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

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

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

Living in San Pedro de Atacama costs roughly 14% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.19 CLP 6,686

$4.48 ฿150

60.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.66 CLP 41.6K

$45.59 ฿1,521

-2.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.81 CLP 7,271

$8.76 ฿292

-10.84%

Cappuccino

$2.72 CLP 2,533

$2.97 ฿99.0

-8.42%

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

$1.62 CLP 1,505

$0.69 ฿22.90

134.78%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.20 CLP 1,118

$0.39 ฿13.04

207.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.56 CLP 3,309

$2.53 ฿84.4

40.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.07 CLP 3,787

$3.75 ฿125

8.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.24 CLP 1,150

$2.15 ฿71.6

-42.33%

White Bread (500g)

$1.47 CLP 1,364

$1.82 ฿60.6

-19.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 CLP 1,514

$2.18 ฿72.9

-25.23%

Eggs

$3.52 CLP 3,279

$2.25 ฿75.0

56.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.27 CLP 9,560

$20.00 ฿667

-48.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.81 CLP 6,334

$3.63 ฿121

87.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.79 CLP 11.0K

$13.56 ฿452

-13.05%

Apples (1kg)

$1.98 CLP 1,841

$3.24 ฿108

-38.89%

Banana (1kg)

$1.60 CLP 1,490

$1.64 ฿54.6

-2.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.77 CLP 1,651

$2.33 ฿77.8

-24.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.66 CLP 1,541

$2.07 ฿69.1

-19.81%

Potato (1kg)

$1.65 CLP 1,535

$1.55 ฿51.6

6.45%

Onion (1kg)

$1.49 CLP 1,388

$1.46 ฿48.54

2.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.30 CLP 1,208

$0.98 ฿32.86

32.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 CLP 1,116

$0.48 ฿16.09

150.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.10 CLP 4,745

$4.35 ฿145

17.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.05 CLP 4,697

$18.57 ฿620

-72.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.60 CLP 1,492

$1.86 ฿61.9

-13.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 CLP 2,063

$2.65 ฿88.6

-16.23%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.62 CLP 572

$1.42 ฿47.28

-56.34%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.57 ฿386

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.65 CLP 604

$3.17 ฿106

-79.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.03 ฿34.41

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.89 ฿463

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.39 CLP 1,289

$1.34 ฿44.84

3.73%

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

$17.4K CLP 16.2M

$27.8K ฿927.1K

-37.27%

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

$19.8K CLP 18.4M

$33.4K ฿1.1M

-40.65%

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

$131 CLP 121.6K

$123 ฿4,105

6.21%

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

$13.57 CLP 12.6K

$13.77 ฿459

-1.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.21 CLP 20.7K

$18.33 ฿611

21.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.51 CLP 35.8K

$60.7 ฿2,025

-36.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.35 CLP 21.7K

$17.16 ฿573

36.07%

Cinema Ticket

$5.46 CLP 5,081

$8.87 ฿296

-38.44%

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

$392 CLP 364.6K

$688 ฿22.9K

-43.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿526.4K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.39 CLP 44.1K

$59.3 ฿1,978

-20.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.63 CLP 22.9K

$34.69 ฿1,157

-29.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$62.5 CLP 58.1K

$115 ฿3,843

-45.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$81.7 CLP 76.0K

$83.8 ฿2,794

-2.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$483 CLP 449.6K

$621 ฿20.7K

-22.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$367 CLP 341.6K

$446 ฿14.9K

-17.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$897 CLP 834.6K

$2,034 ฿67.8K

-55.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$595 CLP 553.4K

$1,496 ฿49.9K

-60.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,311 CLP 2.2M

$3,455 ฿115.3K

-33.10%

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 %)

5.01

5.33

-6.00%

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

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

Last update for Phuket: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

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

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

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

Childcare runs $392 in San Pedro de Atacama versus $688 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 $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, 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 16% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.