Cost of Living Comparison Between Chile and China Cost of Living Comparison Between Chile and China

Name: China
Address: CN

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,083 in Chile versus $712 in China.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,659 in Chile versus $1,131 in China.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,234 in Chile versus $1,549 in China.

Living in Chile is roughly 52% more expensive than in China on average.

Both countries sit below the global median: Chile 19% lower, China 47% lower.

Internal cost variation is higher in China: monthly costs span $533 to $1,212, compared to $949–$1,320 in Chile. City choice carries more weight in China.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.66 CLP 8,058

$2.77 ¥18.71

212.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.93 CLP 40.9K

$24.05 ¥162

82.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.58 CLP 7,052

$4.73 ¥31.91

60.25%

Cappuccino

$2.99 CLP 2,785

$3.08 ¥20.77

-2.92%

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

$1.44 CLP 1,337

$0.44 ¥2.99

227.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.09 CLP 1,016

$0.29 ¥1.98

275.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 CLP 2,982

$1.01 ¥6.80

217.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 CLP 3,466

$2.08 ¥14.02

78.85%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.22 CLP 1,136

$1.83 ¥12.38

-33.33%

White Bread (500g)

$1.55 CLP 1,440

$1.62 ¥10.94

-4.32%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.75 CLP 1,629

$0.97 ¥6.58

80.41%

Eggs

$3.76 CLP 3,497

$1.61 ¥10.90

133.54%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.70 CLP 9,954

$13.34 ¥90.1

-19.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.20 CLP 5,769

$3.37 ¥22.74

83.98%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 CLP 10.1K

$10.68 ¥72.1

1.69%

Apples (1kg)

$1.87 CLP 1,736

$1.81 ¥12.25

3.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 CLP 1,526

$1.25 ¥8.43

31.20%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.81 CLP 1,680

$1.46 ¥9.88

23.97%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.70 CLP 1,580

$1.15 ¥7.73

47.83%

Potato (1kg)

$1.42 CLP 1,323

$0.73 ¥4.91

94.52%

Onion (1kg)

$1.57 CLP 1,463

$0.89 ¥5.99

76.40%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.30 CLP 1,210

$0.60 ¥4.05

116.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 CLP 1,166

$0.53 ¥3.58

135.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.25 CLP 4,883

$3.39 ¥22.91

54.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.37 CLP 4,995

$11.73 ¥79.2

-54.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.47 CLP 1,365

$0.77 ¥5.22

90.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.23 CLP 2,071

$1.63 ¥10.97

36.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 CLP 817

$0.41 ¥2.77

114.63%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.45 CLP 37.6K

$21.24 ¥143

90.44%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.83 CLP 772

$1.35 ¥9.12

-38.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.54 CLP 1,432

$0.36 ¥2.40

327.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.83 CLP 11.9K

$6.70 ¥45.23

91.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.39 CLP 1,297

$1.18 ¥7.98

17.80%

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

$18.2K CLP 17.0M

$19.8K ¥133.4K

-7.73%

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

$20.7K CLP 19.3M

$16.5K ¥111.6K

25.24%

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

$112 CLP 104.5K

$51.7 ¥349

117.07%

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

$12.57 CLP 11.7K

$10.09 ¥68.1

24.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.04 CLP 21.4K

$11.38 ¥76.8

102.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.46 CLP 33.0K

$39.24 ¥265

-9.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.58 CLP 19.1K

$14.84 ¥100

38.68%

Cinema Ticket

$5.45 CLP 5,074

$6.30 ¥42.53

-13.49%

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

$377 CLP 351.1K

$414 ¥2,793

-8.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,397 CLP 6.0M

$17.4K ¥117.5K

-63.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.23 CLP 45.8K

$46.77 ¥316

5.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.63 CLP 27.6K

$33.08 ¥223

-10.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$66.1 CLP 61.5K

$70.9 ¥479

-6.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.3 CLP 70.9K

$74.5 ¥503

2.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$460 CLP 428.3K

$440 ¥2,971

4.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$382 CLP 355.7K

$253 ¥1,706

51.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$822 CLP 765.0K

$911 ¥6,150

-9.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$662 CLP 616.0K

$531 ¥3,582

24.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,311 CLP 2.2M

$4,778 ¥32.3K

-51.62%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,974 CLP 1.8M

$2,403 ¥16.2K

-17.84%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$673 CLP 626.6K

$1,058 ¥7,140

-36.33%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.09

4.06

25.37%

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

Last update for Chile: July 26, 2026

Last update for China: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $473 in Chile, $287 in China. Capital cities: $515 in Santiago vs $909 in Beijing (Pekin).

National salary averages: $711 in Chile, $857 in China. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 65% higher in Chile.

Dining out costs 105% more in Chile.

Public transport is 125% more expensive in China.

Salaries are 21% higher in China, and purchasing power comes out stronger in China.

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

Chile vs China: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

At $1,135 per month in Chile and $873 in China, there's a 30% gap. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.

Day-to-day life is simply cheaper in China: lower food prices, cheaper commutes, smaller household bills. Over time, those daily savings make a real difference to your monthly budget and ability to put money away.

Rent in Chile is consistently higher than in China across the board, especially in major cities. Housing is usually the single biggest driver of the overall cost difference between the two countries.

In China, $2,000 covers most cities easily; in Chile it stretches only to regional areas and falls short in the capital – you'll need to make trade-offs on housing or lifestyle.

It depends on what you're after: China wins on affordability; Chile may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.