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: $1,068 in San Pedro de Atacama versus $1,232 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,615 in San Pedro de Atacama versus $2,054 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,161 in San Pedro de Atacama versus $2,876 in Phuket.

Living in San Pedro de Atacama costs roughly 13% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: San Pedro de Atacama 22% lower, Phuket 10% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.26 CLP 6,965

$4.41 ฿147

64.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.43 CLP 42.6K

$32.26 ฿1,075

37.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.79 CLP 7,468

$8.93 ฿298

-12.77%

Cappuccino

$2.80 CLP 2,685

$2.90 ฿96.5

-3.45%

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

$1.57 CLP 1,508

$0.88 ฿29.33

78.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.17 CLP 1,122

$0.48 ฿16.03

143.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 CLP 3,332

$2.35 ฿78.3

47.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.84 CLP 3,684

$3.72 ฿124

3.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.18 CLP 1,133

$1.87 ฿62.2

-36.90%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 CLP 1,448

$1.47 ฿48.86

2.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 CLP 1,549

$1.55 ฿51.7

3.87%

Eggs

$3.58 CLP 3,432

$2.10 ฿70.0

70.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.17 CLP 9,755

$19.59 ฿653

-48.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.48 CLP 6,215

$3.42 ฿114

89.47%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.43 CLP 11.0K

$11.38 ฿379

0.44%

Apples (1kg)

$1.88 CLP 1,804

$2.98 ฿99.4

-36.91%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 CLP 1,547

$1.68 ฿56.1

-4.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.70 CLP 1,628

$2.21 ฿73.6

-23.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.65 CLP 1,584

$2.16 ฿72.0

-23.61%

Potato (1kg)

$1.60 CLP 1,534

$1.52 ฿50.8

5.26%

Onion (1kg)

$1.49 CLP 1,433

$1.34 ฿44.59

11.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.30 CLP 1,248

$1.13 ฿37.60

15.04%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.18 CLP 1,134

$0.55 ฿18.21

114.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.12 CLP 4,905

$4.26 ฿142

20.19%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.95 CLP 4,747

$19.09 ฿636

-74.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.54 CLP 1,474

$1.78 ฿59.3

-13.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.23 CLP 2,140

$2.78 ฿92.7

-19.78%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.61 CLP 587

$2.23 ฿74.3

-72.65%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.74 ฿758

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.70 CLP 667

$3.03 ฿101

-76.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 ฿34.09

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.89 ฿130

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 CLP 1,378

$1.49 ฿49.68

-3.36%

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

$17.9K CLP 17.2M

$26.6K ฿885.7K

-32.62%

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

$19.5K CLP 18.7M

$27.0K ฿900.6K

-28.01%

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

$130 CLP 124.5K

$102 ฿3,414

26.66%

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

$13.47 CLP 12.9K

$11.33 ฿377

18.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.21 CLP 21.3K

$17.40 ฿580

27.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.39 CLP 36.8K

$52.1 ฿1,735

-26.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.60 CLP 21.7K

$11.07 ฿369

104.16%

Cinema Ticket

$5.53 CLP 5,306

$7.69 ฿256

-28.09%

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

$383 CLP 367.2K

$561 ฿18.7K

-31.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,372 CLP 8.0M

$11.5K ฿383.4K

-27.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.05 CLP 45.1K

$63.0 ฿2,100

-25.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.64 CLP 23.6K

$29.52 ฿984

-16.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$62.2 CLP 59.7K

$98.0 ฿3,266

-36.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.9 CLP 80.4K

$88.5 ฿2,949

-5.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$473 CLP 453.9K

$738 ฿24.6K

-35.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$373 CLP 357.8K

$482 ฿16.1K

-22.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$877 CLP 840.9K

$2,107 ฿70.2K

-58.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$582 CLP 558.3K

$1,226 ฿40.8K

-52.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,309 CLP 2.2M

$3,617 ฿120.5K

-36.16%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,603 ฿86.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.01

5.57

-10.05%

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

Last update for San Pedro de Atacama: September 12, 2026

Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $473 in San Pedro de Atacama and $738 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $44.00 in San Pedro de Atacama vs $32.00 in Phuket. Groceries flip the comparison at $228 vs $274, with San Pedro de Atacama cheaper for home cooking.

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 15% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,602 in San Pedro de Atacama and $1,847 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: $473 in San Pedro de Atacama versus $738 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $383 in San Pedro de Atacama versus $561 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 $32.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,068 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, 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 15% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.