For one person, living is cheaper in Peru: $878 a month against $1,042 in Chile, rent and utilities included – about $2,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.
Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Peru and in Chile actually costs, broken down by who's living it.
Monthly costs for one person with rent: $878 in Peru versus $1,042 in Chile.
Peru $878
Chile $1,042
Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,380 in Peru versus $1,621 in Chile.
Peru $1,380
Chile $1,621
Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,883 in Peru versus $2,201 in Chile.
Peru $1,883
Chile $2,201
📏
Peru ($20–$1,108) and Chile ($109–$1,280) have similar cost spreads. Where you settle within each country has roughly equal impact on the budget.
🌍
Living in Peru costs about 16% less than in Chile on average.
📊
Both countries sit below the global median: Peru 36% lower, Chile 23% lower.
Currency
No currencies found
🍽 Eating Out
Peru
Chile
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.51PEN 12.16
$8.13CLP 8,080
-56.83%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$27.65PEN 95.8
$46.32CLP 46.0K
-40.31%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$6.21PEN 21.51
$7.01CLP 6,965
-11.41%
Cappuccino
$3.15PEN 10.92
$2.87CLP 2,852
9.76%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.96PEN 3.31
$1.28CLP 1,270
-25.00%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.51PEN 1.78
$1.00CLP 989
-49.00%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.28PEN 7.90
$3.65CLP 3,621
-37.53%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.56PEN 12.33
$3.93CLP 3,902
-9.41%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Peru
Chile
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.47PEN 5.09
$1.13CLP 1,120
30.09%
White Bread(500g)
$2.30PEN 7.97
$1.53CLP 1,518
50.33%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.38PEN 4.77
$1.48CLP 1,469
-6.76%
Eggs
$2.63PEN 9.12
$3.44CLP 3,415
-23.55%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$8.28PEN 28.71
$10.07CLP 10.0K
-17.78%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$5.71PEN 19.79
$6.04CLP 5,996
-5.46%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$9.04PEN 31.34
$10.64CLP 10.6K
-15.04%
Apples(1kg)
$1.77PEN 6.15
$1.75CLP 1,739
1.14%
Banana(1kg)
$1.09PEN 3.78
$1.62CLP 1,606
-32.72%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.31PEN 4.53
$1.64CLP 1,631
-20.12%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.21PEN 4.21
$1.64CLP 1,632
-26.22%
Potato(1kg)
$0.89PEN 3.08
$1.11CLP 1,098
-19.82%
Onion(1kg)
$0.86PEN 2.97
$1.40CLP 1,396
-38.57%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.77PEN 2.67
$1.14CLP 1,135
-32.46%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.84PEN 2.92
$1.11CLP 1,107
-24.32%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$5.63PEN 19.50
$5.10CLP 5,064
10.39%
Wine(Bottle)
$7.65PEN 26.53
$5.12CLP 5,087
49.41%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.99PEN 6.91
$1.29CLP 1,283
54.26%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.02PEN 10.48
$1.97CLP 1,960
53.30%
🚌 Getting Around
Peru
Chile
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.61PEN 2.10
$0.76CLP 759
-19.74%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$27.39PEN 94.9
$38.10CLP 37.8K
-28.11%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$2.34PEN 8.10
$0.79CLP 781
196.20%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$2.05PEN 7.11
$1.18CLP 1,167
73.73%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$7.01PEN 24.30
$12.11CLP 12.0K
-42.11%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.64PEN 5.69
$1.43CLP 1,416
14.69%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$22.1KPEN 76.7K
$16.6KCLP 16.5M
33.35%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$27.6KPEN 95.8K
$21.0KCLP 20.9M
31.68%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Peru
Chile
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$54.9PEN 190
$111CLP 110.1K
-50.46%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.37PEN 46.33
$11.98CLP 11.9K
11.60%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$25.55PEN 88.6
$21.26CLP 21.1K
20.18%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Peru
Chile
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$31.24PEN 108
$33.75CLP 33.5K
-7.44%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.62PEN 57.6
$14.38CLP 14.3K
15.58%
Cinema Ticket
$5.93PEN 20.56
$6.15CLP 6,106
-3.58%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Peru
Chile
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$207PEN 719
$359CLP 356.1K
-42.16%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$11.2KPEN 38.7K
$6,607CLP 6.6M
69.13%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Peru
Chile
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$49.87PEN 173
$42.29CLP 42.0K
17.92%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$30.02PEN 104
$25.90CLP 25.7K
15.91%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$72.2PEN 250
$59.5CLP 59.1K
21.30%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$71.1PEN 246
$72.7CLP 72.2K
-2.17%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Peru
Chile
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$514PEN 1,782
$423CLP 420.1K
21.55%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$279PEN 967
$342CLP 339.3K
-18.29%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$899PEN 3,118
$743CLP 738.0K
21.07%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$536PEN 1,856
$593CLP 589.1K
-9.70%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$2,247PEN 7,787
$2,419CLP 2.4M
-7.11%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,310PEN 4,542
$2,013CLP 2.0M
-34.90%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Peru
Chile
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$575PEN 1,993
$661CLP 656.6K
-13.01%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
9.66
5.15
87.57%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Peru: October 27, 2026
Last update for Chile: October 24, 2026
Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Share of the monthly basket for a family of three, rent included.
🏠Accommodation & Living
Peru
$279 31.8%
Chile
$342 32.8% ↑ 22.4%$62
🛒Groceries & Markets
Peru
$210 23.9%
Chile
$217 20.8% ↑ 3.2%$6.7
🍽Eating Out
Peru
$109 12.4%
Chile
$156 15% ↑ 43%$47
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Peru
$100 11.4%
Chile
$90 8.7% ↓ 10.2%$10
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Peru
$94 10.7%
Chile
$144 13.8% ↑ 53.5%$50
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Peru
$43 4.9%
Chile
$46 4.4% ↑ 6.8%$2.9
🚌Getting Around
Peru
$42 4.8%
Chile
$48 4.6% ↑ 12.7%$5.4
🏠Accommodation & Living
Peru
$536 28.5%
Chile
$593 27% ↑ 10.7%$58
🛒Groceries & Markets
Peru
$479 25.4%
Chile
$507 23.1% ↑ 6%$29
🍽Eating Out
Peru
$349 18.6%
Chile
$541 24.6% ↑ 54.7%$191
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Peru
$223 11.9%
Chile
$200 9.1% ↓ 10.2%$23
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Peru
$107 5.7%
Chile
$156 7.1% ↑ 45.6%$49
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Peru
$103 5.5%
Chile
$106 4.8% ↑ 3.5%$3.6
🚌Getting Around
Peru
$86 4.6%
Chile
$97 4.4% ↑ 12.9%$11
Cost Breakdown
🏠National rent averages: $339 in Peru, $412 in Chile. Capital cities: $734 in Lima vs $497 in Santiago.
💰National salary averages: $522 in Peru, $691 in Chile. Higher pay doesn’t always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.
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
Peru vs Chile: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the cost difference between Chile and Peru?
At $1,042 per month in Chile and $878 in Peru, Peru comes out about 16% cheaper. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.
Which country is cheaper for everyday spending?
Day-to-day life is cheaper in Peru: 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.
Which country has higher housing costs?
Rent for a central one-bedroom averages $412 in Chile and $339 in Peru. Rents vary a lot between cities, so the gap depends on where you settle.
Is $1,000 a realistic budget in Chile or in Peru?
In Peru, $1,000 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.
Should I move to Chile or to Peru?
It depends on what you’re after: Peru wins on affordability, while salaries, visas, language, and lifestyle can tip the balance either way.