Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Antofagasta and Santiago

For one person, living is cheaper in Antofagasta: $888 a month against $1,190 in Santiago, rent and utilities included – about $3,600 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

43

Cost of Living Index in Antofagasta
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Antofagasta Living Index
57

Cost of Living Index in Santiago
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Santiago Living Index

Jump to prices

Antofagasta

🇨🇱 Chile

$888

/mo nomad

Santiago

🇨🇱 Chile

$1,190

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Antofagasta and in Santiago

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Antofagasta and in Santiago actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $888 in Antofagasta versus $1,190 in Santiago.

Antofagasta $888
Santiago $1,190

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,416 in Antofagasta versus $1,892 in Santiago.

Antofagasta $1,416
Santiago $1,892

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,944 in Antofagasta versus $2,595 in Santiago.

Antofagasta $1,944
Santiago $2,595

Living in Antofagasta costs roughly 25% less than in Santiago, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Antofagasta 34% lower, Santiago 12% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.05 CLP 6,935

$10.37 CLP 10.2K

-32.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.93 CLP 35.4K

$51.7 CLP 50.9K

-30.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.29 CLP 7,179

$8.94 CLP 8,805

-18.46%

Cappuccino

$2.57 CLP 2,528

$3.26 CLP 3,211

-21.17%

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

$1.28 CLP 1,264

$1.67 CLP 1,640

-23.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 CLP 862

$1.23 CLP 1,212

-28.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.51 CLP 1,488

$3.98 CLP 3,914

-62.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.79 CLP 1,765

$4.54 CLP 4,465

-60.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.07 CLP 1,054

$1.28 CLP 1,263

-16.41%

White Bread (500g)

$1.86 CLP 1,834

$1.85 CLP 1,817

0.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.22 CLP 1,199

$1.59 CLP 1,567

-23.27%

Eggs

$2.59 CLP 2,553

$4.10 CLP 4,031

-36.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.02 CLP 8,878

$11.41 CLP 11.2K

-20.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.31 CLP 3,260

$6.69 CLP 6,586

-50.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.72 CLP 7,599

$10.81 CLP 10.6K

-28.58%

Apples (1kg)

$2.03 CLP 1,996

$1.94 CLP 1,905

4.64%

Banana (1kg)

$2.26 CLP 2,223

$1.52 CLP 1,497

48.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.85 CLP 2,809

$1.60 CLP 1,577

78.13%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.10 CLP 1,081

$1.69 CLP 1,668

-34.91%

Potato (1kg)

$0.88 CLP 864

$1.10 CLP 1,084

-20.00%

Onion (1kg)

$0.78 CLP 772

$1.52 CLP 1,500

-48.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.30 CLP 1,283

$1.18 CLP 1,164

10.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 CLP 1,102

$1.08 CLP 1,061

3.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.29 CLP 5,209

$5.07 CLP 4,995

4.34%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.13 CLP 5,048

$5.95 CLP 5,858

-13.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.35 CLP 1,328

$1.49 CLP 1,470

-9.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.01 CLP 992

$2.38 CLP 2,342

-57.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.62 CLP 613

$0.83 CLP 821

-25.30%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.14 CLP 39.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.63 CLP 2,584

$0.40 CLP 393

557.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.91 CLP 897

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.63 CLP 11.5K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 CLP 1,318

$1.51 CLP 1,486

-11.26%

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

$17.6K CLP 17.3M

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

$17.5K CLP 17.2M

$22.0K CLP 21.6M

-20.39%

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

$46.23 CLP 45.5K

$151 CLP 149.0K

-69.47%

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

$9.82 CLP 9,669

$12.34 CLP 12.1K

-20.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$12.54 CLP 12.3K

$18.73 CLP 18.4K

-33.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.34 CLP 40.7K

$33.71 CLP 33.2K

22.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.15 CLP 24.8K

$11.80 CLP 11.6K

113.14%

Cinema Ticket

$5.17 CLP 5,086

$7.45 CLP 7,334

-30.60%

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

$255 CLP 250.6K

$430 CLP 423.7K

-40.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,160 CLP 3.1M

$10.8K CLP 10.6M

-70.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$39.01 CLP 38.4K

$49.65 CLP 48.9K

-21.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$15.18 CLP 14.9K

$28.94 CLP 28.5K

-47.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$58.3 CLP 57.4K

$65.7 CLP 64.6K

-11.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$67.7 CLP 66.6K

$80.7 CLP 79.4K

-16.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$437 CLP 430.0K

$559 CLP 550.4K

-21.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$359 CLP 352.9K

$384 CLP 377.8K

-6.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$811 CLP 798.7K

$1,004 CLP 988.4K

-19.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$659 CLP 648.9K

$780 CLP 767.9K

-15.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,640 CLP 2.6M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,546 CLP 2.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$711 CLP 700.2K

$804 CLP 791.0K

-11.47%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.39

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

Last update for Antofagasta: October 12, 2026

Last update for Santiago: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Antofagasta

$359 40.4%

Santiago

$384 32.3% 7% $25

Groceries & Markets

Antofagasta

$194 21.8%

Santiago

$236 19.8% 21.8% $42

Eating Out

Antofagasta

$129 14.5%

Santiago

$189 15.9% 47.1% $61

Clothing & Footwear

Antofagasta

$81 9.1%

Santiago

$101 8.5% 24.9% $20

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Antofagasta

$69 7.7%

Santiago

$182 15.3% 166% $114

Sport & Entertainment

Antofagasta

$52 5.8%

Santiago

$49 4.1% 5.9% $3.1

Getting Around

Antofagasta

$5.1 * 0.6%

Santiago

$48 4.1% 846% $43

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $437 in Antofagasta and $559 in Santiago. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Santiago pays 13% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $36.00 in Antofagasta vs $52.0 in Santiago for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $194 vs $236 per month, with Antofagasta cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇨🇱 Antofagasta

🇨🇱 Santiago

🕒 Local time

09:12 9:12 AM

Same time as Antofagasta

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

348,517

6,139,087 Capital

💱 Currency

Chilean Peso CLP $

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 CLP = 10.16 USD

10,000 CLP = 9.04 EUR

10,000 CLP = 10.16 USD

10,000 CLP = 9.04 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Antofagasta Santiago 1,090 km ≈ 1 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Antofagasta
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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

Antofagasta vs Santiago: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Antofagasta wins on cost – living expenses run 34% lower than in Santiago. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Antofagasta the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 13% lower in Santiago. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $437 in Antofagasta versus $559 in Santiago. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $255 in Antofagasta versus $430 in Santiago. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Antofagasta – a meal for two runs $36.00 versus $52.0 in Santiago. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $888 in Antofagasta versus $1,190 in Santiago, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Antofagasta but tight or insufficient in Santiago. The gap between the two cities makes Antofagasta the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Antofagasta gentler on the wallet – expenses run 34% less than in Santiago. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.