Cost of Living Comparison Between Santiago and As-salimiyah Cost of Living Comparison Between Santiago and As-salimiyah

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,198 per month in Santiago vs $1,341 in As-salimiyah, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,914 per month in Santiago vs $2,298 in As-salimiyah, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,631 per month in Santiago vs $3,255 in As-salimiyah, rent included.

Santiago is about 11% cheaper than As-salimiyah, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Santiago and As-salimiyah are more affordable than the global median – Santiago 12% lower, As-salimiyah 2% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.44 CLP 10.0K

$11.18 KWD 3.44

-6.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.0 CLP 50.9K

$57.3 KWD 17.62

-7.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.77 CLP 8,424

$8.00 KWD 2.46

9.62%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.28 KWD 1.01

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 KWD 0.48

Cappuccino

$3.35 CLP 3,218

$5.10 KWD 1.57

-34.31%

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

$1.71 CLP 1,639

$0.76 KWD 0.23

125.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.30 CLP 1,252

$0.31 KWD 0.10

319.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.17 CLP 4,004

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.78 CLP 4,592

Milk (1 liter)

$1.28 CLP 1,229

$1.29 KWD 0.40

-0.78%

White Bread (500g)

$1.76 CLP 1,694

$0.74 KWD 0.23

137.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.65 CLP 1,586

$1.96 KWD 0.60

-15.82%

Eggs

$4.18 CLP 4,020

$2.13 KWD 0.66

96.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.35 CLP 10.9K

$4.50 KWD 1.38

152.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.75 CLP 6,481

$5.43 KWD 1.67

24.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.91 CLP 10.5K

$9.99 KWD 3.07

9.21%

Apples (1kg)

$2.00 CLP 1,921

$2.06 KWD 0.63

-2.91%

Banana (1kg)

$1.54 CLP 1,478

$1.59 KWD 0.49

-3.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.65 CLP 1,585

$1.31 KWD 0.40

25.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.80 CLP 1,730

$1.50 KWD 0.46

20.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.10 CLP 1,057

$1.36 KWD 0.42

-19.12%

Onion (1kg)

$1.49 CLP 1,431

$0.83 KWD 0.25

79.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 CLP 1,190

$1.61 KWD 0.49

-22.98%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 CLP 1,088

$0.47 KWD 0.14

140.43%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$3.26 KWD 1.00

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.06 KWD 0.32

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.41 KWD 0.43

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.30 CLP 5,087

$2.70 KWD 0.83

96.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.22 CLP 5,977

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 CLP 1,555

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 CLP 2,385

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.81 CLP 774

$1.02 KWD 0.31

-20.59%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.63 CLP 40.0K

$47.74 KWD 14.67

-12.80%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.44 CLP 418

$3.18 KWD 0.98

-86.16%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.85 CLP 814

$3.28 KWD 1.01

-74.09%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.79 CLP 11.3K

$16.08 KWD 4.94

-26.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 CLP 1,492

$0.35 KWD 0.11

342.86%

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

$18.2K CLP 17.5M

$21.0K KWD 6,444

-13.07%

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

$21.9K CLP 21.0M

$20.1K KWD 6,190

8.65%

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

$154 CLP 147.9K

$32.90 KWD 10.11

367.93%

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

$12.82 CLP 12.3K

$20.79 KWD 6.39

-38.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.16 CLP 19.4K

$30.09 KWD 9.25

-33.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.36 CLP 33.0K

$95.3 KWD 29.29

-63.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.94 CLP 11.5K

$65.8 KWD 20.21

-81.84%

Cinema Ticket

$7.56 CLP 7,265

$11.26 KWD 3.46

-32.86%

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

$449 CLP 430.8K

$275 KWD 84.5

63.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.2K CLP 10.8M

$6,451 KWD 1,982

74.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.6 CLP 48.6K

$38.37 KWD 11.79

31.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.29 CLP 28.1K

$38.85 KWD 11.94

-24.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$68.9 CLP 66.2K

$89.4 KWD 27.49

-22.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.5 CLP 80.2K

$65.7 KWD 20.18

27.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$574 CLP 551.9K

$894 KWD 275

-35.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$391 CLP 375.2K

$632 KWD 194

-38.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,038 CLP 996.7K

$1,757 KWD 540

-40.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$777 CLP 746.5K

$1,389 KWD 427

-44.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,663 CLP 2.6M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,567 CLP 2.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$808 CLP 776.3K

$2,785 KWD 856

-70.98%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.39

6.53

-17.46%

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

Last update for Santiago: September 15, 2026

Last update for As-salimiyah: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $574 in Santiago versus $894 in As-salimiyah. 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 245% higher in As-salimiyah, 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 $57.0 in As-salimiyah. Groceries tell a different story – $239 in Santiago vs $158 in As-salimiyah – so As-salimiyah wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 As-salimiyah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – As-salimiyah is pricier by about 12%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,796 per month in Santiago and $2,011 in As-salimiyah. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,198 in Santiago and $1,341 in As-salimiyah. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 15% less in Santiago. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Santiago, where all-in costs run around $1,198, than in As-salimiyah at $1,341. In Santiago it covers expenses comfortably, while in As-salimiyah it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

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