Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between London and Santiago

For one person, living is cheaper in Santiago: $1,206 a month against $2,312 in London, rent and utilities included – about $13,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

London
🇨🇦 Canada
$2,312
/mo nomad
Santiago
🇨🇱 Chile
$1,206
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in London and in Santiago

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,312 in London versus $1,206 in Santiago.

  • London $2,312
  • Santiago $1,206

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,278 in London versus $1,885 in Santiago.

  • London $3,278
  • Santiago $1,885

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,243 in London versus $2,564 in Santiago.

  • London $4,243
  • Santiago $2,564

Living in London is roughly 92% more expensive than in Santiago, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: London is 73% above, Santiago is 10% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
London
Santiago
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$21.22 CA$30.24
$10.19 CLP 9,931
108.24%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$62.6 CA$89.3
$52.2 CLP 50.9K
19.94%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$12.36 CA$17.61
$8.54 CLP 8,323
44.73%
Cappuccino
$3.65 CA$5.20
$3.19 CLP 3,115
14.42%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.18 CA$3.10
$1.68 CLP 1,637
29.76%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.06 CA$2.94
$1.22 CLP 1,191
68.85%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$6.47 CA$9.22
$4.21 CLP 4,101
53.68%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$6.47 CA$9.23
$4.66 CLP 4,539
38.84%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
London
Santiago
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.95 CA$2.78
$1.32 CLP 1,283
47.73%
White Bread (500g)
$2.61 CA$3.72
$1.80 CLP 1,756
45.00%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.94 CA$5.62
$1.58 CLP 1,543
149.37%
Eggs
$3.74 CA$5.34
$4.25 CLP 4,141
-12.00%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.83 CA$14.02
$11.19 CLP 10.9K
-12.15%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$11.28 CA$16.08
$6.75 CLP 6,580
67.11%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$15.02 CA$21.40
$10.67 CLP 10.4K
40.77%
Apples (1kg)
$4.24 CA$6.04
$2.04 CLP 1,991
107.84%
Banana (1kg)
$1.29 CA$1.84
$1.53 CLP 1,497
-15.69%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.85 CA$5.49
$1.59 CLP 1,549
142.14%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.06 CA$5.79
$1.75 CLP 1,708
132.00%
Potato (1kg)
$3.17 CA$4.53
$1.08 CLP 1,051
193.52%
Onion (1kg)
$3.02 CA$4.31
$1.51 CLP 1,476
100.00%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.58 CA$3.68
$1.17 CLP 1,145
120.51%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.46 CA$2.09
$1.07 CLP 1,041
36.45%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$11.98 CA$17.08
$5.14 CLP 5,015
133.07%
Wine (Bottle)
$12.50 CA$17.82
$5.88 CLP 5,732
112.59%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.40 CA$3.43
$1.55 CLP 1,513
54.84%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.87 CA$4.09
$2.27 CLP 2,218
26.43%
🚌 Getting Around
London
Santiago
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.26 CA$3.22
$0.85 CLP 829
165.88%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$77.4 CA$110
$41.50 CLP 40.5K
86.48%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.51 CA$3.58
$0.39 CLP 383
543.59%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.60 CA$2.29
$0.84 CLP 820
90.48%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$21.83 CA$31.11
$11.94 CLP 11.6K
82.83%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.17 CA$1.67
$1.50 CLP 1,467
-22.00%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.8K CA$39.6K
$18.1K CLP 17.7M
53.40%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$22.7K CA$32.4K
$21.6K CLP 21.1M
5.27%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
London
Santiago
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$135 CA$193
$151 CLP 147.3K
-10.61%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$39.06 CA$55.7
$12.04 CLP 11.7K
224.42%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$56.4 CA$80.3
$18.93 CLP 18.5K
197.73%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
London
Santiago
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$37.00 CA$52.7
$33.81 CLP 33.0K
9.44%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$28.27 CA$40.29
$11.72 CLP 11.4K
141.21%
Cinema Ticket
$10.41 CA$14.84
$7.37 CLP 7,185
41.25%
🧸 Childcare & Education
London
Santiago
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$407 CA$579
$434 CLP 423.3K
-6.36%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$20.2K CA$28.8K
$11.0K CLP 10.7M
83.85%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
London
Santiago
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$52.0 CA$74.1
$50.9 CLP 49.6K
2.24%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$38.12 CA$54.3
$29.16 CLP 28.4K
30.73%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$82.8 CA$118
$67.4 CLP 65.7K
22.84%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$90.7 CA$129
$80.3 CLP 78.2K
13.00%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
London
Santiago
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,270 CA$1,810
$555 CLP 540.8K
128.95%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,148 CA$1,636
$372 CLP 363.2K
208.12%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,013 CA$2,870
$1,009 CLP 984.3K
99.44%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,703 CA$2,428
$779 CLP 759.1K
118.79%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,440 CA$4,904
$2,671 CLP 2.6M
28.80%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,519 CA$5,015
$2,622 CLP 2.6M
34.20%
💵 Salaries & Financials
London
Santiago
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$2,882 CA$4,108
$791 CLP 771.7K
264.17%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.72
5.39
-12.43%

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

Last update for London: October 4, 2026

Last update for Santiago: October 4, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
London
$1.1K
Santiago
$372 67.5% $775
Groceries & Markets
London
$358
Santiago
$236 34% $122
Eating Out
London
$313
Santiago
$187 40.1% $125
Monthly Utilities & Internet
London
$230
Santiago
$182 21% $48
Clothing & Footwear
London
$119
Santiago
$102 13.6% $16
Getting Around
London
$97
Santiago
$50 48.9% $47
Sport & Entertainment
London
$58
Santiago
$49 16% $9.3

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,270 in London and $555 in Santiago. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

London pays 264% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $63.0 in London vs $52.0 in Santiago for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $358 vs $236 per month, with Santiago cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇨🇦 London
🇨🇱 Santiago
🕒 Local time
03:47 3:47 AM
04:47 4:47 AM
1 h ahead of London
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
383,822
6,139,087 Capital
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

CLP, USD, EUR to CAD – Canadian Dollar Converter

Canadian Dollar exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 1.43 CAD (1 CAD = 0.702 USD). 1 EUR = 1.6 CAD (1 CAD = 0.626 EUR).

Chilean Peso exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 975 CLP (1,000 CLP = 1.03 USD). 1 EUR = 1,094 CLP (10,000 CLP = 9.14 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • London Santiago 8,570 km ≈ 11 h nonstop flight
From you
  • London
  • Santiago

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
London vs Santiago: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Santiago cheaper than London?
Santiago is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and clothing. The 92% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: London or Santiago?
Average pay runs 264% higher in London, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
What is the rent difference between London and Santiago?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,270 in London versus $555 in Santiago. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What are total monthly expenses in London and in Santiago?
All in, you'll spend $2,312 per month in London versus $1,206 in Santiago – a 92% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
A monthly transit pass in Santiago runs roughly 86% less than in London. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in London or in Santiago?
At $1,206 in Santiago versus $2,312 in London, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Santiago but tight or insufficient in London. The gap between the two cities makes Santiago the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is London or Santiago more family-friendly?
For families, Santiago is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in London, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, London or Santiago?
Safety-wise, London and Santiago are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Santiago gentler on the wallet – expenses run 92% less than in London. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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