Cost of Living Comparison Between Santiago and Calama Cost of Living Comparison Between Santiago and Calama

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,290 in Santiago versus $1,077 in Calama.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,039 in Santiago versus $1,598 in Calama.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,788 in Santiago versus $2,119 in Calama.

Living in Santiago is roughly 20% more expensive than Calama, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Santiago 4% lower, Calama 20% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.80 CLP 9,603

$7.95 CLP 7,068

35.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$54.2 CLP 48.2K

$33.74 CLP 30.0K

60.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.33 CLP 7,405

$7.75 CLP 6,890

7.48%

Cappuccino

$3.11 CLP 2,764

$2.20 CLP 1,959

41.36%

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

$1.76 CLP 1,569

$0.92 CLP 822

91.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.28 CLP 1,139

$0.95 CLP 847

34.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.28 CLP 2,919

$3.31 CLP 2,948

-0.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 CLP 3,924

$4.06 CLP 3,612

8.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.18 CLP 1,048

$1.19 CLP 1,061

-0.84%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 CLP 1,398

$1.55 CLP 1,379

1.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 CLP 1,932

$1.96 CLP 1,740

10.71%

Eggs

$4.16 CLP 3,695

$3.47 CLP 3,084

19.88%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.55 CLP 9,377

$10.29 CLP 9,147

2.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.66 CLP 5,918

$6.55 CLP 5,822

1.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.83 CLP 9,626

$11.04 CLP 9,815

-1.90%

Apples (1kg)

$2.08 CLP 1,849

$1.88 CLP 1,675

10.64%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 CLP 1,452

$1.50 CLP 1,334

8.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.09 CLP 1,861

$1.52 CLP 1,350

37.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.84 CLP 1,640

$1.50 CLP 1,334

22.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 CLP 1,650

$1.28 CLP 1,142

45.31%

Onion (1kg)

$1.70 CLP 1,511

$1.35 CLP 1,202

25.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.33 CLP 1,186

$1.21 CLP 1,073

9.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.18 CLP 1,051

$1.23 CLP 1,090

-4.07%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.73 CLP 5,099

$5.53 CLP 4,917

3.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.53 CLP 5,806

$4.51 CLP 4,006

44.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.53 CLP 1,363

$1.59 CLP 1,414

-3.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.51 CLP 2,231

$2.20 CLP 1,960

14.09%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 CLP 813

$0.58 CLP 515

56.90%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$42.61 CLP 37.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.51 CLP 457

$0.50 CLP 447

2.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.48 CLP 1,314

$1.53 CLP 1,363

-3.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.35 CLP 10.1K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 CLP 1,268

$1.53 CLP 1,356

-6.54%

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

$19.3K CLP 17.2M

$19.9K CLP 17.7M

-3.12%

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

$22.6K CLP 20.1M

$21.1K CLP 18.8M

6.95%

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

$130 CLP 116.0K

$134 CLP 119.2K

-2.67%

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

$13.74 CLP 12.2K

$13.69 CLP 12.2K

0.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.91 CLP 19.5K

$22.18 CLP 19.7K

-1.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.54 CLP 29.8K

$38.16 CLP 33.9K

-12.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.03 CLP 18.7K

$21.33 CLP 19.0K

-1.41%

Cinema Ticket

$6.54 CLP 5,813

$5.68 CLP 5,055

15.14%

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

$437 CLP 388.9K

$432 CLP 384.4K

1.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,711 CLP 7.7M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.3 CLP 48.3K

$50.1 CLP 44.5K

8.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.57 CLP 29.0K

$29.74 CLP 26.4K

9.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.2 CLP 69.5K

$61.5 CLP 54.7K

27.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.6 CLP 74.4K

$82.5 CLP 73.3K

1.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$512 CLP 455.3K

$348 CLP 309.4K

47.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$467 CLP 415.6K

$369 CLP 328.0K

26.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,014 CLP 901.6K

$852 CLP 757.4K

19.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$919 CLP 817.1K

$590 CLP 524.8K

55.72%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,857 CLP 2.5M

$1,543 CLP 1.4M

85.23%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,999 CLP 2.7M

$1,368 CLP 1.2M

119.15%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$858 CLP 762.9K

$1,213 CLP 1.1M

-29.27%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Calama: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $512 in Santiago and $348 in Calama. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Calama pays 41% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $54.0 in Santiago vs $34.00 in Calama for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $242 vs $225 per month, with Calama cheaper across the board.

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 Calama: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Calama wins on cost – living expenses run 20% lower than in Santiago. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Calama the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, Calama earns 41% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $512 in Santiago versus $348 in Calama. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 8% higher in Santiago. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,290 per month in Santiago versus $1,077 in Calama – a 20% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,077 in Calama versus $1,290 in Santiago, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Calama but tight or insufficient in Santiago. The gap between the two cities makes Calama the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Calama gentler on the wallet – expenses run 20% less than in Santiago. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.