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: $1,084 in Chile versus $713 in China.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,655 in Chile versus $1,132 in China.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,226 in Chile versus $1,551 in China.

Living in Chile is roughly 52% more expensive than 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 $535 to $1,206, compared to $949–$1,341 in Chile. City choice carries more weight in China.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.84 CLP 7,943

$2.86 ¥19.36

209.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.89 CLP 38.5K

$23.29 ¥158

84.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.42 CLP 6,668

$4.83 ¥32.66

53.62%

Cappuccino

$2.92 CLP 2,623

$3.04 ¥20.52

-3.95%

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

$1.36 CLP 1,225

$0.45 ¥3.03

202.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.09 CLP 978

$0.27 ¥1.81

303.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.27 CLP 2,938

$0.99 ¥6.71

230.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.84 CLP 3,455

$2.03 ¥13.74

89.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.24 CLP 1,110

$1.75 ¥11.86

-29.14%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 CLP 1,452

$1.67 ¥11.31

-2.99%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 CLP 1,595

$0.97 ¥6.56

82.47%

Eggs

$3.71 CLP 3,332

$1.54 ¥10.45

140.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.49 CLP 9,429

$13.30 ¥89.9

-21.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.23 CLP 5,603

$3.21 ¥21.69

94.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.00 CLP 9,889

$10.79 ¥73.0

1.95%

Apples (1kg)

$1.89 CLP 1,700

$1.81 ¥12.27

4.42%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 CLP 1,536

$1.31 ¥8.84

30.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.84 CLP 1,649

$1.50 ¥10.15

22.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.71 CLP 1,539

$1.14 ¥7.74

50.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.48 CLP 1,333

$0.73 ¥4.90

102.74%

Onion (1kg)

$1.57 CLP 1,414

$0.87 ¥5.86

80.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.26 CLP 1,129

$0.57 ¥3.85

121.05%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 CLP 1,081

$0.54 ¥3.63

122.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.44 CLP 4,886

$3.53 ¥23.88

54.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.52 CLP 4,962

$11.71 ¥79.2

-52.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.44 CLP 1,299

$0.84 ¥5.67

71.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.30 CLP 2,067

$1.67 ¥11.29

37.72%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 CLP 755

$0.41 ¥2.75

104.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.34 CLP 37.2K

$20.78 ¥141

98.94%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.89 CLP 795

$1.36 ¥9.21

-34.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.61 CLP 1,444

$0.33 ¥2.21

387.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.99 CLP 11.7K

$6.86 ¥46.40

89.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.40 CLP 1,258

$1.12 ¥7.57

25.00%

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

$18.8K CLP 16.9M

$19.2K ¥129.8K

-1.88%

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

$19.9K CLP 17.9M

$16.9K ¥114.4K

17.87%

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

$115 CLP 103.1K

$51.8 ¥350

121.50%

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

$12.67 CLP 11.4K

$9.85 ¥66.6

28.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.53 CLP 20.2K

$11.13 ¥75.3

102.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.49 CLP 31.9K

$39.10 ¥264

-9.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.39 CLP 18.3K

$14.89 ¥101

36.94%

Cinema Ticket

$5.72 CLP 5,136

$6.25 ¥42.24

-8.48%

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

$385 CLP 346.4K

$404 ¥2,732

-4.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,389 CLP 5.7M

$17.8K ¥120.5K

-64.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.78 CLP 43.8K

$46.11 ¥312

5.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.57 CLP 25.7K

$32.27 ¥218

-11.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$66.5 CLP 59.8K

$72.7 ¥491

-8.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.6 CLP 68.8K

$72.9 ¥493

5.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$464 CLP 416.9K

$445 ¥3,009

4.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$383 CLP 344.6K

$255 ¥1,727

50.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$839 CLP 753.6K

$927 ¥6,266

-9.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$680 CLP 611.3K

$532 ¥3,600

27.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,459 CLP 2.2M

$4,943 ¥33.4K

-50.26%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,243 CLP 2.0M

$2,492 ¥16.9K

-9.98%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$699 CLP 627.9K

$1,057 ¥7,148

-33.91%

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for China: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $474 in Chile, $286 in China. Capital cities: $505 in Santiago vs $913 in Beijing (Pekin).

National salary averages: $732 in Chile, $862 in China. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 66% higher in Chile.

Dining out costs 105% more in Chile.

Public transport is 125% more expensive in China.

Salaries are 18% higher in China, giving China stronger purchasing power.

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 $1,145 per month in Chile and $871 in China, there's a 32% gap. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.

China is simply cheaper day-to-day: 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 beats 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 works in regional areas but 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.