Cost of Living Comparison Between Santiago and Iquique Cost of Living Comparison Between Santiago and Iquique

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,270 in Santiago versus $1,045 in Iquique.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,013 in Santiago versus $1,709 in Iquique.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,756 in Santiago versus $2,374 in Iquique.

Living in Santiago is roughly 22% more expensive than Iquique, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Santiago 5% lower, Iquique 22% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.93 CLP 9,698

$8.01 CLP 7,113

36.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.1 CLP 47.1K

$42.47 CLP 37.7K

24.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.30 CLP 7,367

$7.18 CLP 6,374

15.60%

Cappuccino

$3.11 CLP 2,762

$3.68 CLP 3,268

-15.49%

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

$1.79 CLP 1,587

$1.30 CLP 1,156

37.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.29 CLP 1,144

$1.02 CLP 904

26.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 CLP 2,829

$3.50 CLP 3,105

-8.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.39 CLP 3,897

$3.75 CLP 3,331

17.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.20 CLP 1,061

$1.16 CLP 1,029

3.45%

White Bread (500g)

$1.59 CLP 1,409

$1.17 CLP 1,042

35.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.18 CLP 1,931

$1.37 CLP 1,219

59.12%

Eggs

$4.14 CLP 3,671

$3.58 CLP 3,174

15.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.66 CLP 9,456

$10.59 CLP 9,400

0.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.48 CLP 5,748

$6.58 CLP 5,839

-1.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.79 CLP 9,579

$10.97 CLP 9,738

-1.64%

Apples (1kg)

$2.00 CLP 1,779

$1.82 CLP 1,619

9.89%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 CLP 1,450

$2.27 CLP 2,013

-28.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 CLP 1,891

$1.58 CLP 1,402

34.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.84 CLP 1,630

$1.11 CLP 989

65.77%

Potato (1kg)

$1.95 CLP 1,734

$0.82 CLP 729

137.80%

Onion (1kg)

$1.68 CLP 1,487

$0.63 CLP 557

166.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.29 CLP 1,147

$1.22 CLP 1,082

5.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 CLP 1,054

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.56 CLP 4,935

$5.30 CLP 4,701

4.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.77 CLP 6,010

$8.38 CLP 7,437

-19.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.54 CLP 1,365

$1.56 CLP 1,383

-1.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 CLP 2,195

$2.30 CLP 2,038

7.39%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 CLP 754

$0.68 CLP 604

25.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$42.05 CLP 37.3K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.50 CLP 445

$0.51 CLP 454

-1.96%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.43 CLP 1,268

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.70 CLP 10.4K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 CLP 1,215

$1.43 CLP 1,266

-4.20%

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

$19.6K CLP 17.4M

$19.4K CLP 17.2M

1.34%

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

$22.6K CLP 20.1M

$21.7K CLP 19.2M

4.34%

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

$133 CLP 118.4K

$81.7 CLP 72.5K

63.34%

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

$13.65 CLP 12.1K

$13.61 CLP 12.1K

0.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.85 CLP 19.4K

$22.34 CLP 19.8K

-2.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.74 CLP 29.9K

$42.96 CLP 38.1K

-21.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.94 CLP 18.6K

$21.01 CLP 18.6K

-0.33%

Cinema Ticket

$6.55 CLP 5,817

$5.54 CLP 4,913

18.23%

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

$436 CLP 387.1K

$440 CLP 390.7K

-0.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,621 CLP 7.7M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.0 CLP 48.8K

$32.41 CLP 28.8K

69.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.75 CLP 29.1K

$24.37 CLP 21.6K

34.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.0 CLP 67.4K

$48.10 CLP 42.7K

57.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.5 CLP 74.1K

$61.7 CLP 54.8K

35.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$519 CLP 460.6K

$449 CLP 398.5K

15.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 CLP 415.5K

$388 CLP 344.5K

20.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,012 CLP 897.8K

$740 CLP 656.3K

36.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$888 CLP 787.7K

$839 CLP 744.5K

5.81%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,891 CLP 2.6M

$1,926 CLP 1.7M

50.14%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,897 CLP 2.6M

$2,137 CLP 1.9M

35.59%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$884 CLP 784.5K

$1,018 CLP 903.9K

-13.21%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.18

7.5

-30.93%

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

Last update for Santiago: May 31, 2026

Last update for Iquique: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $519 in Santiago and $449 in Iquique. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Iquique pays 15% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $53.0 in Santiago vs $42.00 in Iquique for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $242 vs $227 per month, with Iquique 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 Iquique: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Santiago and Iquique differ by about 22% in total monthly costs ($1,270 vs $1,045 including rent). Iquique is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Iquique earns 15% 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: $519 in Santiago versus $449 in Iquique. 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 $1,270 per month in Santiago versus $1,045 in Iquique – a 22% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,045 in Iquique versus $1,270 in Santiago, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Iquique but tight or insufficient in Santiago. The gap between the two cities makes Iquique 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 Iquique gentler on the wallet – expenses run 22% less than in Santiago. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.