Cost of Living · TH vs CL
🇹🇭 Chiang Mai vs 🇨🇱 Santiago: what everyday life costs
Monthly essentials: $706 in Thailand vs $1,011 in Chile — 43.29% more expensive.
Biggest differences
Much cheaper in Chile
- ⛽ Petrol/gasoline, 1L: 12.5%
- 👟 Running shoes (brand): 12.64%
- 👖 Jeans (mid-range brand): 12.67%
Closest to Thailand prices
- 🏙️ Rent: 1-bedroom, city center: +51.75%
- 🏢 Rent: 3-bedroom, city center: +51.74%
- 🏡 Rent: 1-bedroom, outside center: +51.74%
The full basket (32 items)
| Item | Thailand | Chile | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Housing | |||
| 🏙️ Rent: 1-bedroom, city center | $428 | $650 (618,526 CLP) | +51.75% |
| 🏡 Rent: 1-bedroom, outside center | $343 | $520 (494,815 CLP) | +51.74% |
| 🏢 Rent: 3-bedroom, city center | $783 | $1,189 (1,131,007 CLP) | +51.74% |
| Food out | |||
| 🍜 Meal, inexpensive restaurant | $5.96 | $8.27 (7,867 CLP) | +38.76% |
| 🍽️ Dinner for two, mid-range | $24.83 | $34.45 (32,773 CLP) | +38.74% |
| 🍔 Fast-food combo meal | $4.03 | $5.42 (5,156 CLP) | +34.49% |
| Groceries | |||
| 🥛 Milk, 1L | $0.49 | $0.62 (590 CLP) | +26.53% |
| 🍞 Bread, fresh loaf 500g | $1.43 | $1.82 (1,731 CLP) | +27.27% |
| 🥚 Eggs, dozen | $1.52 | $1.93 (1,836 CLP) | +26.97% |
| 🍗 Chicken breast, 1kg | $4.47 | $5.68 (5,404 CLP) | +27.07% |
| 🍚 White rice, 1kg | $1.79 | $2.27 (2,160 CLP) | +26.82% |
| 🍎 Apples, 1kg | $2.15 | $2.73 (2,597 CLP) | +26.98% |
| 🧀 Local cheese, 1kg | $5.37 | $6.81 (6,479 CLP) | +26.82% |
| 💧 Water, 1.5L bottle | $0.89 | $1.14 (1,085 CLP) | +28.09% |
| Drinks | |||
| 🍺 Domestic beer, pint (draught) | $1.99 | $2.76 (2,626 CLP) | +38.69% |
| 🍻 Imported beer, 330ml bottle | $5.35 | $6.03 (5,737 CLP) | +12.71% |
| ☕ Cappuccino | $1.66 | $2.30 (2,188 CLP) | +38.55% |
| 🥤 Coke/Pepsi, 330ml | $1.03 | $1.31 (1,246 CLP) | +27.18% |
| Transport | |||
| 🚇 Public transport, monthly pass | $23.79 | $32.05 (30,490 CLP) | +34.72% |
| 🎫 Public transport, one-way | $1.01 | $1.36 (1,294 CLP) | +34.65% |
| 🚕 Taxi start (normal tariff) | $1.32 | $1.84 (1,750 CLP) | +39.39% |
| 🛣️ Taxi, per km | $0.60 | $0.83 (790 CLP) | +38.33% |
| ⛽ Petrol/gasoline, 1L | $0.64 | $0.72 (685 CLP) | +12.5% |
| Utilities & comms | |||
| 💡 Basic utilities, 85m² apartment | $73.20 | $98.60 (93,801 CLP) | +34.7% |
| 🌐 Internet, 60Mbps+ unlimited | $25.62 | $34.51 (32,830 CLP) | +34.7% |
| 📱 Mobile plan, 10GB+ data | $16.47 | $22.19 (21,110 CLP) | +34.73% |
| Lifestyle | |||
| 🏋️ Gym membership, month | $16.55 | $22.97 (21,852 CLP) | +38.79% |
| 🎬 Cinema seat | $4.63 | $6.43 (6,117 CLP) | +38.88% |
| 💈 Men's haircut | $9.93 | $13.78 (13,109 CLP) | +38.77% |
| 👖 Jeans (mid-range brand) | $36.79 | $41.45 (39,433 CLP) | +12.67% |
| 👟 Running shoes (brand) | $60.21 | $67.82 (64,519 CLP) | +12.64% |
| 💻 Coworking hot desk, month | $82.75 | $115 (109,241 CLP) | +38.77% |
Estimated from World Bank — Consumption price levels with per-item elasticity — model figures, not quotes. Compare any pair in the interactive tool.
Related
Frequently asked questions
- How much more expensive is Chile than Thailand?
- A single person's monthly essentials run about $1,011 in Chile versus $706 in Thailand — 43.29% more. Rents differ the most; world-priced goods like petrol and electronics the least.
- What does a beer cost in Chile?
- A domestic draught pint is roughly $2.76 in Chile (≈ 2625.67 CLP), versus about $1.99 in Thailand.
- How much is rent in Chile compared to Thailand?
- A 1-bedroom city-center apartment is estimated at $650/month in Chile versus $428/month in Thailand (+51.75%). Housing is the most locally-priced item in the basket.
- How are these prices estimated?
- Curated US baseline prices scaled by each country's purchasing-power price level with per-item elasticities (housing 1.4, services 1.1, groceries 0.8, world-priced goods 0.4) — model estimates for orientation, not quotes.