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 $1,373 per month in As-salimiyah vs $1,233 in Santiago, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,281 per month in As-salimiyah vs $1,947 in Santiago, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,189 per month in As-salimiyah vs $2,660 in Santiago, rent included.

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

As-salimiyah sits 0% above the global median, while Santiago is 10% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.09 KWD 4.04

$10.81 CLP 10.1K

21.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$58.3 KWD 17.98

$52.9 CLP 49.6K

10.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.19 KWD 2.53

$9.15 CLP 8,580

-10.49%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 KWD 0.99

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.65 KWD 0.51

Cappuccino

$5.41 KWD 1.67

$3.38 CLP 3,172

60.06%

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

$0.70 KWD 0.22

$1.74 CLP 1,631

-59.77%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.34 KWD 0.11

$1.31 CLP 1,230

-74.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.30 CLP 4,035

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.94 CLP 4,633

Milk (1 liter)

$1.33 KWD 0.41

$1.37 CLP 1,282

-2.92%

White Bread (500g)

$0.75 KWD 0.23

$1.86 CLP 1,739

-59.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.92 KWD 0.59

$1.69 CLP 1,583

13.61%

Eggs

$2.15 KWD 0.66

$4.14 CLP 3,877

-48.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.41 KWD 1.36

$11.39 CLP 10.7K

-61.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.66 KWD 1.75

$6.78 CLP 6,359

-16.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.67 KWD 2.98

$11.35 CLP 10.6K

-14.80%

Apples (1kg)

$2.10 KWD 0.65

$2.01 CLP 1,882

4.48%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 KWD 0.51

$1.65 CLP 1,545

-0.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.32 KWD 0.41

$1.75 CLP 1,636

-24.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.56 KWD 0.48

$1.78 CLP 1,672

-12.36%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 KWD 0.42

$1.12 CLP 1,048

23.21%

Onion (1kg)

$0.85 KWD 0.26

$1.61 CLP 1,510

-47.20%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.66 KWD 0.51

$1.32 CLP 1,238

25.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.47 KWD 0.14

$1.12 CLP 1,054

-58.04%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$3.21 KWD 0.99

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.06 KWD 0.33

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.43 KWD 0.44

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.67 KWD 0.83

$5.61 CLP 5,262

-52.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.27 CLP 5,876

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.60 CLP 1,499

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.51 CLP 2,353

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.95 KWD 0.29

$0.83 CLP 783

14.46%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$48.86 KWD 15.08

$42.10 CLP 39.5K

16.06%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.29 KWD 1.02

$0.41 CLP 387

702.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.29 KWD 1.01

$0.89 CLP 834

269.66%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.08 KWD 4.96

$12.16 CLP 11.4K

32.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.32 KWD 0.10

$1.59 CLP 1,489

-79.87%

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

$20.6K KWD 6,374

$18.3K CLP 17.2M

12.56%

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

$20.1K KWD 6,218

$22.5K CLP 21.1M

-10.38%

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

$32.24 KWD 9.95

$155 CLP 145.2K

-79.18%

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

$21.12 KWD 6.52

$13.12 CLP 12.3K

60.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.58 KWD 9.44

$20.80 CLP 19.5K

47.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.3 KWD 30.35

$34.92 CLP 32.7K

181.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$64.3 KWD 19.84

$12.43 CLP 11.6K

417.14%

Cinema Ticket

$11.35 KWD 3.50

$7.69 CLP 7,204

47.59%

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

$273 KWD 84.3

$456 CLP 427.1K

-40.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,392 KWD 1,973

$11.4K CLP 10.6M

-43.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$38.53 KWD 11.90

$53.2 CLP 49.9K

-27.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.60 KWD 11.91

$30.18 CLP 28.3K

27.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.5 KWD 28.55

$70.1 CLP 65.7K

32.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$64.7 KWD 19.98

$85.3 CLP 80.0K

-24.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$884 KWD 273

$555 CLP 520.6K

59.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$631 KWD 195

$389 CLP 364.4K

62.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,794 KWD 554

$1,084 CLP 1.0M

65.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,352 KWD 417

$818 CLP 766.5K

65.39%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,686 CLP 2.5M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,689 CLP 2.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,745 KWD 847

$836 CLP 783.6K

228.31%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.53

5.39

21.15%

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

Last update for As-salimiyah: August 29, 2026

Last update for Santiago: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $884 in As-salimiyah versus $555 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 228% 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 $58.0 in As-salimiyah versus $53.0 in Santiago. Groceries tell a different story – $159 in As-salimiyah vs $244 in Santiago – so As-salimiyah wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 $2,060 per month in As-salimiyah and $1,849 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 $1,373 in As-salimiyah and $1,233 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 $1,233, than in As-salimiyah at $1,373. 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.