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: $1,250 in Santiago versus $1,071 in Calama.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,011 in Santiago versus $1,603 in Calama.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,771 in Santiago versus $2,136 in Calama.

Living in Santiago is roughly 17% more expensive than Calama, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Santiago 7% lower, Calama 20% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.98 CLP 9,868

$8.19 CLP 7,362

34.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.8 CLP 48.4K

$33.14 CLP 29.8K

62.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.29 CLP 7,452

$7.92 CLP 7,121

4.67%

Cappuccino

$3.12 CLP 2,807

$2.14 CLP 1,920

45.79%

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

$1.77 CLP 1,593

$0.94 CLP 846

88.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.25 CLP 1,126

$0.95 CLP 854

31.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.29 CLP 2,960

$3.16 CLP 2,839

4.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.37 CLP 3,924

$4.07 CLP 3,659

7.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.19 CLP 1,074

$1.23 CLP 1,109

-3.25%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 CLP 1,408

$1.57 CLP 1,409

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.20 CLP 1,975

$1.94 CLP 1,747

13.40%

Eggs

$4.12 CLP 3,705

$3.47 CLP 3,120

18.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.51 CLP 9,444

$10.33 CLP 9,279

1.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.73 CLP 6,052

$6.51 CLP 5,847

3.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.09 CLP 9,967

$11.02 CLP 9,905

0.64%

Apples (1kg)

$2.11 CLP 1,893

$1.83 CLP 1,647

15.30%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 CLP 1,393

$1.53 CLP 1,371

1.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.12 CLP 1,905

$1.52 CLP 1,370

39.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.85 CLP 1,662

$1.50 CLP 1,345

23.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.92 CLP 1,728

$1.28 CLP 1,149

50.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.70 CLP 1,525

$1.41 CLP 1,269

20.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.35 CLP 1,213

$1.27 CLP 1,137

6.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 CLP 1,067

$1.17 CLP 1,050

1.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.64 CLP 5,073

$5.26 CLP 4,727

7.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.43 CLP 5,780

$6.06 CLP 5,445

6.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.54 CLP 1,381

$1.56 CLP 1,403

-1.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.59 CLP 2,325

$2.32 CLP 2,089

11.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.92 CLP 829

$0.59 CLP 529

55.93%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$42.51 CLP 38.2K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.47 CLP 419

$0.51 CLP 459

-7.84%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.42 CLP 1,273

$1.48 CLP 1,327

-4.05%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.33 CLP 10.2K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 CLP 1,291

$1.58 CLP 1,424

-8.86%

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

$19.2K CLP 17.3M

$19.3K CLP 17.3M

-0.32%

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

$23.0K CLP 20.7M

$21.1K CLP 19.0M

8.93%

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

$130 CLP 117.3K

$134 CLP 120.1K

-2.39%

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

$13.75 CLP 12.4K

$13.39 CLP 12.0K

2.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.14 CLP 19.9K

$22.23 CLP 20.0K

-0.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.60 CLP 30.2K

$38.84 CLP 34.9K

-13.49%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.36 CLP 19.2K

$21.27 CLP 19.1K

0.42%

Cinema Ticket

$6.59 CLP 5,920

$5.57 CLP 5,010

18.31%

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

$430 CLP 386.8K

$431 CLP 387.5K

-0.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,655 CLP 7.8M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.9 CLP 50.2K

$50.0 CLP 45.0K

11.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.34 CLP 29.1K

$29.88 CLP 26.9K

8.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.7 CLP 68.0K

$61.3 CLP 55.1K

23.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.4 CLP 75.0K

$83.1 CLP 74.7K

0.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$505 CLP 453.8K

$356 CLP 320.1K

41.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$461 CLP 414.0K

$376 CLP 338.2K

22.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$985 CLP 885.2K

$847 CLP 761.6K

16.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$921 CLP 828.0K

$599 CLP 537.9K

53.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,787 CLP 2.5M

$1,473 CLP 1.3M

89.25%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,837 CLP 2.5M

$1,322 CLP 1.2M

114.65%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$856 CLP 769.5K

$1,175 CLP 1.1M

-27.15%

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: June 6, 2026

Last update for Calama: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $505 in Santiago and $356 in Calama. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Calama pays 37% 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 $33.00 in Calama for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $243 vs $228 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 17% 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 37% 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: $505 in Santiago versus $356 in Calama. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 7% higher in Santiago. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,250 per month in Santiago versus $1,071 in Calama – a 17% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,071 in Calama versus $1,250 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 17% less than in Santiago. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.