Cost of Living Comparison Between Santiago and Arica Cost of Living Comparison Between Santiago and Arica

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,270 per month in Santiago vs $1,079 in Arica, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,013 per month in Santiago vs $1,659 in Arica, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,756 per month in Santiago vs $2,239 in Arica, rent included.

Santiago costs about 18% more than Arica, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Santiago and Arica are more affordable than the global median – Santiago 5% lower, Arica 19% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.93 CLP 9,777

$8.42 CLP 7,537

29.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.1 CLP 47.5K

$44.91 CLP 40.2K

18.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.30 CLP 7,426

$8.10 CLP 7,249

2.47%

Cappuccino

$3.11 CLP 2,784

$2.72 CLP 2,434

14.34%

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

$1.79 CLP 1,600

$1.30 CLP 1,159

37.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.29 CLP 1,153

$1.07 CLP 957

20.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 CLP 2,852

$3.19 CLP 2,855

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.39 CLP 3,928

$4.06 CLP 3,634

8.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.20 CLP 1,069

$1.20 CLP 1,073

White Bread (500g)

$1.59 CLP 1,420

$1.49 CLP 1,337

6.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.18 CLP 1,947

$1.86 CLP 1,667

17.20%

Eggs

$4.14 CLP 3,700

$3.50 CLP 3,128

18.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.66 CLP 9,533

$10.37 CLP 9,275

2.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.48 CLP 5,794

$6.55 CLP 5,858

-1.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.79 CLP 9,656

$10.79 CLP 9,651

Apples (1kg)

$2.00 CLP 1,793

$1.80 CLP 1,606

11.11%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 CLP 1,462

$1.57 CLP 1,401

3.82%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 CLP 1,906

$1.57 CLP 1,405

35.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.84 CLP 1,643

$1.50 CLP 1,342

22.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.95 CLP 1,748

$1.29 CLP 1,152

51.16%

Onion (1kg)

$1.68 CLP 1,499

$1.40 CLP 1,256

20.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.29 CLP 1,157

$1.23 CLP 1,099

4.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 CLP 1,063

$1.17 CLP 1,045

1.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.56 CLP 4,975

$5.55 CLP 4,963

0.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.77 CLP 6,058

$5.27 CLP 4,719

28.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.54 CLP 1,376

$1.62 CLP 1,447

-4.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 CLP 2,213

$2.30 CLP 2,060

7.39%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 CLP 760

$0.62 CLP 559

37.10%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$42.05 CLP 37.6K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.50 CLP 448

$0.50 CLP 451

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

$1.39 CLP 1,242

-1.44%

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

$19.6K CLP 17.6M

$19.4K CLP 17.4M

1.15%

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

$22.6K CLP 20.2M

$21.4K CLP 19.1M

5.76%

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

$133 CLP 119.3K

$132 CLP 118.3K

0.90%

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

$13.65 CLP 12.2K

$13.47 CLP 12.1K

1.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.85 CLP 19.5K

$22.22 CLP 19.9K

-1.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.74 CLP 30.2K

$38.02 CLP 34.0K

-11.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.94 CLP 18.7K

$21.58 CLP 19.3K

-2.97%

Cinema Ticket

$6.55 CLP 5,864

$5.56 CLP 4,974

17.81%

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

$436 CLP 390.2K

$431 CLP 385.5K

1.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,621 CLP 7.7M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.0 CLP 49.2K

$49.70 CLP 44.5K

10.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.75 CLP 29.3K

$30.13 CLP 27.0K

8.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.0 CLP 68.0K

$56.2 CLP 50.3K

35.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.5 CLP 74.7K

$80.8 CLP 72.3K

3.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$519 CLP 464.3K

$485 CLP 433.8K

7.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 CLP 418.9K

$372 CLP 332.9K

25.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,012 CLP 905.1K

$895 CLP 800.5K

13.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$888 CLP 794.1K

$605 CLP 540.9K

46.81%

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

$571 CLP 511.2K

54.70%

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 Arica: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $519 in Santiago versus $485 in Arica. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 55% higher in Santiago, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $53.0 in Santiago versus $45.00 in Arica. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $242 vs $226 – making Arica the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Arica: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,270 in Santiago, $1,079 in Arica – roughly 18% apart. Santiago costs more across the board, with Getting Around showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,905 per month in Santiago and $1,619 in Arica. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Arica, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $53.0 in Santiago and $45.00 in Arica. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 7% more in Santiago, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Arica, where all-in costs run around $1,079, than in Santiago at $1,270. In Arica it covers expenses comfortably, while in Santiago it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Arica – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Arica. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Santiago makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.