Cost of Living Comparison Between San Pedro de Atacama and Chiang Mai Cost of Living Comparison Between San Pedro de Atacama and Chiang Mai

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,080 per month in San Pedro de Atacama vs $852 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,613 per month in San Pedro de Atacama vs $1,354 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,145 per month in San Pedro de Atacama vs $1,857 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

San Pedro de Atacama costs about 27% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both San Pedro de Atacama and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – San Pedro de Atacama 19% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.15 CLP 6,401

$1.96 ฿63.6

264.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.58 CLP 39.0K

$18.81 ฿611

131.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.92 CLP 7,098

$7.92 ฿258

Cappuccino

$2.86 CLP 2,562

$1.91 ฿62.2

49.74%

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

$1.60 CLP 1,433

$0.84 ฿27.25

90.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.20 CLP 1,078

$0.35 ฿11.44

242.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.60 CLP 3,227

$2.21 ฿71.7

62.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.01 CLP 3,590

$3.80 ฿124

5.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.19 CLP 1,065

$1.64 ฿53.2

-27.44%

White Bread (500g)

$1.53 CLP 1,373

$1.62 ฿52.8

-5.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.68 CLP 1,506

$1.18 ฿38.40

42.37%

Eggs

$3.63 CLP 3,248

$2.01 ฿65.4

80.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.05 CLP 9,003

$15.89 ฿517

-36.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.87 CLP 6,151

$3.01 ฿98.0

128.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.69 CLP 10.5K

$10.77 ฿350

8.54%

Apples (1kg)

$1.98 CLP 1,770

$2.61 ฿85.0

-24.14%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 CLP 1,439

$1.22 ฿39.65

31.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.69 CLP 1,514

$1.70 ฿55.4

-0.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.74 CLP 1,554

$1.58 ฿51.2

10.13%

Potato (1kg)

$1.58 CLP 1,411

$1.32 ฿42.89

19.70%

Onion (1kg)

$1.55 CLP 1,388

$1.17 ฿38.01

32.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.35 CLP 1,212

$0.67 ฿21.85

101.49%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.24 CLP 1,112

$0.56 ฿18.21

121.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.35 CLP 4,794

$4.53 ฿147

18.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.15 CLP 4,616

$18.20 ฿592

-71.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.56 CLP 1,399

$1.83 ฿59.6

-14.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 CLP 2,020

$3.23 ฿105

-30.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.61 CLP 547

$0.89 ฿28.83

-31.46%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.38 ฿630

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.69 CLP 622

$1.35 ฿43.95

-48.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 ฿43.79

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.25 ฿268

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.42 CLP 1,272

$1.27 ฿41.40

11.81%

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

$17.7K CLP 15.9M

$21.2K ฿687.8K

-16.13%

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

$19.8K CLP 17.7M

$22.5K ฿731.0K

-11.90%

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

$134 CLP 120.2K

$70.2 ฿2,281

91.33%

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

$13.62 CLP 12.2K

$13.77 ฿448

-1.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.10 CLP 19.8K

$17.60 ฿572

25.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.14 CLP 35.1K

$41.57 ฿1,352

-5.85%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.22 CLP 20.8K

$6.60 ฿215

251.82%

Cinema Ticket

$5.38 CLP 4,814

$5.78 ฿188

-6.92%

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

$383 CLP 342.8K

$306 ฿9,953

25.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿482.0K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.88 CLP 42.9K

$54.4 ฿1,768

-11.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.60 CLP 22.0K

$26.14 ฿850

-5.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$61.4 CLP 55.0K

$84.5 ฿2,748

-27.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$82.0 CLP 73.4K

$69.4 ฿2,257

18.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$488 CLP 436.9K

$424 ฿13.8K

15.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$372 CLP 333.2K

$238 ฿7,743

56.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$898 CLP 804.0K

$825 ฿26.8K

8.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$583 CLP 522.3K

$515 ฿16.7K

13.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,328 CLP 2.1M

$2,049 ฿66.6K

13.57%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,523 ฿49.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$635 ฿20.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.01

0.20%

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

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $488 in San Pedro de Atacama versus $424 in Chiang Mai. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $44.00 in San Pedro de Atacama versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $234 in San Pedro de Atacama vs $243 in Chiang Mai – so San Pedro de Atacama wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

San Pedro de Atacama vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

San Pedro de Atacama costs about 27% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,620 per month in San Pedro de Atacama and $1,278 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Chiang Mai, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $44.00 in San Pedro de Atacama and $19.00 in Chiang Mai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 4% cheaper in San Pedro de Atacama – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $852, than in San Pedro de Atacama at $1,080. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in San Pedro de Atacama it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $852 versus $1,080 in San Pedro de Atacama. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Chiang Mai. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, San Pedro de Atacama makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.