Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Iquique Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Iquique

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,250 in Phuket versus $1,026 in Iquique.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,284 in Phuket versus $1,702 in Iquique.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,317 in Phuket versus $2,377 in Iquique.

Living in Phuket is roughly 22% more expensive than in Iquique, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 6% lower, Iquique 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.55 ฿153

$8.01 CLP 7,463

-43.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.18 ฿1,554

$43.94 CLP 40.9K

5.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 ฿298

$7.21 CLP 6,718

22.61%

Cappuccino

$3.06 ฿103

$3.58 CLP 3,336

-14.53%

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

$0.73 ฿24.42

$1.35 CLP 1,258

-45.93%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 ฿13.40

$1.02 CLP 951

-60.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 ฿81.8

$3.48 CLP 3,244

-30.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.78 ฿127

$3.71 CLP 3,456

1.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ฿76.0

$1.20 CLP 1,119

88.33%

White Bread (500g)

$1.81 ฿60.9

$1.22 CLP 1,138

48.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.25 ฿75.8

$1.41 CLP 1,313

59.57%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.6

$3.47 CLP 3,227

-35.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.51 ฿656

$10.42 CLP 9,703

87.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.65 ฿123

$6.65 CLP 6,196

-45.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.05 ฿439

$10.81 CLP 10.1K

20.72%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿109

$1.89 CLP 1,759

70.90%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 ฿54.4

$2.39 CLP 2,223

-32.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.38 ฿80.2

$1.55 CLP 1,442

53.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿68.2

$1.12 CLP 1,042

81.25%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿51.6

$0.82 CLP 767

86.59%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.5

$0.67 CLP 622

123.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.93

$1.25 CLP 1,168

-21.60%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.40

$1.18 CLP 1,095

-55.93%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.44 ฿149

$5.45 CLP 5,071

-18.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.32 ฿616

$8.20 CLP 7,636

123.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.7

$1.54 CLP 1,434

20.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 ฿90.2

$2.30 CLP 2,138

16.52%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.41 ฿47.49

$0.67 CLP 620

110.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.70 ฿394

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.11 ฿105

$0.47 CLP 435

561.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿35.08

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.11 ฿475

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 ฿44.13

$1.44 CLP 1,341

-9.03%

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

$27.8K ฿936.0K

$19.8K CLP 18.4M

40.61%

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

$33.2K ฿1.1M

$21.3K CLP 19.8M

56.18%

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

$122 ฿4,120

$81.7 CLP 76.1K

49.79%

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

$13.59 ฿457

$13.37 CLP 12.5K

1.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.70 ฿629

$21.65 CLP 20.2K

-13.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.5 ฿2,035

$42.71 CLP 39.8K

41.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.98 ฿572

$21.02 CLP 19.6K

-19.22%

Cinema Ticket

$9.07 ฿305

$5.80 CLP 5,397

56.38%

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

$706 ฿23.8K

$440 CLP 409.8K

60.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿531.8K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.6 ฿1,970

$31.76 CLP 29.6K

84.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.36 ฿1,190

$24.53 CLP 22.8K

44.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,885

$48.65 CLP 45.3K

137.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.7 ฿2,818

$61.4 CLP 57.2K

36.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$626 ฿21.1K

$438 CLP 408.0K

42.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$445 ฿15.0K

$397 CLP 369.5K

12.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,040 ฿68.7K

$757 CLP 705.4K

169.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 ฿50.2K

$842 CLP 784.5K

77.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,483 ฿117.2K

$1,812 CLP 1.7M

92.14%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,577 ฿86.7K

$2,077 CLP 1.9M

24.07%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$500 ฿16.8K

$1,004 CLP 934.9K

-50.21%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

7.5

-28.93%

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

Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026

Last update for Iquique: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $626 in Phuket and $438 in Iquique. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Iquique pays 101% 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 $44.00 in Iquique for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $289 vs $228 per month, with Iquique 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 Iquique: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket and Iquique differ by about 22% in total monthly costs ($1,250 vs $1,026 including rent). Iquique is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 101% lower in Iquique. 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 $438 in Iquique. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 27% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,250 per month in Phuket versus $1,026 in Iquique – a 22% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,026 in Iquique versus $1,250 in Phuket, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Iquique but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Iquique the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Phuket and Iquique 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 Iquique gentler on the wallet – expenses run 22% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.