Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Nassau and Santiago

For one person, living is cheaper in Santiago: $1,206 a month against $4,276 in Nassau, rent and utilities included – about $36,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

210

Cost of Living Index in Nassau
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Nassau Living Index
58

Cost of Living Index in Santiago
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Santiago Living Index

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Nassau

🇧🇸 Bahamas

$4,276

/mo nomad

Santiago

🇨🇱 Chile

$1,206

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $4,276 in Nassau versus $1,206 in Santiago.

Nassau $4,276
Santiago $1,206

Estimated couple costs with rent: $6,846 in Nassau versus $1,885 in Santiago.

Nassau $6,846
Santiago $1,885

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $9,416 in Nassau versus $2,564 in Santiago.

Nassau $9,416
Santiago $2,564

Living in Nassau is roughly 254% more expensive than in Santiago, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Nassau is 219% above, Santiago is 10% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$39.41 BSD 39.41

$10.19 CLP 9,931

286.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$199 BSD 199

$52.2 CLP 50.9K

280.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.90 BSD 11.90

$8.54 CLP 8,323

39.34%

Cappuccino

$5.63 BSD 5.63

$3.19 CLP 3,115

76.49%

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

$3.32 BSD 3.32

$1.68 CLP 1,637

97.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.94 BSD 1.94

$1.22 CLP 1,191

59.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.99 BSD 4.99

$4.21 CLP 4,101

18.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.92 BSD 8.92

$4.66 CLP 4,539

91.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$4.04 BSD 4.04

$1.32 CLP 1,283

206.06%

White Bread (500g)

$5.65 BSD 5.65

$1.80 CLP 1,756

213.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.88 BSD 6.88

$1.58 CLP 1,543

335.44%

Eggs

$7.42 BSD 7.42

$4.25 CLP 4,141

74.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.53 BSD 10.53

$11.19 CLP 10.9K

-5.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$18.50 BSD 18.50

$6.75 CLP 6,580

174.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$26.89 BSD 26.89

$10.67 CLP 10.4K

152.01%

Apples (1kg)

$5.67 BSD 5.67

$2.04 CLP 1,991

177.94%

Banana (1kg)

$3.56 BSD 3.56

$1.53 CLP 1,497

132.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.24 BSD 5.24

$1.59 CLP 1,549

229.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$10.54 BSD 10.54

$1.75 CLP 1,708

502.29%

Potato (1kg)

$2.91 BSD 2.91

$1.08 CLP 1,051

169.44%

Onion (1kg)

$5.45 BSD 5.45

$1.51 CLP 1,476

260.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$4.82 BSD 4.82

$1.17 CLP 1,145

311.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.82 BSD 2.82

$1.07 CLP 1,041

163.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.19 BSD 15.19

$5.14 CLP 5,015

195.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$34.45 BSD 34.45

$5.88 CLP 5,732

485.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$5.52 BSD 5.52

$1.55 CLP 1,513

256.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.85 BSD 4.85

$2.27 CLP 2,218

113.66%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.56 BSD 2.56

$0.85 CLP 829

201.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$153 BSD 153

$41.50 CLP 40.5K

267.59%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.80 BSD 7.80

$0.39 CLP 383

1900.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.04 BSD 3.04

$0.84 CLP 820

261.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$49.61 BSD 49.61

$11.94 CLP 11.6K

315.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 BSD 1.55

$1.50 CLP 1,467

3.33%

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

$30.4K BSD 30.4K

$18.1K CLP 17.7M

68.04%

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

$43.0K BSD 43.0K

$21.6K CLP 21.1M

98.94%

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

$397 BSD 397

$151 CLP 147.3K

162.86%

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

$72.6 BSD 72.6

$12.04 CLP 11.7K

502.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$110 BSD 110

$18.93 CLP 18.5K

482.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$195 BSD 195

$33.81 CLP 33.0K

477.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$43.44 BSD 43.44

$11.72 CLP 11.4K

270.65%

Cinema Ticket

$19.95 BSD 19.95

$7.37 CLP 7,185

170.69%

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

$865 BSD 865

$434 CLP 423.3K

99.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.7K BSD 16.7K

$11.0K CLP 10.7M

51.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.13 BSD 48.13

$50.9 CLP 49.6K

-5.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$120 BSD 120

$29.16 CLP 28.4K

309.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$128 BSD 128

$67.4 CLP 65.7K

90.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$135 BSD 135

$80.3 CLP 78.2K

68.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,487 BSD 1,487

$555 CLP 540.8K

168.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,995 BSD 1,995

$372 CLP 363.2K

435.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,733 BSD 4,733

$1,009 CLP 984.3K

368.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,863 BSD 3,863

$779 CLP 759.1K

396.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,409 BSD 5,409

$2,671 CLP 2.6M

102.52%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,329 BSD 3,329

$2,622 CLP 2.6M

26.98%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,391 BSD 3,391

$791 CLP 771.7K

328.42%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.38

5.39

36.92%

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

Last update for Nassau: 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

Nassau

$2K 46%

Santiago

$372 31.6% 81.3% $1.6K

Groceries & Markets

Nassau

$661 15.3%

Santiago

$236 20% 64.3% $425

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Nassau

$580 13.4%

Santiago

$182 15.5% 68.6% $398

Eating Out

Nassau

$482 11.1%

Santiago

$187 15.9% 61.2% $295

Sport & Entertainment

Nassau

$235 5.4%

Santiago

$49 4.1% 79.3% $186

Clothing & Footwear

Nassau

$194 4.5%

Santiago

$102 8.7% 47.2% $92

Getting Around

Nassau

$186 4.3%

Santiago

$50 4.2% 73.4% $136

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,487 in Nassau and $555 in Santiago. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Nassau pays 328% 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: $199 in Nassau vs $52.0 in Santiago for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $661 vs $236 per month, with Santiago cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇧🇸 Nassau

🇨🇱 Santiago

🕒 Local time

10:40 10:40 AM

11:40 11:40 AM

1 h ahead of Nassau

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

259,300 Capital

6,139,087 Capital

💱 Currency

Bahamian Dollar BSD $

Chilean Peso CLP $

📈 Exchange rate

1 BSD = 1 USD

1 BSD = 0.892 EUR

10,000 CLP = 10.26 USD

10,000 CLP = 9.15 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

CLP, USD, EUR to BSD – Bahamian Dollar Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇧🇸 Bahamian Dollar ($)

Bahamian Dollar exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 1 BSD (1 BSD = 1 USD). 1 EUR = 1.12 BSD (1 BSD = 0.892 EUR).

Chilean Peso exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 975 CLP (1,000 CLP = 1.03 USD). 1 EUR = 1,093 CLP (10,000 CLP = 9.15 EUR).

USD to BSD in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Nassau Santiago 6,550 km ≈ 9 h nonstop flight

From you

Nassau
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

Nassau vs Santiago: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Santiago is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and leisure. The 254% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 328% higher in Nassau, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,487 in Nassau versus $555 in Santiago. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $4,276 per month in Nassau versus $1,206 in Santiago – a 254% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Santiago runs roughly 268% less than in Nassau. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,206 in Santiago versus $4,276 in Nassau, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Santiago but tight or insufficient in Nassau. The gap between the two cities makes Santiago the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Santiago gentler on the wallet – expenses run 254% less than in Nassau. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.