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: $1,261 in Phuket versus $1,056 in San Pedro de Atacama.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,286 in Phuket versus $1,635 in San Pedro de Atacama.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,310 in Phuket versus $2,214 in San Pedro de Atacama.

Living in Phuket is roughly 19% more expensive than San Pedro de Atacama, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 6% lower, San Pedro de Atacama 21% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.56 ฿149

$7.24 CLP 6,505

-37.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.63 ฿1,519

$44.39 CLP 39.9K

5.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.47 ฿276

$7.77 CLP 6,984

9.01%

Cappuccino

$3.03 ฿98.6

$2.73 CLP 2,451

10.99%

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

$0.69 ฿22.45

$1.63 CLP 1,467

-57.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.92

$1.16 CLP 1,042

-68.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.49 ฿81.0

$3.46 CLP 3,107

-28.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

$3.99 CLP 3,586

-8.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.18 ฿71.0

$1.24 CLP 1,116

75.81%

White Bread (500g)

$1.90 ฿62.0

$1.47 CLP 1,323

29.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.20 ฿71.6

$1.68 CLP 1,510

30.95%

Eggs

$2.22 ฿72.4

$3.65 CLP 3,280

-39.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.99 ฿651

$9.95 CLP 8,944

100.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.66 ฿119

$6.59 CLP 5,920

-44.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.25 ฿432

$11.42 CLP 10.3K

16.02%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿105

$1.97 CLP 1,768

63.96%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.3

$1.55 CLP 1,395

9.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.39 ฿78.0

$1.73 CLP 1,550

38.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿67.7

$1.68 CLP 1,512

23.81%

Potato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$1.64 CLP 1,478

-3.05%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.31

$1.48 CLP 1,333

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 ฿33.54

$1.36 CLP 1,219

-24.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿16.83

$1.23 CLP 1,106

-57.72%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.25 ฿138

$5.06 CLP 4,551

-16.01%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.79 ฿612

$5.13 CLP 4,608

266.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 ฿57.2

$1.54 CLP 1,386

14.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 ฿89.8

$2.17 CLP 1,947

27.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.36 ฿44.32

$0.57 CLP 513

138.60%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.36 ฿370

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 ฿102

$0.70 CLP 629

348.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿33.74

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.77 ฿448

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ฿43.79

$1.38 CLP 1,244

-2.90%

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

$27.7K ฿901.4K

$17.5K CLP 15.7M

58.47%

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

$33.9K ฿1.1M

$19.4K CLP 17.4M

74.70%

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

$124 ฿4,025

$134 CLP 120.7K

-7.98%

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

$13.52 ฿440

$13.60 CLP 12.2K

-0.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.69 ฿609

$21.88 CLP 19.7K

-14.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.8 ฿2,013

$38.82 CLP 34.9K

59.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.25 ฿562

$22.92 CLP 20.6K

-24.74%

Cinema Ticket

$9.14 ฿298

$5.41 CLP 4,865

68.95%

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

$703 ฿22.9K

$385 CLP 345.8K

82.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.9K ฿517.0K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,937

$47.05 CLP 42.3K

26.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.07 ฿1,142

$24.53 CLP 22.0K

42.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,754

$60.9 CLP 54.7K

89.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.1 ฿2,737

$81.6 CLP 73.3K

3.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$619 ฿20.1K

$475 CLP 426.8K

30.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$433 ฿14.1K

$374 CLP 336.3K

15.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,062 ฿67.2K

$889 CLP 798.8K

131.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,511 ฿49.2K

$593 CLP 532.8K

154.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,646 ฿118.7K

$2,364 CLP 2.1M

54.20%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,626 ฿85.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$507 ฿16.5K

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for San Pedro de Atacama: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $619 in Phuket and $475 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 $293 vs $230 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 19% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,892 in Phuket and $1,584 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: $619 in Phuket versus $475 in San Pedro de Atacama. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $703 in Phuket versus $385 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 $1,056 in San Pedro de Atacama versus $1,261 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 19% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.