,025

$134 CLP 120.1K

-7.53%

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

$13.52 ฿440

$13.39 CLP 12.0K

0.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.69 ฿609

$22.23 CLP 20.0K

-15.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.8 ฿2,013

$38.84 CLP 34.9K

59.17%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.25 ฿562

$21.27 CLP 19.1K

-18.90%

Cinema Ticket

$9.14 ฿298

$5.57 CLP 5,010

64.09%

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

$703 ฿22.9K

$431 CLP 387.5K

62.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.9K ฿517.0K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,937

$50.0 CLP 45.0K

18.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.07 ฿1,142

$29.88 CLP 26.9K

17.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,754

$61.3 CLP 55.1K

87.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.1 ฿2,737

$83.1 CLP 74.7K

1.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$619 ฿20.1K

$356 CLP 320.1K

73.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$433 ฿14.1K

$376 CLP 338.2K

14.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,062 ฿67.2K

$847 CLP 761.6K

143.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,511 ฿49.2K

$599 CLP 537.9K

152.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,646 ฿118.7K

$1,473 CLP 1.3M

147.56%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,626 ฿85.5K

$1,322 CLP 1.2M

98.68%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$507 ฿16.5K

$1,175 CLP 1.1M

-56.86%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Calama: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $619 in Phuket and $356 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 $33.00 in Calama for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $228 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 18% 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: $619 in Phuket versus $356 in Calama. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 28% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,261 per month in Phuket versus $1,071 in Calama – a 18% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,071 in Calama versus $1,261 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 $1,071 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 18% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.