Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between China and Chile

Name: Chile
Address: CL

For one person, living is cheaper in China: $791 a month against $1,042 in Chile, rent and utilities included – about $3,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

38

Cost of Living Index in China
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China Living Index
50

Cost of Living Index in Chile
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Chile Living Index

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🇨🇳 China

$791

/mo nomad

🇨🇱 Chile

$1,042

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in China 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 China and in Chile actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $791 in China versus $1,042 in Chile.

China $791
Chile $1,042

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,251 in China versus $1,621 in Chile.

China $1,251
Chile $1,621

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,711 in China versus $2,201 in Chile.

China $1,711
Chile $2,201

Internal cost variation is higher in Chile: monthly costs span $109 to $1,280, compared to $465–$1,222 in China. City choice carries more weight in Chile.

Living in China costs about 24% less than in Chile on average.

Both countries sit below the global median: China 42% lower, Chile 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.98 ¥19.81

$8.13 CLP 8,080

-63.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.09 ¥147

$46.32 CLP 46.0K

-52.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.20 ¥34.60

$7.01 CLP 6,965

-25.82%

Cappuccino

$2.97 ¥19.74

$2.87 CLP 2,852

3.48%

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

$0.48 ¥3.19

$1.28 CLP 1,270

-62.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 ¥2.01

$1.00 CLP 989

-70.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.08 ¥7.18

$3.65 CLP 3,621

-70.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 ¥15.15

$3.93 CLP 3,902

-41.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.80 ¥11.96

$1.13 CLP 1,120

59.29%

White Bread (500g)

$1.68 ¥11.15

$1.53 CLP 1,518

9.80%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.92 ¥6.13

$1.48 CLP 1,469

-37.84%

Eggs

$1.61 ¥10.73

$3.44 CLP 3,415

-53.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.38 ¥89.0

$10.07 CLP 10.0K

32.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.35 ¥22.28

$6.04 CLP 5,996

-44.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.35 ¥75.5

$10.64 CLP 10.6K

6.67%

Apples (1kg)

$1.82 ¥12.12

$1.75 CLP 1,739

4.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.31 ¥8.69

$1.62 CLP 1,606

-19.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.49 ¥9.89

$1.64 CLP 1,631

-9.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.27 ¥8.47

$1.64 CLP 1,632

-22.56%

Potato (1kg)

$0.71 ¥4.73

$1.11 CLP 1,098

-36.04%

Onion (1kg)

$0.93 ¥6.21

$1.40 CLP 1,396

-33.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.62 ¥4.12

$1.14 CLP 1,135

-45.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ¥3.74

$1.11 CLP 1,107

-49.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.78 ¥25.15

$5.10 CLP 5,064

-25.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.13 ¥80.7

$5.12 CLP 5,087

136.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.83 ¥5.54

$1.29 CLP 1,283

-35.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.68 ¥11.21

$1.97 CLP 1,960

-14.72%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 ¥1.91

$0.76 CLP 759

-61.84%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$17.83 ¥119

$38.10 CLP 37.8K

-53.20%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.49 ¥9.89

$0.79 CLP 781

88.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.37 ¥2.49

$1.18 CLP 1,167

-68.64%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.10 ¥47.23

$12.11 CLP 12.0K

-41.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 ¥8.37

$1.43 CLP 1,416

-11.89%

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

$19.4K ¥129.4K

$16.6K CLP 16.5M

17.22%

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

$17.5K ¥116.7K

$21.0K CLP 20.9M

-16.47%

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

$54.6 ¥363

$111 CLP 110.1K

-50.77%

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

$8.73 ¥58.1

$11.98 CLP 11.9K

-27.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.07 ¥73.6

$21.26 CLP 21.1K

-47.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.77 ¥271

$33.75 CLP 33.5K

20.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.48 ¥96.4

$14.38 CLP 14.3K

0.70%

Cinema Ticket

$6.78 ¥45.12

$6.15 CLP 6,106

10.24%

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

$517 ¥3,437

$359 CLP 356.1K

44.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.8K ¥131.8K

$6,607 CLP 6.6M

199.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.53 ¥310

$42.29 CLP 42.0K

10.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.66 ¥237

$25.90 CLP 25.7K

37.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.0 ¥512

$59.5 CLP 59.1K

29.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.3 ¥534

$72.7 CLP 72.2K

10.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$386 ¥2,567

$423 CLP 420.1K

-8.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$235 ¥1,561

$342 CLP 339.3K

-31.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$822 ¥5,469

$743 CLP 738.0K

10.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$453 ¥3,015

$593 CLP 589.1K

-23.60%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,697 ¥31.3K

$2,419 CLP 2.4M

94.18%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,372 ¥15.8K

$2,013 CLP 2.0M

17.81%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,093 ¥7,274

$661 CLP 656.6K

65.37%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.46

5.15

-32.82%

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

Last update for China: October 24, 2026

Last update for Chile: October 24, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

China

$235 29.6%

Chile

$342 32.8% 45.6% $107

Groceries & Markets

China

$210 26.5%

Chile

$217 20.8% 3.1% $6.4

Clothing & Footwear

China

$108 13.6%

Chile

$90 8.7% 16.3% $18

Eating Out

China

$88 11.1%

Chile

$156 15% 76.8% $68

Monthly Utilities & Internet

China

$74 9.4%

Chile

$144 13.8% 93.7% $70

Sport & Entertainment

China

$54 6.9%

Chile

$46 4.4% 15.2% $8.3

Getting Around

China

$22 2.8%

Chile

$48 4.6% 114% $25

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $298 in China, $412 in Chile. Capital cities: $933 in Beijing (Pekin) vs $497 in Santiago.

National salary averages: $873 in China, $691 in Chile. Higher pay doesn’t always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 38% higher in Chile.

Dining out costs 86% more in Chile.

Public transport is 83% more expensive in Chile.

Salaries are 26% higher in China, and purchasing power comes out stronger in China.

Good to know

🇨🇳 China

🇨🇱 Chile

🕒 Local time

11:07 11:07 AM

00:07 12:07 AM

11 h behind China

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,442,965,000

19,458,000

💱 Currency

Chinese Yuan CNY ¥

Chilean Peso CLP $

📈 Exchange rate

1 CNY = 0.15 USD

1 CNY = 0.135 EUR

10,000 CLP = 10.07 USD

10,000 CLP = 9.02 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

CLP, USD, EUR to CNY – Chinese Yuan Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇨🇳 Chinese Yuan (¥)

Chinese Yuan exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 6.65 CNY (1 CNY = 0.15 USD). 1 EUR = 7.43 CNY (1 CNY = 0.135 EUR).

Chilean Peso exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 993 CLP (1,000 CLP = 1.01 USD). 1 EUR = 1,109 CLP (10,000 CLP = 9.02 EUR).

USD to CNY in detail →

On the map

Lowest

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Between locations

China Chile 19,060 km ≈ 24 h nonstop flight

From you

China
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

China vs Chile: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

At $1,042 per month in Chile and $791 in China, China comes out about 24% cheaper. 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 cheaper in China: lower grocery prices, cheaper commutes, and more affordable meals out. Over time, those daily savings make a real difference to your monthly budget and ability to put money away.

Rent for a central one-bedroom averages $412 in Chile and $298 in China. Rents vary a lot between cities, so the gap depends on where you settle.

It depends on what you’re after: China wins on affordability, while salaries, visas, language, and lifestyle can tip the balance either way.