Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Santiago and Memphis, TN

For one person, living is cheaper in Santiago: $1,206 a month against $2,484 in Memphis, TN, rent and utilities included – about $15,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Santiago
🇨🇱 Chile
$1,206
/mo nomad
Memphis, TN
🇺🇸 United States
$2,484
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Santiago and in Memphis, TN

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Santiago and in Memphis, TN actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,206 per month in Santiago vs $2,484 in Memphis, TN, rent included.

  • Santiago $1,206
  • Memphis, TN $2,484

A couple spends around $1,885 per month in Santiago vs $3,630 in Memphis, TN, rent included.

  • Santiago $1,885
  • Memphis, TN $3,630

A family of three spends $2,564 per month in Santiago vs $4,775 in Memphis, TN, rent included.

  • Santiago $2,564
  • Memphis, TN $4,775

Santiago is about 51% cheaper than Memphis, TN, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Santiago sits 10% below the global median, while Memphis, TN is 85% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Santiago
Memphis, TN
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$10.19 CLP 9,931
$17.83 $17.83
-42.85%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$52.2 CLP 50.9K
$74.9 $74.9
-30.28%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.54 CLP 8,323
$12.10 $12.10
-29.42%
Cappuccino
$3.19 CLP 3,115
$5.56 $5.56
-42.63%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.68 CLP 1,637
$2.39 $2.39
-29.71%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.22 CLP 1,191
$1.97 $1.97
-38.07%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$4.21 CLP 4,101
$7.18 $7.18
-41.36%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.66 CLP 4,539
$8.23 $8.23
-43.38%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Santiago
Memphis, TN
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.32 CLP 1,283
$0.90 $0.90
46.67%
White Bread (500g)
$1.80 CLP 1,756
$3.14 $3.14
-42.68%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.58 CLP 1,543
$4.01 $4.01
-60.60%
Eggs
$4.25 CLP 4,141
$3.78 $3.78
12.43%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$11.19 CLP 10.9K
$13.45 $13.45
-16.80%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$6.75 CLP 6,580
$11.36 $11.36
-40.58%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.67 CLP 10.4K
$19.44 $19.44
-45.11%
Apples (1kg)
$2.04 CLP 1,991
$5.73 $5.73
-64.40%
Banana (1kg)
$1.53 CLP 1,497
$1.77 $1.77
-13.56%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.59 CLP 1,549
$6.00 $6.00
-73.50%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.75 CLP 1,708
$4.83 $4.83
-63.77%
Potato (1kg)
$1.08 CLP 1,051
$3.22 $3.22
-66.46%
Onion (1kg)
$1.51 CLP 1,476
$4.18 $4.18
-63.88%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.17 CLP 1,145
$2.56 $2.56
-54.30%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.07 CLP 1,041
$2.13 $2.13
-49.77%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.14 CLP 5,015
$10.63 $10.63
-51.65%
Wine (Bottle)
$5.88 CLP 5,732
$12.87 $12.87
-54.31%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.55 CLP 1,513
$1.79 $1.79
-13.41%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.27 CLP 2,218
$1.64 $1.64
38.41%
🚌 Getting Around
Santiago
Memphis, TN
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.85 CLP 829
$0.97 $0.97
-12.37%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$41.50 CLP 40.5K
$39.19 $39.19
5.89%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.39 CLP 383
$1.94 $1.94
-79.90%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.84 CLP 820
$1.41 $1.41
-40.43%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$11.94 CLP 11.6K
$19.61 $19.61
-39.11%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.50 CLP 1,467
$0.99 $0.99
51.52%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$18.1K CLP 17.7M
$37.4K $37.4K
-51.64%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$21.6K CLP 21.1M
$26.8K $26.8K
-19.35%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Santiago
Memphis, TN
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$151 CLP 147.3K
$186 $186
-18.82%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$12.04 CLP 11.7K
$86.8 $86.8
-86.12%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.93 CLP 18.5K
$76.2 $76.2
-75.16%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Santiago
Memphis, TN
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$33.81 CLP 33.0K
$31.38 $31.38
7.74%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$11.72 CLP 11.4K
$16.72 $16.72
-29.90%
Cinema Ticket
$7.37 CLP 7,185
$15.15 $15.15
-51.35%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Santiago
Memphis, TN
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$434 CLP 423.3K
$1,722 $1,722
-74.79%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$11.0K CLP 10.7M
$25.0K $25.0K
-56.00%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Santiago
Memphis, TN
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$50.9 CLP 49.6K
$47.26 $47.26
7.64%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$29.16 CLP 28.4K
$33.34 $33.34
-12.54%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$67.4 CLP 65.7K
$82.7 $82.7
-18.50%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$80.3 CLP 78.2K
$152 $152
-47.29%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Santiago
Memphis, TN
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$555 CLP 540.8K
$1,495 $1,495
-62.89%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$372 CLP 363.2K
$1,157 $1,157
-67.82%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,009 CLP 984.3K
$2,080 $2,080
-51.47%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$779 CLP 759.1K
$1,884 $1,884
-58.67%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,671 CLP 2.6M
$1,781 $1,781
49.93%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,622 CLP 2.6M
$1,364 $1,364
92.28%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Santiago
Memphis, TN
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$791 CLP 771.7K
$3,648 $3,648
-78.31%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.39
6.6
-18.33%

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

Last update for Santiago: October 4, 2026

Last update for Memphis, TN: October 6, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Santiago
$372
Memphis, TN
$1.2K 211% $785
Groceries & Markets
Santiago
$236
Memphis, TN
$406 72% $170
Eating Out
Santiago
$187
Memphis, TN
$316 68.4% $128
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Santiago
$182
Memphis, TN
$349 91.7% $167
Clothing & Footwear
Santiago
$102
Memphis, TN
$142 38.6% $40
Getting Around
Santiago
$50
Memphis, TN
$52 5.2% $2.6
Sport & Entertainment
Santiago
$49
Memphis, TN
$62 27% $13

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $555 in Santiago versus $1,495 in Memphis, TN. 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 361% higher in Memphis, TN, 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 $52.0 in Santiago versus $75.0 in Memphis, TN. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $236 vs $406 – making Santiago the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇨🇱 Santiago
🇺🇸 Memphis, TN
🕒 Local time
07:42 7:42 AM
05:42 5:42 AM
2 h behind Santiago
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
6,139,087 Capital
633,104
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to CLP – Chilean Peso Converter

Chilean Peso exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 975 CLP (1,000 CLP = 1.03 USD). 1 EUR = 1,093 CLP (10,000 CLP = 9.15 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.892 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Santiago Memphis, TN 7,890 km ≈ 10 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Santiago
  • Memphis, TN

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Memphis, TN: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Santiago and in Memphis, TN compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $1,206 in Santiago, $2,484 in Memphis, TN – roughly 106% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.
What salary covers living expenses in Santiago compared to Memphis, TN?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,809 per month in Santiago and $3,726 in Memphis, TN. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Santiago and Memphis, TN?
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.
How do commuting costs compare in Santiago and in Memphis, TN?
Public transport costs about 6% less in Santiago. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Santiago and Memphis, TN?
Kindergarten costs $434 per month in Santiago and $1,722 in Memphis, TN. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Which city is more doable on $1,500 per month?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Santiago, where all-in costs run around $1,206, than in Memphis, TN at $2,484. In Santiago it covers expenses comfortably, while in Memphis, TN it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Where should families live: Santiago or Memphis, TN?
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.
How do I decide between Santiago and Memphis, TN?
If budget matters most, go with Santiago. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Memphis, TN makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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