Cost of Living Comparison Between Santiago and Los Ángeles Cost of Living Comparison Between Santiago and Los Ángeles

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,290 per month in Santiago vs $1,101 in Los Ángeles, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,039 per month in Santiago vs $1,668 in Los Ángeles, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,788 per month in Santiago vs $2,234 in Los Ángeles, rent included.

Santiago costs about 17% more than Los Ángeles, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Santiago and Los Ángeles are more affordable than the global median – Santiago 4% lower, Los Ángeles 18% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.80 CLP 9,676

$8.58 CLP 7,686

25.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$54.2 CLP 48.5K

$44.15 CLP 39.6K

22.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.33 CLP 7,461

$8.01 CLP 7,174

4.00%

Cappuccino

$3.11 CLP 2,785

$2.70 CLP 2,418

15.19%

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

$1.76 CLP 1,581

$1.32 CLP 1,182

33.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.28 CLP 1,147

$1.07 CLP 957

19.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.28 CLP 2,941

$3.32 CLP 2,971

-1.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 CLP 3,953

$4.08 CLP 3,653

8.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.18 CLP 1,056

$1.22 CLP 1,097

-3.28%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 CLP 1,409

$1.56 CLP 1,401

0.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 CLP 1,946

$1.86 CLP 1,665

16.67%

Eggs

$4.16 CLP 3,723

$3.59 CLP 3,214

15.88%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.55 CLP 9,448

$10.53 CLP 9,435

0.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.66 CLP 5,963

$6.75 CLP 6,045

-1.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.83 CLP 9,699

$10.81 CLP 9,689

0.19%

Apples (1kg)

$2.08 CLP 1,863

$1.84 CLP 1,647

13.04%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 CLP 1,463

$1.52 CLP 1,360

7.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.09 CLP 1,876

$1.60 CLP 1,435

30.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.84 CLP 1,652

$1.46 CLP 1,308

26.03%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 CLP 1,662

$1.24 CLP 1,109

50.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.70 CLP 1,523

$1.40 CLP 1,255

21.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.33 CLP 1,195

$1.23 CLP 1,102

8.13%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.18 CLP 1,059

$1.17 CLP 1,050

0.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.73 CLP 5,137

$5.28 CLP 4,734

8.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.53 CLP 5,850

$4.56 CLP 4,090

43.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.53 CLP 1,374

$1.59 CLP 1,425

-3.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.51 CLP 2,248

$2.25 CLP 2,020

11.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 CLP 820

$0.59 CLP 525

54.24%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$42.61 CLP 38.2K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.51 CLP 461

$0.47 CLP 417

8.51%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.48 CLP 1,324

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.35 CLP 10.2K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 CLP 1,277

$1.38 CLP 1,238

3.62%

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

$19.3K CLP 17.3M

$19.9K CLP 17.8M

-3.11%

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

$22.6K CLP 20.2M

$21.8K CLP 19.5M

3.55%

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

$130 CLP 116.9K

$130 CLP 116.2K

0.61%

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

$13.74 CLP 12.3K

$13.53 CLP 12.1K

1.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.91 CLP 19.6K

$21.63 CLP 19.4K

1.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.54 CLP 30.1K

$39.07 CLP 35.0K

-14.15%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.03 CLP 18.8K

$20.99 CLP 18.8K

0.19%

Cinema Ticket

$6.54 CLP 5,857

$5.77 CLP 5,172

13.34%

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

$437 CLP 391.8K

$433 CLP 387.6K

1.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,711 CLP 7.8M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.3 CLP 48.7K

$49.79 CLP 44.6K

9.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.57 CLP 29.2K

$29.71 CLP 26.6K

9.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.2 CLP 70.1K

$61.8 CLP 55.3K

26.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.6 CLP 74.9K

$82.5 CLP 73.9K

1.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$512 CLP 458.8K

$475 CLP 425.2K

7.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$467 CLP 418.7K

$375 CLP 335.7K

24.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,014 CLP 908.5K

$900 CLP 806.3K

12.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$919 CLP 823.3K

$604 CLP 540.8K

52.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,857 CLP 2.6M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,999 CLP 2.7M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$858 CLP 768.7K

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 Los Ángeles: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $512 in Santiago versus $475 in Los Ángeles. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $54 in Santiago versus $44 in Los Ángeles. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $242 vs $227 – making Los Ángeles 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 Los Ángeles: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Santiago costs about 17% more than Los Ángeles, with the gap driven mainly by Getting Around. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,934 per month in Santiago and $1,652 in Los Ángeles. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Los Ángeles, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $54.0 in Santiago and $44.00 in Los Ángeles. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 7% more in Santiago, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Los Ángeles, where all-in costs run around $1,101, than in Santiago at $1,290. In Los Ángeles it covers expenses comfortably, while in Santiago it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Los Ángeles – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Los Ángeles. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Santiago makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.