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 $1,427 per month in As-salimiyah vs $1,288 in Santiago, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,254 per month in As-salimiyah vs $2,020 in Santiago, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,080 per month in As-salimiyah vs $2,752 in Santiago, rent included.

As-salimiyah costs about 11% more than Santiago, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

As-salimiyah sits 7% above the global median, while Santiago is 4% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.73 KWD 2.99

$10.72 CLP 9,983

-9.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.60 KWD 13.40

$54.8 CLP 51.0K

-20.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.93 KWD 2.44

$8.16 CLP 7,601

-2.82%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.48 KWD 0.76

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 KWD 1.12

Cappuccino

$6.11 KWD 1.88

$3.16 CLP 2,941

93.35%

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

$0.68 KWD 0.21

$1.78 CLP 1,660

-61.80%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 KWD 0.11

$1.25 CLP 1,162

-72.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.31 CLP 3,086

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.24 CLP 3,946

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 KWD 0.44

$1.18 CLP 1,101

21.19%

White Bread (500g)

$0.90 KWD 0.28

$1.53 CLP 1,429

-41.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.59 KWD 0.49

$2.18 CLP 2,031

-27.06%

Eggs

$2.05 KWD 0.63

$4.19 CLP 3,898

-51.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.88 KWD 1.50

$10.65 CLP 9,913

-54.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.23 KWD 1.91

$6.59 CLP 6,135

-5.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.16 KWD 3.12

$11.13 CLP 10.4K

-8.72%

Apples (1kg)

$2.01 KWD 0.62

$2.09 CLP 1,947

-3.83%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 KWD 0.48

$1.55 CLP 1,440

1.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.57 KWD 0.48

$2.07 CLP 1,923

-24.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 KWD 0.42

$1.86 CLP 1,730

-26.88%

Potato (1kg)

$1.26 KWD 0.39

$1.95 CLP 1,820

-35.38%

Onion (1kg)

$0.87 KWD 0.27

$1.63 CLP 1,514

-46.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.59 KWD 0.49

$1.28 CLP 1,194

24.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 KWD 0.15

$1.25 CLP 1,160

-60.80%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$3.29 KWD 1.01

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.01 KWD 0.31

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.38 KWD 0.42

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.86 KWD 0.88

$5.75 CLP 5,359

-50.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.50 CLP 6,051

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.56 CLP 1,452

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 CLP 2,308

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.12 KWD 0.35

$0.85 CLP 788

31.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$49.19 KWD 15.12

$42.60 CLP 39.7K

15.47%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.32 KWD 1.02

$0.51 CLP 477

550.98%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.17 KWD 0.98

$1.45 CLP 1,351

118.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.63 KWD 5.11

$11.30 CLP 10.5K

47.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.32 KWD 0.10

$1.39 CLP 1,290

-76.98%

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

$21.5K KWD 6,603

$19.5K CLP 18.2M

9.88%

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

$19.9K KWD 6,119

$22.6K CLP 21.0M

-11.77%

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

$38.74 KWD 11.91

$134 CLP 124.6K

-71.04%

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

$18.42 KWD 5.66

$13.59 CLP 12.7K

35.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.68 KWD 7.90

$22.02 CLP 20.5K

16.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$94.0 KWD 28.91

$34.67 CLP 32.3K

171.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$65.0 KWD 19.97

$21.24 CLP 19.8K

205.89%

Cinema Ticket

$8.38 KWD 2.58

$6.29 CLP 5,857

33.23%

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

$275 KWD 84.5

$436 CLP 406.4K

-36.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,685 KWD 2,055

$8,744 CLP 8.1M

-23.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$42.26 KWD 12.99

$55.3 CLP 51.5K

-23.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.90 KWD 12.88

$32.30 CLP 30.1K

29.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.7 KWD 27.25

$77.3 CLP 71.9K

14.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$68.6 KWD 21.08

$85.5 CLP 79.6K

-19.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$949 KWD 292

$515 CLP 479.3K

84.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$710 KWD 218

$462 CLP 430.1K

53.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,858 KWD 571

$989 CLP 920.7K

87.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,366 KWD 420

$920 CLP 856.6K

48.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,871 CLP 2.7M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,757 CLP 2.6M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,794 KWD 859

$803 CLP 747.6K

248.01%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Santiago: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $949 in As-salimiyah versus $515 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 248% 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 $55.0 in Santiago. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $164 vs $243 – 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 11%, 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 $2,140 per month in As-salimiyah and $1,932 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 $1,427 in As-salimiyah and $1,288 in Santiago. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 15% 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 $1,288, than in As-salimiyah at $1,427. 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.