Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Australia and Chile

For one person, living is cheaper in Chile: $1,054 a month against $2,542 in Australia, rent and utilities included – about $17,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

🇦🇺 Australia
$2,542
/mo nomad
🇨🇱 Chile
$1,054
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Australia and in Chile

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

A single person spends $2,542 per month in Australia vs $1,054 in Chile, rent included.

  • Australia $2,542
  • Chile $1,054

A couple spends around $3,717 per month in Australia vs $1,637 in Chile, rent included.

  • Australia $3,717
  • Chile $1,637

A family of three spends $4,893 per month in Australia vs $2,219 in Chile, rent included.

  • Australia $4,893
  • Chile $2,219

The cost of living in Australia is about 141% higher than in Chile on average.

Australia sits 88% above the global median, while Chile is 22% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Australia
Chile
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.16 A$24.69
$8.38 CLP 8,249
104.77%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$83.9 A$121
$46.37 CLP 45.6K
80.96%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.20 A$16.12
$6.99 CLP 6,884
60.23%
Cappuccino
$3.92 A$5.64
$2.87 CLP 2,827
36.59%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.83 A$4.07
$1.32 CLP 1,295
114.39%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.30 A$3.31
$1.03 CLP 1,015
123.30%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$7.68 A$11.06
$3.65 CLP 3,595
110.41%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$8.25 A$11.87
$4.01 CLP 3,947
105.74%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Australia
Chile
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.76 A$2.53
$1.19 CLP 1,172
47.90%
White Bread (500g)
$2.77 A$3.99
$1.62 CLP 1,592
70.99%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.19 A$3.16
$1.52 CLP 1,500
44.08%
Eggs
$4.99 A$7.18
$3.44 CLP 3,385
45.06%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.94 A$14.31
$10.37 CLP 10.2K
-4.15%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.03 A$12.99
$6.02 CLP 5,930
50.00%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$15.25 A$21.94
$10.69 CLP 10.5K
42.66%
Apples (1kg)
$3.67 A$5.28
$1.85 CLP 1,821
98.38%
Banana (1kg)
$3.05 A$4.39
$1.66 CLP 1,637
83.73%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.12 A$4.50
$1.58 CLP 1,555
97.47%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.56 A$6.56
$1.66 CLP 1,632
174.70%
Potato (1kg)
$2.81 A$4.04
$1.11 CLP 1,089
153.15%
Onion (1kg)
$2.39 A$3.44
$1.36 CLP 1,339
75.74%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.35 A$3.39
$1.17 CLP 1,152
100.85%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.64 A$2.36
$1.19 CLP 1,173
37.82%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$38.42 A$55.3
$5.07 CLP 4,993
657.79%
Wine (Bottle)
$13.77 A$19.82
$5.18 CLP 5,103
165.83%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$4.69 A$6.75
$1.37 CLP 1,346
242.34%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.08 A$7.31
$2.10 CLP 2,066
141.90%
🚌 Getting Around
Australia
Chile
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.72 A$3.91
$0.76 CLP 747
257.89%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$95.8 A$138
$38.03 CLP 37.4K
151.96%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.54 A$5.10
$0.80 CLP 789
342.50%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.55 A$2.23
$1.24 CLP 1,223
25.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$40.00 A$57.6
$12.15 CLP 12.0K
229.22%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.30 A$1.87
$1.42 CLP 1,396
-8.45%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.2K A$40.5K
$17.6K CLP 17.3M
60.04%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$28.5K A$40.9K
$19.5K CLP 19.2M
46.19%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Australia
Chile
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$198 A$285
$114 CLP 112.7K
73.22%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$28.75 A$41.37
$12.10 CLP 11.9K
137.60%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$58.6 A$84.4
$22.34 CLP 22.0K
162.49%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Australia
Chile
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$56.7 A$81.6
$35.36 CLP 34.8K
60.44%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.08 A$27.46
$14.48 CLP 14.3K
31.77%
Cinema Ticket
$15.02 A$21.62
$6.23 CLP 6,136
141.09%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Australia
Chile
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$2,154 A$3,099
$343 CLP 337.6K
527.99%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$17.9K A$25.8K
$6,665 CLP 6.6M
168.74%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Australia
Chile
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$78.0 A$112
$43.26 CLP 42.6K
80.31%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$54.8 A$78.8
$26.90 CLP 26.5K
103.68%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$112 A$161
$59.3 CLP 58.3K
88.93%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$124 A$179
$71.8 CLP 70.7K
73.22%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Australia
Chile
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,540 A$2,215
$437 CLP 430.0K
252.43%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,222 A$1,758
$339 CLP 333.9K
260.19%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,478 A$3,566
$750 CLP 738.2K
230.41%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,930 A$2,778
$586 CLP 576.4K
229.65%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$8,153 A$11.7K
$2,302 CLP 2.3M
254.13%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,053 A$8,711
$1,993 CLP 2.0M
203.67%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Australia
Chile
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,944 A$5,676
$657 CLP 646.3K
500.76%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.93
5.15
15.15%

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

Last update for Australia: October 13, 2026

Last update for Chile: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Australia
$1.2K
Chile
$339 72.2% $883
Groceries & Markets
Australia
$370
Chile
$221 40.2% $149
Eating Out
Australia
$293
Chile
$158 46.1% $135
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Australia
$286
Chile
$149 47.9% $137
Clothing & Footwear
Australia
$166
Chile
$91 45.5% $76
Getting Around
Australia
$118
Chile
$48 59.3% $70
Sport & Entertainment
Australia
$87
Chile
$48 44.9% $39

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $1,366 in Australia vs $331 in Chile. For reference, capital cities sit at $1,716 in Canberra and $559 in Santiago.

Average salary: $3,849 in Australia vs $699 in Chile. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 313% higher in Australia.

Dining out costs 141% more in Australia.

Public transport is 733% more expensive in Australia.

Salaries are 451% higher in Australia, and purchasing power comes out stronger in Australia.

Good to know
🇦🇺 Australia
🇨🇱 Chile
🕒 Local time
21:03 9:03 PM
07:03 7:03 AM
14 h behind Australia
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
26,473,055
19,458,000
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

CLP, USD, EUR to AUD – Australian Dollar Converter

Australian Dollar exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 1.44 AUD (1 AUD = 0.695 USD). 1 EUR = 1.62 AUD (1 AUD = 0.618 EUR).

Chilean Peso exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 984 CLP (1,000 CLP = 1.02 USD). 1 EUR = 1,107 CLP (10,000 CLP = 9.04 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Australia Chile 11,320 km ≈ 15 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Australia
  • Chile

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Australia vs Chile: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Australia more expensive than Chile?
Chile is the cheaper option – living costs run roughly 141% lower on average.
Which country has higher housing costs?
Housing costs more in Australia: a central one-bedroom averages $1,366 versus $331 in Chile.
Which country is cheaper for everyday spending?
Groceries, public transport, and eating out all cost less in Chile, adding to the overall 141% price gap.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget in Australia or in Chile?
$1,500 buys a comfortable lifestyle in Chile, but in Australia it only works with careful planning outside the capital. Same money, very different lives.
Should I move to Australia or to Chile?
Chile is the budget-friendly choice for expats – lower housing and daily costs. But cost isn't everything: visa policies, language, healthcare quality, and job markets all weigh in too.

Australia vs other spots: cost of living compared

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