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 $1,270 per month in Santiago vs $1,439 in As-salimiyah, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,013 per month in Santiago vs $2,262 in As-salimiyah, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,756 per month in Santiago vs $3,086 in As-salimiyah, rent included.

Santiago is about 12% cheaper than As-salimiyah, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Santiago sits 5% below the global median, while As-salimiyah is 7% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.93 CLP 9,698

$9.77 KWD 3.00

11.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.1 CLP 47.1K

$43.64 KWD 13.38

21.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.30 CLP 7,367

$8.10 KWD 2.48

2.47%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.42 KWD 0.74

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.64 KWD 1.12

Cappuccino

$3.11 CLP 2,762

$6.00 KWD 1.84

-48.17%

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

$1.79 CLP 1,587

$0.63 KWD 0.19

184.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.29 CLP 1,144

$0.35 KWD 0.11

268.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 CLP 2,829

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.39 CLP 3,897

Milk (1 liter)

$1.20 CLP 1,061

$1.49 KWD 0.46

-19.46%

White Bread (500g)

$1.59 CLP 1,409

$0.88 KWD 0.27

80.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.18 CLP 1,931

$1.66 KWD 0.51

31.33%

Eggs

$4.14 CLP 3,671

$2.11 KWD 0.65

96.21%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.66 CLP 9,456

$4.76 KWD 1.46

123.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.48 CLP 5,748

$6.41 KWD 1.97

1.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.79 CLP 9,579

$10.34 KWD 3.17

4.35%

Apples (1kg)

$2.00 CLP 1,779

$1.99 KWD 0.61

0.50%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 CLP 1,450

$1.63 KWD 0.50

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 CLP 1,891

$1.53 KWD 0.47

39.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.84 CLP 1,630

$1.37 KWD 0.42

34.31%

Potato (1kg)

$1.95 CLP 1,734

$1.22 KWD 0.37

59.84%

Onion (1kg)

$1.68 CLP 1,487

$0.87 KWD 0.27

93.10%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.29 CLP 1,147

$1.52 KWD 0.47

-15.13%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 CLP 1,054

$0.49 KWD 0.15

142.86%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$3.19 KWD 0.98

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.02 KWD 0.31

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.40 KWD 0.43

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.56 CLP 4,935

$2.86 KWD 0.88

94.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.77 CLP 6,010

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.54 CLP 1,365

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 CLP 2,195

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 CLP 754

$1.13 KWD 0.35

-24.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$42.05 CLP 37.3K

$48.59 KWD 14.90

-13.46%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.50 CLP 445

$3.24 KWD 0.99

-84.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.43 CLP 1,268

$3.30 KWD 1.01

-56.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.70 CLP 10.4K

$16.06 KWD 4.93

-27.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 CLP 1,215

$0.34 KWD 0.10

302.94%

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

$19.6K CLP 17.4M

$21.5K KWD 6,609

-8.87%

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

$22.6K CLP 20.1M

$19.9K KWD 6,103

13.56%

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

$133 CLP 118.4K

$38.97 KWD 11.95

242.31%

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

$13.65 CLP 12.1K

$18.55 KWD 5.69

-26.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.85 CLP 19.4K

$25.79 KWD 7.91

-15.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.74 CLP 29.9K

$95.6 KWD 29.32

-64.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.94 CLP 18.6K

$64.2 KWD 19.68

-67.37%

Cinema Ticket

$6.55 CLP 5,817

$8.74 KWD 2.68

-25.06%

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

$436 CLP 387.1K

$278 KWD 85.4

56.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,621 CLP 7.7M

$6,686 KWD 2,051

28.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.0 CLP 48.8K

$41.71 KWD 12.79

31.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.75 CLP 29.1K

$41.92 KWD 12.86

-21.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.0 CLP 67.4K

$88.4 KWD 27.12

-14.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.5 CLP 74.1K

$67.3 KWD 20.65

24.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$519 CLP 460.6K

$941 KWD 289

-44.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 CLP 415.5K

$731 KWD 224

-35.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,012 CLP 897.8K

$1,844 KWD 566

-45.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$888 CLP 787.7K

$1,375 KWD 422

-35.43%

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 784.5K

$2,830 KWD 868

-68.76%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for As-salimiyah: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $519 in Santiago versus $941 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 220% 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 $44.00 in As-salimiyah. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $242 vs $166 – 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 13%, 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 $1,905 per month in Santiago and $2,159 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 $1,270 in Santiago and $1,439 in As-salimiyah. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 16% 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 $1,270, than in As-salimiyah at $1,439. 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.