Provided are a complex spatial light modulator and a three-dimensional (3D) image display apparatus. The complex spatial light modulator includes a spatial light modulator configured to modulate a phase of light, a first prism array which is disposed after the spatial light modulator along a path of the light, and including prism units each having a first prism surface and a second prism surface, and a hologram optical device configured to diffract the light that has passed through the first prism array independently from a polarization of the light, where the first prism array and the hologram optical device are configured to modulate the phase and an amplitude of the light.