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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,288 per month in Santiago vs $1,100 in Arica, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,020 per month in Santiago vs $1,669 in Arica, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,752 per month in Santiago vs $2,237 in Arica, rent included.

Santiago costs about 17% more than Arica, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Santiago and Arica are more affordable than the global median – Santiago 4% lower, Arica 18% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.72 CLP 9,983

$8.43 CLP 7,851

27.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$54.8 CLP 51.0K

$44.30 CLP 41.3K

23.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.16 CLP 7,601

$8.20 CLP 7,635

-0.49%

Cappuccino

$3.16 CLP 2,941

$2.71 CLP 2,521

16.61%

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

$1.78 CLP 1,660

$1.30 CLP 1,210

36.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.25 CLP 1,162

$1.06 CLP 989

17.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.31 CLP 3,086

$3.29 CLP 3,065

0.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.24 CLP 3,946

$4.28 CLP 3,986

-0.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.18 CLP 1,101

$1.19 CLP 1,104

-0.84%

White Bread (500g)

$1.53 CLP 1,429

$1.50 CLP 1,401

2.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.18 CLP 2,031

$1.85 CLP 1,723

17.84%

Eggs

$4.19 CLP 3,898

$3.50 CLP 3,260

19.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.65 CLP 9,913

$10.31 CLP 9,599

3.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.59 CLP 6,135

$6.73 CLP 6,270

-2.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.13 CLP 10.4K

$10.79 CLP 10.0K

3.15%

Apples (1kg)

$2.09 CLP 1,947

$1.89 CLP 1,759

10.58%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 CLP 1,440

$1.57 CLP 1,465

-1.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.07 CLP 1,923

$1.60 CLP 1,492

29.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.86 CLP 1,730

$1.50 CLP 1,394

24.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.95 CLP 1,820

$1.24 CLP 1,158

57.26%

Onion (1kg)

$1.63 CLP 1,514

$1.36 CLP 1,269

19.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.28 CLP 1,194

$1.22 CLP 1,136

4.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 CLP 1,160

$1.23 CLP 1,146

1.63%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.75 CLP 5,359

$5.27 CLP 4,904

9.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.50 CLP 6,051

$6.39 CLP 5,946

1.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.56 CLP 1,452

$1.54 CLP 1,431

1.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 CLP 2,308

$2.32 CLP 2,161

6.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 CLP 788

$0.58 CLP 537

46.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$42.60 CLP 39.7K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.51 CLP 477

$0.51 CLP 471

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

$1.38 CLP 1,286

0.72%

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

$19.5K CLP 18.2M

$19.7K CLP 18.4M

-0.91%

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

$22.6K CLP 21.0M

$21.5K CLP 20.0M

5.12%

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

$134 CLP 124.6K

$134 CLP 125.1K

-0.42%

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

$13.59 CLP 12.7K

$13.49 CLP 12.6K

0.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.02 CLP 20.5K

$22.09 CLP 20.6K

-0.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.67 CLP 32.3K

$38.36 CLP 35.7K

-9.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.24 CLP 19.8K

$21.43 CLP 20.0K

-0.89%

Cinema Ticket

$6.29 CLP 5,857

$5.81 CLP 5,410

8.26%

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

$436 CLP 406.4K

$435 CLP 404.7K

0.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,744 CLP 8.1M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.3 CLP 51.5K

$50.6 CLP 47.1K

9.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.30 CLP 30.1K

$30.88 CLP 28.8K

4.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.3 CLP 71.9K

$56.2 CLP 52.3K

37.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.5 CLP 79.6K

$83.9 CLP 78.2K

1.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$515 CLP 479.3K

$481 CLP 448.4K

6.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$462 CLP 430.1K

$366 CLP 340.9K

26.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$989 CLP 920.7K

$875 CLP 815.2K

12.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$920 CLP 856.6K

$582 CLP 542.4K

57.93%

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

$537 CLP 499.7K

49.61%

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 Arica: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $515 in Santiago versus $481 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 50% 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 $55.0 in Santiago versus $44.00 in Arica. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $243 vs $229 – 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: $1,288 in Santiago, $1,100 in Arica – roughly 17% apart. Santiago costs more across the board, with Getting Around showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,932 per month in Santiago and $1,651 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 $55.0 in Santiago and $44.00 in Arica. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 6% 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 $1,100, than in Santiago at $1,288. 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.