Cost of Living Comparison Between As-salimiyah and Santiago Cost of Living Comparison Between As-salimiyah and Santiago

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,439 per month in As-salimiyah vs $1,270 in Santiago, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,262 per month in As-salimiyah vs $2,013 in Santiago, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,086 per month in As-salimiyah vs $2,756 in Santiago, rent included.

As-salimiyah costs about 13% more than Santiago, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

As-salimiyah sits 7% above the global median, while Santiago is 5% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.77 KWD 3.00

$10.93 CLP 9,698

-10.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.64 KWD 13.38

$53.1 CLP 47.1K

-17.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.10 KWD 2.48

$8.30 CLP 7,367

-2.41%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.42 KWD 0.74

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.64 KWD 1.12

Cappuccino

$6.00 KWD 1.84

$3.11 CLP 2,762

92.93%

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

$0.63 KWD 0.19

$1.79 CLP 1,587

-64.80%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 KWD 0.11

$1.29 CLP 1,144

-72.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 CLP 2,829

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.39 CLP 3,897

Milk (1 liter)

$1.49 KWD 0.46

$1.20 CLP 1,061

24.17%

White Bread (500g)

$0.88 KWD 0.27

$1.59 CLP 1,409

-44.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.66 KWD 0.51

$2.18 CLP 1,931

-23.85%

Eggs

$2.11 KWD 0.65

$4.14 CLP 3,671

-49.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.76 KWD 1.46

$10.66 CLP 9,456

-55.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.41 KWD 1.97

$6.48 CLP 5,748

-1.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.34 KWD 3.17

$10.79 CLP 9,579

-4.17%

Apples (1kg)

$1.99 KWD 0.61

$2.00 CLP 1,779

-0.50%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 KWD 0.50

$1.63 CLP 1,450

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 KWD 0.47

$2.13 CLP 1,891

-28.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 KWD 0.42

$1.84 CLP 1,630

-25.54%

Potato (1kg)

$1.22 KWD 0.37

$1.95 CLP 1,734

-37.44%

Onion (1kg)

$0.87 KWD 0.27

$1.68 CLP 1,487

-48.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.52 KWD 0.47

$1.29 CLP 1,147

17.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 KWD 0.15

$1.19 CLP 1,054

-58.82%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$3.19 KWD 0.98

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.02 KWD 0.31

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.40 KWD 0.43

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.86 KWD 0.88

$5.56 CLP 4,935

-48.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.77 CLP 6,010

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.54 CLP 1,365

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 CLP 2,195

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.13 KWD 0.35

$0.85 CLP 754

32.94%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$48.59 KWD 14.90

$42.05 CLP 37.3K

15.55%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.24 KWD 0.99

$0.50 CLP 445

548.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.30 KWD 1.01

$1.43 CLP 1,268

130.77%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.06 KWD 4.93

$11.70 CLP 10.4K

37.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.34 KWD 0.10

$1.37 CLP 1,215

-75.18%

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

$21.5K KWD 6,609

$19.6K CLP 17.4M

9.74%

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

$19.9K KWD 6,103

$22.6K CLP 20.1M

-11.94%

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

$38.97 KWD 11.95

$133 CLP 118.4K

-70.79%

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

$18.55 KWD 5.69

$13.65 CLP 12.1K

35.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.79 KWD 7.91

$21.85 CLP 19.4K

18.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$95.6 KWD 29.32

$33.74 CLP 29.9K

183.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$64.2 KWD 19.68

$20.94 CLP 18.6K

206.45%

Cinema Ticket

$8.74 KWD 2.68

$6.55 CLP 5,817

33.44%

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

$278 KWD 85.4

$436 CLP 387.1K

-36.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,686 KWD 2,051

$8,621 CLP 7.7M

-22.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$41.71 KWD 12.79

$55.0 CLP 48.8K

-24.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.92 KWD 12.86

$32.75 CLP 29.1K

28.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.4 KWD 27.12

$76.0 CLP 67.4K

16.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$67.3 KWD 20.65

$83.5 CLP 74.1K

-19.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$941 KWD 289

$519 CLP 460.6K

81.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$731 KWD 224

$468 CLP 415.5K

56.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,844 KWD 566

$1,012 CLP 897.8K

82.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,375 KWD 422

$888 CLP 787.7K

54.88%

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)

$2,830 KWD 868

$884 CLP 784.5K

220.10%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.14

5.18

37.84%

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

Last update for As-salimiyah: May 30, 2026

Last update for Santiago: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $941 in As-salimiyah versus $519 in Santiago. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 220% higher in As-salimiyah, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $44.00 in As-salimiyah versus $53.0 in Santiago. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $166 vs $242 – making As-salimiyah the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

As-salimiyah vs Santiago: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – As-salimiyah is pricier by about 13%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,159 per month in As-salimiyah and $1,905 in Santiago. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Santiago, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,439 in As-salimiyah and $1,270 in Santiago. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 16% less in Santiago. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Santiago, where all-in costs run around $1,270, than in As-salimiyah at $1,439. In Santiago it covers expenses comfortably, while in As-salimiyah it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Santiago – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Santiago. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, As-salimiyah makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.