Cost of Living Comparison Between Antofagasta and Santiago Cost of Living Comparison Between Antofagasta and Santiago

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $944 in Antofagasta versus $1,270 in Santiago.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,493 in Antofagasta versus $2,013 in Santiago.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,042 in Antofagasta versus $2,756 in Santiago.

Living in Antofagasta costs roughly 26% less than in Santiago, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Antofagasta 30% lower, Santiago 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.67 CLP 6,804

$10.93 CLP 9,698

-29.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.56 CLP 33.3K

$53.1 CLP 47.1K

-29.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.03 CLP 7,127

$8.30 CLP 7,367

-3.25%

Cappuccino

$2.75 CLP 2,438

$3.11 CLP 2,762

-11.58%

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

$1.30 CLP 1,152

$1.79 CLP 1,587

-27.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.90 CLP 799

$1.29 CLP 1,144

-30.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.64 CLP 1,457

$3.19 CLP 2,829

-48.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.28 CLP 3,798

$4.39 CLP 3,897

-2.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.12 CLP 993

$1.20 CLP 1,061

-6.67%

White Bread (500g)

$1.74 CLP 1,545

$1.59 CLP 1,409

9.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 CLP 1,168

$2.18 CLP 1,931

-39.45%

Eggs

$3.01 CLP 2,669

$4.14 CLP 3,671

-27.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.98 CLP 8,861

$10.66 CLP 9,456

-6.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.28 CLP 3,802

$6.48 CLP 5,748

-33.95%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.81 CLP 7,815

$10.79 CLP 9,579

-18.35%

Apples (1kg)

$2.11 CLP 1,873

$2.00 CLP 1,779

5.50%

Banana (1kg)

$2.28 CLP 2,024

$1.63 CLP 1,450

39.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.45 CLP 2,176

$2.13 CLP 1,891

15.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.20 CLP 1,069

$1.84 CLP 1,630

-34.78%

Potato (1kg)

$0.95 CLP 847

$1.95 CLP 1,734

-51.28%

Onion (1kg)

$0.94 CLP 831

$1.68 CLP 1,487

-44.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.21 CLP 1,071

$1.29 CLP 1,147

-6.20%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 CLP 1,033

$1.19 CLP 1,054

-2.52%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.81 CLP 4,272

$5.56 CLP 4,935

-13.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.00 CLP 5,321

$6.77 CLP 6,010

-11.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.53 CLP 1,359

$1.54 CLP 1,365

-0.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.43 CLP 1,268

$2.47 CLP 2,195

-42.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.62 CLP 548

$0.85 CLP 754

-27.06%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$42.05 CLP 37.3K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.47 CLP 416

$0.50 CLP 445

-6.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.43 CLP 1,268

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.70 CLP 10.4K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.40 CLP 1,240

$1.37 CLP 1,215

2.19%

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

$19.7K CLP 17.4M

$19.6K CLP 17.4M

0.09%

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

$21.3K CLP 18.9M

$22.6K CLP 20.1M

-5.65%

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

$47.75 CLP 42.4K

$133 CLP 118.4K

-64.21%

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

$10.47 CLP 9,292

$13.65 CLP 12.1K

-23.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.05 CLP 11.6K

$21.85 CLP 19.4K

-40.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.14 CLP 38.3K

$33.74 CLP 29.9K

27.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.57 CLP 19.1K

$20.94 CLP 18.6K

3.01%

Cinema Ticket

$5.42 CLP 4,806

$6.55 CLP 5,817

-17.25%

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

$273 CLP 241.9K

$436 CLP 387.1K

-37.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,289 CLP 2.9M

$8,621 CLP 7.7M

-61.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$41.85 CLP 37.1K

$55.0 CLP 48.8K

-23.91%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$16.11 CLP 14.3K

$32.75 CLP 29.1K

-50.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$61.1 CLP 54.2K

$76.0 CLP 67.4K

-19.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.2 CLP 64.1K

$83.5 CLP 74.1K

-13.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$463 CLP 411.1K

$519 CLP 460.6K

-10.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$370 CLP 328.4K

$468 CLP 415.5K

-20.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$859 CLP 762.0K

$1,012 CLP 897.8K

-15.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$690 CLP 612.2K

$888 CLP 787.7K

-22.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,891 CLP 2.6M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,897 CLP 2.6M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$757 CLP 671.5K

$884 CLP 784.5K

-14.40%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.18

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

Last update for Antofagasta: May 30, 2026

Last update for Santiago: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $463 in Antofagasta and $519 in Santiago. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Santiago pays 17% 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: $38.00 in Antofagasta vs $53.0 in Santiago for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $210 vs $242 per month, with Antofagasta 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

Antofagasta vs Santiago: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Antofagasta wins on cost – living expenses run 35% 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, Santiago earns 17% less. 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: $463 in Antofagasta versus $519 in Santiago. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $273 in Antofagasta versus $436 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 $38.00 versus $53.0 in Santiago. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $944 in Antofagasta versus $1,270 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 35% less than in Santiago. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.