Cost of Living Comparison Between Santiago and Antofagasta Cost of Living Comparison Between Santiago and Antofagasta

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,288 in Santiago versus $964 in Antofagasta.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,020 in Santiago versus $1,529 in Antofagasta.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,752 in Santiago versus $2,093 in Antofagasta.

Living in Santiago is roughly 34% more expensive than in Antofagasta, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Santiago 4% lower, Antofagasta 28% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.72 CLP 9,983

$7.37 CLP 6,864

45.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$54.8 CLP 51.0K

$37.04 CLP 34.5K

47.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.16 CLP 7,601

$7.59 CLP 7,068

7.51%

Cappuccino

$3.16 CLP 2,941

$2.75 CLP 2,560

14.91%

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

$1.78 CLP 1,660

$1.29 CLP 1,202

37.98%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.25 CLP 1,162

$0.97 CLP 899

28.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.31 CLP 3,086

$1.67 CLP 1,552

98.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.24 CLP 3,946

$4.27 CLP 3,973

-0.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.18 CLP 1,101

$1.14 CLP 1,064

3.51%

White Bread (500g)

$1.53 CLP 1,429

$1.73 CLP 1,608

-11.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.18 CLP 2,031

$1.25 CLP 1,161

74.40%

Eggs

$4.19 CLP 3,898

$2.94 CLP 2,738

42.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.65 CLP 9,913

$9.94 CLP 9,257

7.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.59 CLP 6,135

$4.30 CLP 4,003

53.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.13 CLP 10.4K

$8.88 CLP 8,267

25.34%

Apples (1kg)

$2.09 CLP 1,947

$2.11 CLP 1,967

-0.95%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 CLP 1,440

$2.36 CLP 2,193

-34.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.07 CLP 1,923

$2.57 CLP 2,397

-19.46%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.86 CLP 1,730

$1.16 CLP 1,082

60.34%

Potato (1kg)

$1.95 CLP 1,820

$0.89 CLP 831

119.10%

Onion (1kg)

$1.63 CLP 1,514

$0.94 CLP 877

73.40%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.28 CLP 1,194

$1.25 CLP 1,162

2.40%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 CLP 1,160

$1.22 CLP 1,141

2.46%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.75 CLP 5,359

$4.84 CLP 4,503

18.80%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.50 CLP 6,051

$5.87 CLP 5,468

10.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.56 CLP 1,452

$1.55 CLP 1,447

0.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 CLP 2,308

$1.37 CLP 1,275

81.02%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 CLP 788

$0.63 CLP 590

34.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$42.60 CLP 39.7K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.51 CLP 477

$0.50 CLP 467

2.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.45 CLP 1,351

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.30 CLP 10.5K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.39 CLP 1,290

$1.40 CLP 1,308

-0.71%

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

$19.5K CLP 18.2M

$19.4K CLP 18.0M

0.93%

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

$22.6K CLP 21.0M

$21.6K CLP 20.1M

4.60%

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

$134 CLP 124.6K

$47.85 CLP 44.6K

179.56%

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

$13.59 CLP 12.7K

$10.53 CLP 9,807

29.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.02 CLP 20.5K

$13.11 CLP 12.2K

67.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.67 CLP 32.3K

$43.75 CLP 40.7K

-20.75%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.24 CLP 19.8K

$21.04 CLP 19.6K

0.95%

Cinema Ticket

$6.29 CLP 5,857

$5.48 CLP 5,102

14.78%

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

$436 CLP 406.4K

$270 CLP 251.5K

61.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,744 CLP 8.1M

$3,357 CLP 3.1M

160.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.3 CLP 51.5K

$41.10 CLP 38.3K

34.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.30 CLP 30.1K

$16.09 CLP 15.0K

100.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.3 CLP 71.9K

$60.8 CLP 56.6K

27.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.5 CLP 79.6K

$71.1 CLP 66.2K

20.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$515 CLP 479.3K

$472 CLP 439.3K

9.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$462 CLP 430.1K

$374 CLP 348.0K

23.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$989 CLP 920.7K

$851 CLP 792.8K

16.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$920 CLP 856.6K

$704 CLP 655.8K

30.61%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,871 CLP 2.7M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,757 CLP 2.6M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$803 CLP 747.6K

$732 CLP 682.1K

9.61%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.18

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

Last update for Santiago: July 11, 2026

Last update for Antofagasta: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $515 in Santiago and $472 in Antofagasta. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Santiago pays 10% 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: $55.0 in Santiago vs $37.00 in Antofagasta for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $243 vs $211 per month, with Antofagasta cheaper across the board.

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

Santiago vs Antofagasta: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Antofagasta wins on cost – living expenses run 34% lower than in Santiago. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Antofagasta the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 10% higher in Santiago, 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: $515 in Santiago versus $472 in Antofagasta. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $436 in Santiago versus $270 in Antofagasta. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Antofagasta – a meal for two runs $37.00 versus $55.0 in Santiago. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $964 in Antofagasta versus $1,288 in Santiago, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Antofagasta but tight or insufficient in Santiago. The gap between the two cities makes Antofagasta 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 Antofagasta gentler on the wallet – expenses run 34% less than in Santiago. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.