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 $1,288 per month in Santiago vs $1,427 in As-salimiyah, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,020 per month in Santiago vs $2,254 in As-salimiyah, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,752 per month in Santiago vs $3,080 in As-salimiyah, rent included.

Santiago is about 10% cheaper than As-salimiyah, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Santiago sits 4% below the global median, while As-salimiyah is 7% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.72 CLP 9,983

$9.73 KWD 2.99

10.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$54.8 CLP 51.0K

$43.60 KWD 13.40

25.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.16 CLP 7,601

$7.93 KWD 2.44

2.90%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.48 KWD 0.76

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 KWD 1.12

Cappuccino

$3.16 CLP 2,941

$6.11 KWD 1.88

-48.28%

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

$1.78 CLP 1,660

$0.68 KWD 0.21

161.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.25 CLP 1,162

$0.35 KWD 0.11

257.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.31 CLP 3,086

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.24 CLP 3,946

Milk (1 liter)

$1.18 CLP 1,101

$1.43 KWD 0.44

-17.48%

White Bread (500g)

$1.53 CLP 1,429

$0.90 KWD 0.28

70.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.18 CLP 2,031

$1.59 KWD 0.49

37.11%

Eggs

$4.19 CLP 3,898

$2.05 KWD 0.63

104.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.65 CLP 9,913

$4.88 KWD 1.50

118.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.59 CLP 6,135

$6.23 KWD 1.91

5.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.13 CLP 10.4K

$10.16 KWD 3.12

9.55%

Apples (1kg)

$2.09 CLP 1,947

$2.01 KWD 0.62

3.98%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 CLP 1,440

$1.57 KWD 0.48

-1.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.07 CLP 1,923

$1.57 KWD 0.48

31.85%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.86 CLP 1,730

$1.36 KWD 0.42

36.76%

Potato (1kg)

$1.95 CLP 1,820

$1.26 KWD 0.39

54.76%

Onion (1kg)

$1.63 CLP 1,514

$0.87 KWD 0.27

87.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.28 CLP 1,194

$1.59 KWD 0.49

-19.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 CLP 1,160

$0.49 KWD 0.15

155.10%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$3.29 KWD 1.01

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.01 KWD 0.31

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.38 KWD 0.42

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.75 CLP 5,359

$2.86 KWD 0.88

101.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.50 CLP 6,051

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.56 CLP 1,452

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 CLP 2,308

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 CLP 788

$1.12 KWD 0.35

-24.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$42.60 CLP 39.7K

$49.19 KWD 15.12

-13.40%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.51 CLP 477

$3.32 KWD 1.02

-84.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.45 CLP 1,351

$3.17 KWD 0.98

-54.26%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.30 CLP 10.5K

$16.63 KWD 5.11

-32.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.39 CLP 1,290

$0.32 KWD 0.10

334.37%

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

$19.5K CLP 18.2M

$21.5K KWD 6,603

-8.99%

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

$22.6K CLP 21.0M

$19.9K KWD 6,119

13.34%

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

$134 CLP 124.6K

$38.74 KWD 11.91

245.30%

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

$13.59 CLP 12.7K

$18.42 KWD 5.66

-26.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.02 CLP 20.5K

$25.68 KWD 7.90

-14.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.67 CLP 32.3K

$94.0 KWD 28.91

-63.13%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.24 CLP 19.8K

$65.0 KWD 19.97

-67.31%

Cinema Ticket

$6.29 CLP 5,857

$8.38 KWD 2.58

-24.94%

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

$436 CLP 406.4K

$275 KWD 84.5

58.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,744 CLP 8.1M

$6,685 KWD 2,055

30.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.3 CLP 51.5K

$42.26 KWD 12.99

30.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.30 CLP 30.1K

$41.90 KWD 12.88

-22.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.3 CLP 71.9K

$88.7 KWD 27.25

-12.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.5 CLP 79.6K

$68.6 KWD 21.08

24.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$515 CLP 479.3K

$949 KWD 292

-45.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$462 CLP 430.1K

$710 KWD 218

-34.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$989 CLP 920.7K

$1,858 KWD 571

-46.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$920 CLP 856.6K

$1,366 KWD 420

-32.68%

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

$2,794 KWD 859

-71.27%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.18

7.14

-27.45%

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

Last update for Santiago: July 11, 2026

Last update for As-salimiyah: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $515 in Santiago versus $949 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 248% 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 $55.0 in Santiago versus $44.00 in As-salimiyah. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $243 vs $164 – making As-salimiyah 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 As-salimiyah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – As-salimiyah is pricier by about 11%, 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 $1,932 per month in Santiago and $2,140 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 $1,288 in Santiago and $1,427 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 $1,288, than in As-salimiyah at $1,427. 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.