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 $1,101 in Calama.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,078 in Phuket versus $1,641 in Calama.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,896 in Phuket versus $2,181 in Calama.

Living in Phuket is roughly 15% more expensive than in Calama, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.43 ฿145

$7.67 CLP 7,076

-42.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.07 ฿1,151

$33.37 CLP 30.8K

5.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.96 ฿294

$7.60 CLP 7,016

17.89%

Cappuccino

$3.00 ฿98.4

$2.14 CLP 1,971

40.19%

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

$0.77 ฿25.33

$0.96 CLP 882

-19.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.47 ฿15.44

$1.01 CLP 931

-53.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.40 ฿78.6

$3.91 CLP 3,611

-38.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.75 ฿123

$3.94 CLP 3,636

-4.82%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.82 ฿59.8

$1.23 CLP 1,132

47.97%

White Bread (500g)

$1.42 ฿46.65

$1.84 CLP 1,694

-22.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 ฿50.8

$1.67 CLP 1,537

-7.19%

Eggs

$2.13 ฿69.9

$3.88 CLP 3,577

-45.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.76 ฿648

$11.30 CLP 10.4K

74.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.48 ฿114

$7.04 CLP 6,493

-50.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.09 ฿364

$11.74 CLP 10.8K

-5.54%

Apples (1kg)

$2.91 ฿95.5

$1.98 CLP 1,831

46.97%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 ฿54.6

$1.66 CLP 1,530

Oranges (1kg)

$2.27 ฿74.5

$1.63 CLP 1,507

39.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.10 ฿68.8

$1.64 CLP 1,511

28.05%

Potato (1kg)

$1.47 ฿48.24

$1.11 CLP 1,020

32.43%

Onion (1kg)

$1.41 ฿46.29

$1.48 CLP 1,362

-4.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.09 ฿35.78

$1.36 CLP 1,251

-19.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 ฿17.58

$1.25 CLP 1,156

-56.80%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.48 ฿147

$5.50 CLP 5,071

-18.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.72 ฿614

$5.83 CLP 5,378

221.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 ฿60.4

$1.62 CLP 1,496

13.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.95 ฿96.7

$2.31 CLP 2,132

27.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.26 ฿74.1

$0.66 CLP 605

242.42%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.07 ฿757

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.04 ฿99.9

$0.74 CLP 678

310.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.09 ฿35.82

$1.61 CLP 1,482

-32.30%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.82 ฿125

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿48.79

$1.56 CLP 1,438

-4.49%

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

$27.4K ฿900.3K

$20.8K CLP 19.2M

31.97%

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

$27.5K ฿902.7K

$24.7K CLP 22.8M

11.54%

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

$102 ฿3,340

$119 CLP 110.1K

-14.68%

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

$11.28 ฿370

$14.63 CLP 13.5K

-22.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.75 ฿582

$21.01 CLP 19.4K

-15.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.2 ฿1,777

$33.49 CLP 30.9K

61.75%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.96 ฿360

$21.71 CLP 20.0K

-49.52%

Cinema Ticket

$7.85 ฿258

$7.10 CLP 6,553

10.56%

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

$577 ฿18.9K

$447 CLP 412.8K

28.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.6K ฿381.6K

$8,661 CLP 8.0M

34.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$65.4 ฿2,144

$50.1 CLP 46.2K

30.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.89 ฿948

$30.51 CLP 28.2K

-5.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.1 ฿3,250

$59.9 CLP 55.2K

65.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.3 ฿2,961

$76.9 CLP 70.9K

17.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$756 ฿24.8K

$359 CLP 331.1K

110.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$487 ฿16.0K

$381 CLP 352.0K

27.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,085 ฿68.4K

$859 CLP 792.4K

142.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,207 ฿39.6K

$622 CLP 573.6K

94.20%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,591 ฿117.8K

$1,532 CLP 1.4M

134.35%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,610 ฿85.6K

$1,290 CLP 1.2M

102.39%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$502 ฿16.5K

$1,178 CLP 1.1M

-57.38%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

5.15

8.16%

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

Last update for Phuket: August 18, 2026

Last update for Calama: August 18, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $756 in Phuket and $359 in Calama. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Calama pays 135% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $35.00 in Phuket vs $33.00 in Calama for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $272 vs $243 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 15% 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, salaries run 135% lower in Calama. 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: $756 in Phuket versus $359 in Calama. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 12% 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 $1,101 in Calama – a 15% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,101 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 $1,101 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 15% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.