Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Santiago and Milton

For one person, living is cheaper in Santiago: $1,190 a month against $2,673 in Milton, rent and utilities included – about $17,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Santiago
🇨🇱 Chile
$1,190
/mo nomad
Milton
🇨🇦 Canada
$2,673
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Santiago and in Milton

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 Milton actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,190 in Santiago versus $2,673 in Milton.

  • Santiago $1,190
  • Milton $2,673

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,892 in Santiago versus $3,762 in Milton.

  • Santiago $1,892
  • Milton $3,762

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,595 in Santiago versus $4,851 in Milton.

  • Santiago $2,595
  • Milton $4,851

Living in Santiago costs roughly 55% less than in Milton, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Santiago is 12% below, Milton is 98% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Santiago
Milton
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$10.37 CLP 10.2K
$13.86 CA$19.60
-25.18%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$51.7 CLP 50.9K
$69.1 CA$97.7
-25.24%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.94 CLP 8,805
$8.54 CA$12.08
4.68%
Cappuccino
$3.26 CLP 3,211
$3.51 CA$4.97
-7.12%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.67 CLP 1,640
$3.01 CA$4.26
-44.52%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.23 CLP 1,212
$2.28 CA$3.23
-46.05%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.98 CLP 3,914
$4.65 CA$6.58
-14.41%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.54 CLP 4,465
$5.81 CA$8.21
-21.86%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Santiago
Milton
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.28 CLP 1,263
$1.97 CA$2.78
-35.03%
White Bread (500g)
$1.85 CLP 1,817
$2.12 CA$3.00
-12.74%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.59 CLP 1,567
$2.60 CA$3.67
-38.85%
Eggs
$4.10 CLP 4,031
$3.19 CA$4.50
28.53%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$11.41 CLP 11.2K
$8.72 CA$12.33
30.85%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$6.69 CLP 6,586
$21.67 CA$30.63
-69.13%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.81 CLP 10.6K
$23.03 CA$32.56
-53.06%
Apples (1kg)
$1.94 CLP 1,905
$4.89 CA$6.92
-60.33%
Banana (1kg)
$1.52 CLP 1,497
$1.08 CA$1.52
40.74%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.60 CLP 1,577
$2.87 CA$4.05
-44.25%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.69 CLP 1,668
$3.86 CA$5.45
-56.22%
Potato (1kg)
$1.10 CLP 1,084
$2.38 CA$3.36
-53.78%
Onion (1kg)
$1.52 CLP 1,500
$2.19 CA$3.09
-30.59%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.18 CLP 1,164
$2.25 CA$3.19
-47.56%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.08 CLP 1,061
$1.84 CA$2.61
-41.30%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.07 CLP 4,995
$11.30 CA$15.98
-55.13%
Wine (Bottle)
$5.95 CLP 5,858
$13.50 CA$19.08
-55.93%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.49 CLP 1,470
$1.96 CA$2.77
-23.98%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.38 CLP 2,342
$2.63 CA$3.71
-9.51%
🚌 Getting Around
Santiago
Milton
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.83 CLP 821
$2.82 CA$3.99
-70.57%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$40.14 CLP 39.5K
$55.4 CA$78.4
-27.58%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.40 CLP 393
$3.10 CA$4.38
-87.10%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.91 CLP 897
$1.50 CA$2.13
-39.33%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$11.63 CLP 11.5K
$28.06 CA$39.67
-58.55%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.51 CLP 1,486
$1.01 CA$1.42
49.50%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$17.6K CLP 17.3M
$24.1K CA$34.0K
-26.96%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$22.0K CLP 21.6M
$18.9K CA$26.7K
16.31%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Santiago
Milton
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$151 CLP 149.0K
$231 CA$326
-34.38%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$12.34 CLP 12.1K
$55.6 CA$78.6
-77.81%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.73 CLP 18.4K
$50.8 CA$71.8
-63.10%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Santiago
Milton
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$33.71 CLP 33.2K
$41.91 CA$59.3
-19.57%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$11.80 CLP 11.6K
$19.98 CA$28.25
-40.94%
Cinema Ticket
$7.45 CLP 7,334
$14.24 CA$20.13
-47.68%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Santiago
Milton
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$430 CLP 423.7K
$397 CA$562
8.32%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$10.8K CLP 10.6M
$10.6K CA$15.0K
1.85%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Santiago
Milton
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$49.65 CLP 48.9K
$68.5 CA$96.8
-27.50%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$28.94 CLP 28.5K
$45.89 CA$64.9
-36.94%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$65.7 CLP 64.6K
$88.2 CA$125
-25.53%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$80.7 CLP 79.4K
$140 CA$198
-42.33%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Santiago
Milton
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$559 CLP 550.4K
$1,503 CA$2,125
-62.80%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$384 CLP 377.8K
$1,385 CA$1,958
-72.29%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,004 CLP 988.4K
$2,529 CA$3,576
-60.30%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$780 CLP 767.9K
$2,016 CA$2,850
-61.31%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,640 CLP 2.6M
$4,741 CA$6,703
-44.32%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,546 CLP 2.5M
$4,047 CA$5,721
-37.09%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Santiago
Milton
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$804 CLP 791.0K
$3,170 CA$4,481
-74.65%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.39
5.69
-5.27%

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

Last update for Santiago: October 11, 2026

Last update for Milton: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Santiago
$384
Milton
$1.4K 261% $1K
Groceries & Markets
Santiago
$236
Milton
$414 75.4% $178
Eating Out
Santiago
$189
Milton
$235 23.9% $45
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Santiago
$182
Milton
$337 84.7% $155
Clothing & Footwear
Santiago
$101
Milton
$154 52.2% $53
Sport & Entertainment
Santiago
$49
Milton
$70 44.8% $22
Getting Around
Santiago
$48
Milton
$77 59.7% $29

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $559 in Santiago and $1,503 in Milton. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Milton pays 294% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $52.0 in Santiago vs $69.0 in Milton for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $236 vs $414 per month, with Santiago cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇨🇱 Santiago
🇨🇦 Milton
🕒 Local time
23:37 11:37 PM
22:37 10:37 PM
1 h behind Santiago
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
6,139,087 Capital
110,128
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

CAD, USD, EUR to CLP – Chilean Peso Converter

Chilean Peso exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 984 CLP (1,000 CLP = 1.02 USD). 1 EUR = 1,107 CLP (10,000 CLP = 9.04 EUR).

Canadian Dollar exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 1.41 CAD (1 CAD = 0.707 USD). 1 EUR = 1.59 CAD (1 CAD = 0.629 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Santiago Milton 8,610 km ≈ 11 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Santiago
  • Milton

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 Milton: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Santiago and in Milton?
Santiago and Milton differ by about 125% in total monthly costs ($1,190 vs $2,673 including rent). Santiago is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city has better-paying jobs?
On paper, salaries run 294% lower in Milton. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How do apartment prices compare in Santiago and in Milton?
Rent for a central apartment: $559 in Santiago versus $1,503 in Milton. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do commuting costs compare in Santiago and in Milton?
A monthly transit pass in Santiago runs roughly 38% less than in Milton. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Santiago and Milton?
Childcare runs $430 in Santiago versus $397 in Milton. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city is more doable on $1,500 per month?
At $1,190 in Santiago versus $2,673 in Milton, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Santiago but tight or insufficient in Milton. The gap between the two cities makes Santiago the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Santiago and Milton?
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.
Is Santiago or Milton safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Santiago and Milton are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Where should expats move: Santiago or Milton?
Expats usually find Santiago gentler on the wallet – expenses run 125% less than in Milton. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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