Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Santiago and New Bedford, MA

For one person, living is cheaper in Santiago: $1,183 a month against $2,753 in New Bedford, MA, rent and utilities included – about $18,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Santiago
🇨🇱 Chile
$1,183
/mo nomad
New Bedford, MA
🇺🇸 United States
$2,753
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Santiago and in New Bedford, MA

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 New Bedford, MA actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,183 per month in Santiago vs $2,753 in New Bedford, MA, rent included.

  • Santiago $1,183
  • New Bedford, MA $2,753

A couple spends around $1,882 per month in Santiago vs $3,820 in New Bedford, MA, rent included.

  • Santiago $1,882
  • New Bedford, MA $3,820

A family of three spends $2,581 per month in Santiago vs $4,887 in New Bedford, MA, rent included.

  • Santiago $2,581
  • New Bedford, MA $4,887

Santiago is about 57% cheaper than New Bedford, MA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Santiago sits 13% below the global median, while New Bedford, MA is 103% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Santiago
New Bedford, MA
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$10.15 CLP 9,995
$19.68 $19.68
-48.42%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$51.9 CLP 51.1K
$59.1 $59.1
-12.21%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.56 CLP 8,423
$5.95 $5.95
43.87%
Cappuccino
$3.15 CLP 3,101
$4.11 $4.11
-23.36%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.71 CLP 1,685
$2.31 $2.31
-25.97%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.28 CLP 1,255
$1.23 $1.23
4.07%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$4.18 CLP 4,118
$6.04 $6.04
-30.79%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.46 CLP 4,390
$4.08 $4.08
9.31%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Santiago
New Bedford, MA
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.29 CLP 1,269
$1.01 $1.01
27.72%
White Bread (500g)
$1.76 CLP 1,737
$4.58 $4.58
-61.57%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.66 CLP 1,630
$16.26 $16.26
-89.79%
Eggs
$4.21 CLP 4,140
$6.42 $6.42
-34.42%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$11.08 CLP 10.9K
$10.57 $10.57
4.82%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$6.75 CLP 6,641
$10.74 $10.74
-37.15%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.76 CLP 10.6K
$19.16 $19.16
-43.84%
Apples (1kg)
$1.96 CLP 1,927
$5.38 $5.38
-63.57%
Banana (1kg)
$1.54 CLP 1,518
$4.47 $4.47
-65.55%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.58 CLP 1,560
$3.38 $3.38
-53.25%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.74 CLP 1,713
$3.01 $3.01
-42.19%
Potato (1kg)
$1.09 CLP 1,075
$2.22 $2.22
-50.90%
Onion (1kg)
$1.53 CLP 1,509
$2.41 $2.41
-36.51%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.18 CLP 1,163
$2.75 $2.75
-57.09%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.08 CLP 1,060
$2.88 $2.88
-62.50%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.18 CLP 5,101
$13.07 $13.07
-60.37%
Wine (Bottle)
$6.17 CLP 6,070
$16.85 $16.85
-63.38%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.53 CLP 1,511
$1.92 $1.92
-20.31%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.36 CLP 2,325
$2.84 $2.84
-16.90%
🚌 Getting Around
Santiago
New Bedford, MA
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.84 CLP 824
-
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$41.44 CLP 40.8K
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.42 CLP 416
$6.12 $6.12
-93.14%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.88 CLP 869
$2.20 $2.20
-60.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$11.49 CLP 11.3K
-
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.49 CLP 1,462
$1.09 $1.09
36.70%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$17.2K CLP 17.0M
$28.2K $28.2K
-38.80%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$25.6K CLP 25.2M
$26.6K $26.6K
-3.67%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Santiago
New Bedford, MA
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$149 CLP 146.3K
$181 $181
-18.00%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$12.11 CLP 11.9K
$36.85 $36.85
-67.14%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$19.13 CLP 18.8K
$58.6 $58.6
-67.36%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Santiago
New Bedford, MA
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$33.30 CLP 32.8K
$28.95 $28.95
15.03%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$11.51 CLP 11.3K
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$7.32 CLP 7,208
$12.43 $12.43
-41.11%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Santiago
New Bedford, MA
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$436 CLP 429.2K
$2,133 $2,133
-79.56%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$11.0K CLP 10.8M
-
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Santiago
New Bedford, MA
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$49.17 CLP 48.4K
$38.67 $38.67
27.15%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$29.11 CLP 28.7K
$16.01 $16.01
81.82%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$65.5 CLP 64.5K
$99.5 $99.5
-34.15%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$80.1 CLP 78.9K
-
-
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Santiago
New Bedford, MA
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$554 CLP 545.8K
$1,869 $1,869
-70.33%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$383 CLP 376.6K
$1,581 $1,581
-75.81%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,002 CLP 986.5K
$2,615 $2,615
-61.68%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$775 CLP 762.5K
$2,341 $2,341
-66.91%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,708 CLP 2.7M
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,613 CLP 2.6M
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Santiago
New Bedford, MA
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$778 CLP 766.3K
$4,641 $4,641
-83.23%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.39
5.42
-0.55%

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

Last update for Santiago: October 17, 2026

Last update for New Bedford, MA: October 20, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Santiago
$383
New Bedford, MA
$1.6K 313% $1.2K
Groceries & Markets
Santiago
$236
New Bedford, MA
$478 102% $242
Eating Out
Santiago
$186
New Bedford, MA
$277 48.6% $91
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Santiago
$180
New Bedford, MA
$277 53.8% $97
Clothing & Footwear
Santiago
$101
New Bedford, MA
$69 * 31.1% $31
Getting Around
Santiago
$50
New Bedford, MA
$17 * 65.5% $33
Sport & Entertainment
Santiago
$48
New Bedford, MA
$54 12.2% $5.9

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $554 in Santiago versus $1,869 in New Bedford, MA. 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 496% higher in New Bedford, MA, 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 $59.0 in New Bedford, MA. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $236 vs $478 – making Santiago the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇨🇱 Santiago
🇺🇸 New Bedford, MA
🕒 Local time
03:52 3:52 AM
02:52 2:52 AM
1 h behind Santiago
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
6,139,087 Capital
92,538
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to CLP – Chilean Peso Converter

Chilean Peso exchange rates as of October 22, 2026: 1 USD = 984 CLP (1,000 CLP = 1.02 USD). 1 EUR = 1,107 CLP (10,000 CLP = 9.04 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 22, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Santiago New Bedford, MA 8,350 km ≈ 11 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Santiago
  • New Bedford, MA

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 New Bedford, MA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Santiago and in New Bedford, MA compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $1,183 in Santiago, $2,753 in New Bedford, MA – roughly 133% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.
What salary covers living expenses in Santiago compared to New Bedford, MA?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,775 per month in Santiago and $4,130 in New Bedford, MA. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Santiago and New Bedford, MA?
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.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $52.0 in Santiago and $59.0 in New Bedford, MA. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Groceries cost about 102% more in New Bedford, MA, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
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 $1,183, than in New Bedford, MA at $2,753. In Santiago it covers expenses comfortably, while in New Bedford, MA it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Where should families live: Santiago or New Bedford, MA?
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 New Bedford, MA?
If budget matters most, go with Santiago. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, New Bedford, MA makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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