Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and San Pedro de Atacama Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and San Pedro de Atacama

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,232 in Phuket versus $1,080 in San Pedro de Atacama.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,255 in Phuket versus $1,613 in San Pedro de Atacama.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,279 in Phuket versus $2,145 in San Pedro de Atacama.

Living in Phuket is roughly 14% more expensive than San Pedro de Atacama, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 8% lower, San Pedro de Atacama 19% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.63 ฿151

$7.15 CLP 6,355

-35.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.84 ฿1,532

$43.58 CLP 38.8K

7.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 ฿289

$7.92 CLP 7,047

11.62%

Cappuccino

$3.00 ฿98.0

$2.86 CLP 2,543

4.90%

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

$0.74 ฿24.25

$1.60 CLP 1,423

-53.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.95

$1.20 CLP 1,070

-69.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.44 ฿79.8

$3.60 CLP 3,203

-32.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.61 ฿118

$4.01 CLP 3,564

-9.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ฿73.9

$1.19 CLP 1,057

89.92%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 ฿60.1

$1.53 CLP 1,363

20.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.24 ฿73.4

$1.68 CLP 1,495

33.33%

Eggs

$2.32 ฿75.7

$3.63 CLP 3,225

-36.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.67 ฿643

$10.05 CLP 8,938

95.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.65 ฿119

$6.87 CLP 6,107

-46.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.10 ฿428

$11.69 CLP 10.4K

12.06%

Apples (1kg)

$3.39 ฿111

$1.98 CLP 1,757

71.21%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.7

$1.61 CLP 1,429

1.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿79.0

$1.69 CLP 1,503

42.60%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿66.4

$1.74 CLP 1,543

16.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.56 ฿50.9

$1.58 CLP 1,401

-1.27%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿48.94

$1.55 CLP 1,378

-3.23%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 ฿33.50

$1.35 CLP 1,204

-24.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.00

$1.24 CLP 1,104

-60.48%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.45 ฿145

$5.35 CLP 4,759

-16.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.88 ฿617

$5.15 CLP 4,582

266.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

$1.56 CLP 1,389

14.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.75 ฿90.1

$2.26 CLP 2,005

21.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.40 ฿45.81

$0.61 CLP 544

129.51%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.48 ฿376

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.12 ฿102

$0.69 CLP 618

352.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.00 ฿32.67

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.09 ฿461

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 ฿44.19

$1.42 CLP 1,263

-4.93%

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

$27.2K ฿888.9K

$17.7K CLP 15.8M

53.20%

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$19.8K CLP 17.6M

66.19%

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

$125 ฿4,087

$134 CLP 119.3K

-6.88%

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

$13.57 ฿444

$13.62 CLP 12.1K

-0.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.52 ฿606

$22.10 CLP 19.7K

-16.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.5 ฿2,010

$39.14 CLP 34.8K

57.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.84 ฿551

$23.22 CLP 20.7K

-27.48%

Cinema Ticket

$9.19 ฿300

$5.38 CLP 4,780

70.82%

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

$698 ฿22.8K

$383 CLP 340.3K

82.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.6K ฿509.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.8 ฿1,889

$47.88 CLP 42.6K

20.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.24 ฿1,152

$24.60 CLP 21.9K

43.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 ฿3,699

$61.4 CLP 54.6K

84.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.4 ฿2,825

$82.0 CLP 72.9K

5.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$616 ฿20.1K

$488 CLP 433.7K

26.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$446 ฿14.6K

$372 CLP 330.8K

19.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,048 ฿67.0K

$898 CLP 798.2K

128.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 ฿48.8K

$583 CLP 518.5K

155.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,779 ฿123.6K

$2,328 CLP 2.1M

62.34%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,649 ฿86.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$524 ฿17.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

5.01

6.39%

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

Last update for Phuket: April 27, 2026

Last update for San Pedro de Atacama: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $616 in Phuket and $488 in San Pedro de Atacama. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $47.00 in Phuket vs $44.00 in San Pedro de Atacama for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $292 vs $234 per month, with San Pedro de Atacama 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 San Pedro de Atacama: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

San Pedro de Atacama is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 14% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,847 in Phuket and $1,620 in San Pedro de Atacama to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $616 in Phuket versus $488 in San Pedro de Atacama. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $698 in Phuket versus $383 in San Pedro de Atacama. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in San Pedro de Atacama – a meal for two runs $44.00 versus $47.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,080 in San Pedro de Atacama versus $1,232 in Phuket, a $1,500 budget is realistic in San Pedro de Atacama but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes San Pedro de Atacama the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, San Pedro de Atacama is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Phuket, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Phuket and San Pedro de Atacama 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 San Pedro de Atacama 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.