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: $1,270 in Santiago versus $944 in Antofagasta.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,013 in Santiago versus $1,493 in Antofagasta.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,756 in Santiago versus $2,042 in Antofagasta.

Living in Santiago is roughly 35% more expensive than Antofagasta, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Santiago 5% lower, Antofagasta 30% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.93 CLP 9,777

$7.67 CLP 6,859

42.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.1 CLP 47.5K

$37.56 CLP 33.6K

41.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.30 CLP 7,426

$8.03 CLP 7,185

3.36%

Cappuccino

$3.11 CLP 2,784

$2.75 CLP 2,458

13.09%

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

$1.79 CLP 1,600

$1.30 CLP 1,161

37.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.29 CLP 1,153

$0.90 CLP 805

43.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 CLP 2,852

$1.64 CLP 1,469

94.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.39 CLP 3,928

$4.28 CLP 3,829

2.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.20 CLP 1,069

$1.12 CLP 1,001

7.14%

White Bread (500g)

$1.59 CLP 1,420

$1.74 CLP 1,558

-8.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.18 CLP 1,947

$1.32 CLP 1,178

65.15%

Eggs

$4.14 CLP 3,700

$3.01 CLP 2,690

37.54%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.66 CLP 9,533

$9.98 CLP 8,933

6.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.48 CLP 5,794

$4.28 CLP 3,833

51.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.79 CLP 9,656

$8.81 CLP 7,877

22.47%

Apples (1kg)

$2.00 CLP 1,793

$2.11 CLP 1,888

-5.21%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 CLP 1,462

$2.28 CLP 2,040

-28.51%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 CLP 1,906

$2.45 CLP 2,193

-13.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.84 CLP 1,643

$1.20 CLP 1,078

53.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.95 CLP 1,748

$0.95 CLP 854

105.26%

Onion (1kg)

$1.68 CLP 1,499

$0.94 CLP 837

78.72%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.29 CLP 1,157

$1.21 CLP 1,080

6.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 CLP 1,063

$1.16 CLP 1,041

2.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.56 CLP 4,975

$4.81 CLP 4,306

15.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.77 CLP 6,058

$6.00 CLP 5,364

12.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.54 CLP 1,376

$1.53 CLP 1,370

0.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 CLP 2,213

$1.43 CLP 1,278

72.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 CLP 760

$0.62 CLP 553

37.10%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$42.05 CLP 37.6K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.50 CLP 448

$0.47 CLP 419

6.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.43 CLP 1,278

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.70 CLP 10.5K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 CLP 1,225

$1.40 CLP 1,249

-2.14%

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

$19.6K CLP 17.6M

$19.7K CLP 17.6M

-0.09%

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

$22.6K CLP 20.2M

$21.3K CLP 19.1M

5.99%

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

$133 CLP 119.3K

$47.75 CLP 42.7K

179.37%

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

$13.65 CLP 12.2K

$10.47 CLP 9,367

30.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.85 CLP 19.5K

$13.05 CLP 11.7K

67.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.74 CLP 30.2K

$43.14 CLP 38.6K

-21.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.94 CLP 18.7K

$21.57 CLP 19.3K

-2.92%

Cinema Ticket

$6.55 CLP 5,864

$5.42 CLP 4,845

20.85%

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

$436 CLP 390.2K

$273 CLP 243.9K

59.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,621 CLP 7.7M

$3,289 CLP 2.9M

162.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.0 CLP 49.2K

$41.85 CLP 37.4K

31.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.75 CLP 29.3K

$16.11 CLP 14.4K

103.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.0 CLP 68.0K

$61.1 CLP 54.6K

24.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.5 CLP 74.7K

$72.2 CLP 64.6K

15.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$519 CLP 464.3K

$463 CLP 414.4K

12.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 CLP 418.9K

$370 CLP 331.1K

26.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,012 CLP 905.1K

$859 CLP 768.2K

17.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$888 CLP 794.1K

$690 CLP 617.1K

28.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,891 CLP 2.6M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,897 CLP 2.6M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$884 CLP 790.8K

$757 CLP 676.9K

16.82%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Antofagasta: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $519 in Santiago and $463 in Antofagasta. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Santiago pays 17% 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: $53.0 in Santiago vs $38.00 in Antofagasta for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $242 vs $210 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 35% 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.

Santiago pays 17% more on average, 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: $519 in Santiago versus $463 in Antofagasta. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $436 in Santiago versus $273 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 $38.00 versus $53.0 in Santiago. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $944 in Antofagasta versus $1,270 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 35% less than in Santiago. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.