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: $1,264 in Phuket versus $1,086 in San Pedro de Atacama.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,256 in Phuket versus $1,649 in San Pedro de Atacama.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,248 in Phuket versus $2,212 in San Pedro de Atacama.

Living in Phuket is roughly 16% more expensive than in San Pedro de Atacama, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 5% lower, San Pedro de Atacama 18% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.48 ฿150

$7.19 CLP 6,686

-37.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.59 ฿1,521

$44.66 CLP 41.6K

2.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.76 ฿292

$7.81 CLP 7,271

12.16%

Cappuccino

$2.97 ฿99.0

$2.72 CLP 2,533

9.19%

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

$0.69 ฿22.90

$1.62 CLP 1,505

-57.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 ฿13.04

$1.20 CLP 1,118

-67.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.53 ฿84.4

$3.56 CLP 3,309

-28.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.75 ฿125

$4.07 CLP 3,787

-7.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.15 ฿71.6

$1.24 CLP 1,150

73.39%

White Bread (500g)

$1.82 ฿60.6

$1.47 CLP 1,364

23.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.18 ฿72.9

$1.63 CLP 1,514

33.74%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.0

$3.52 CLP 3,279

-36.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$20.00 ฿667

$10.27 CLP 9,560

94.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿121

$6.81 CLP 6,334

-46.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.56 ฿452

$11.79 CLP 11.0K

15.01%

Apples (1kg)

$3.24 ฿108

$1.98 CLP 1,841

63.64%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ฿54.6

$1.60 CLP 1,490

2.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.33 ฿77.8

$1.77 CLP 1,651

31.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.07 ฿69.1

$1.66 CLP 1,541

24.70%

Potato (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.6

$1.65 CLP 1,535

-6.06%

Onion (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.54

$1.49 CLP 1,388

-2.01%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.86

$1.30 CLP 1,208

-24.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.09

$1.20 CLP 1,116

-60.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 ฿145

$5.10 CLP 4,745

-14.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.57 ฿620

$5.05 CLP 4,697

267.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿61.9

$1.60 CLP 1,492

16.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.65 ฿88.6

$2.22 CLP 2,063

19.37%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.42 ฿47.28

$0.62 CLP 572

129.03%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.57 ฿386

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 ฿106

$0.65 CLP 604

387.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.03 ฿34.41

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.89 ฿463

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ฿44.84

$1.39 CLP 1,289

-3.60%

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

$27.8K ฿927.1K

$17.4K CLP 16.2M

59.42%

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

$33.4K ฿1.1M

$19.8K CLP 18.4M

68.50%

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

$123 ฿4,105

$131 CLP 121.6K

-5.85%

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

$13.77 ฿459

$13.57 CLP 12.6K

1.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.33 ฿611

$22.21 CLP 20.7K

-17.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.7 ฿2,025

$38.51 CLP 35.8K

57.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.16 ฿573

$23.35 CLP 21.7K

-26.51%

Cinema Ticket

$8.87 ฿296

$5.46 CLP 5,081

62.45%

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

$688 ฿22.9K

$392 CLP 364.6K

75.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿526.4K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.3 ฿1,978

$47.39 CLP 44.1K

25.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.69 ฿1,157

$24.63 CLP 22.9K

40.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,843

$62.5 CLP 58.1K

84.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.8 ฿2,794

$81.7 CLP 76.0K

2.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$621 ฿20.7K

$483 CLP 449.6K

28.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$446 ฿14.9K

$367 CLP 341.6K

21.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,034 ฿67.8K

$897 CLP 834.6K

126.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,496 ฿49.9K

$595 CLP 553.4K

151.57%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,455 ฿115.3K

$2,311 CLP 2.2M

49.48%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,531 ฿84.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿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: July 27, 2026

Last update for San Pedro de Atacama: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $621 in Phuket and $483 in San Pedro de Atacama. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $46.00 in Phuket vs $45.00 in San Pedro de Atacama for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $291 vs $233 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 16% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,896 in Phuket and $1,629 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: $621 in Phuket versus $483 in San Pedro de Atacama. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $688 in Phuket versus $392 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 $45.00 versus $46.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,086 in San Pedro de Atacama versus $1,264 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 16% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.