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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,072 in San Pedro de Atacama versus $1,223 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,625 in San Pedro de Atacama versus $2,237 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,178 in San Pedro de Atacama versus $3,251 in Phuket.

Living in San Pedro de Atacama costs roughly 12% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: San Pedro de Atacama 20% lower, Phuket 8% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.09 CLP 6,280

$4.51 ฿147

57.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.61 CLP 38.6K

$46.62 ฿1,515

-6.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.83 CLP 6,938

$8.49 ฿276

-7.77%

Cappuccino

$2.74 CLP 2,431

$3.08 ฿100

-11.04%

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

$1.57 CLP 1,390

$0.68 ฿22.07

130.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.18 CLP 1,045

$0.36 ฿11.75

227.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.55 CLP 3,144

$2.43 ฿78.8

46.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.04 CLP 3,581

$3.63 ฿118

11.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.24 CLP 1,101

$2.19 ฿71.1

-43.38%

White Bread (500g)

$1.53 CLP 1,356

$1.81 ฿59.0

-15.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.65 CLP 1,458

$2.23 ฿72.5

-26.01%

Eggs

$3.60 CLP 3,185

$2.24 ฿72.7

60.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.31 CLP 9,134

$19.60 ฿637

-47.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.79 CLP 6,015

$3.72 ฿121

82.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.66 CLP 10.3K

$13.47 ฿438

-13.44%

Apples (1kg)

$1.92 CLP 1,697

$3.36 ฿109

-42.86%

Banana (1kg)

$1.60 CLP 1,418

$1.62 ฿52.5

-1.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.76 CLP 1,556

$2.41 ฿78.3

-26.97%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.72 CLP 1,519

$1.99 ฿64.6

-13.57%

Potato (1kg)

$1.61 CLP 1,422

$1.53 ฿49.76

5.23%

Onion (1kg)

$1.49 CLP 1,318

$1.45 ฿47.19

2.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.33 CLP 1,180

$1.01 ฿32.96

31.68%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.18 CLP 1,042

$0.48 ฿15.73

145.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.34 CLP 4,732

$4.27 ฿139

25.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.01 CLP 4,440

$19.12 ฿621

-73.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.54 CLP 1,362

$1.84 ฿59.7

-16.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 CLP 1,888

$2.74 ฿89.1

-22.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.57 CLP 509

$1.42 ฿46.06

-59.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.72 ฿381

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.69 CLP 613

$3.00 ฿97.6

-77.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.05 ฿34.00

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.90 ฿452

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.42 CLP 1,261

$1.29 ฿41.94

10.08%

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

$17.9K CLP 15.9M

$28.0K ฿911.1K

-36.01%

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

$19.2K CLP 17.0M

$33.5K ฿1.1M

-42.62%

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

$131 CLP 115.7K

$122 ฿3,964

7.12%

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

$13.69 CLP 12.1K

$13.93 ฿453

-1.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.64 CLP 19.2K

$18.87 ฿613

14.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.28 CLP 34.8K

$61.3 ฿1,992

-35.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.03 CLP 20.4K

$16.84 ฿547

36.76%

Cinema Ticket

$5.48 CLP 4,854

$8.89 ฿289

-38.36%

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

$385 CLP 341.0K

$691 ฿22.5K

-44.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.2K ฿525.2K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.40 CLP 41.1K

$57.8 ฿1,878

-19.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.60 CLP 21.8K

$35.39 ฿1,150

-30.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$62.0 CLP 54.9K

$113 ฿3,685

-45.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.4 CLP 73.9K

$83.0 ฿2,698

0.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$479 CLP 424.6K

$607 ฿19.7K

-20.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$375 CLP 331.8K

$448 ฿14.6K

-16.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$891 CLP 789.1K

$2,029 ฿66.0K

-56.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$586 CLP 519.5K

$1,493 ฿48.5K

-60.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,317 CLP 2.1M

$3,585 ฿116.5K

-35.36%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,585 ฿84.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$505 ฿16.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.01

5.33

-6.00%

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

Last update for San Pedro de Atacama: June 16, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $479 in San Pedro de Atacama and $607 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $44.00 in San Pedro de Atacama vs $47.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $233 vs $292 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

San Pedro de Atacama vs Phuket: 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 $1,608 in San Pedro de Atacama and $1,835 in Phuket 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: $479 in San Pedro de Atacama versus $607 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $385 in San Pedro de Atacama versus $691 in Phuket. 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 $1,072 in San Pedro de Atacama versus $1,223 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, San Pedro de Atacama and Phuket 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.