Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Santiago and Perez Zeledon

For one person, living is cheaper in Santiago: $1,183 a month against $1,328 in Perez Zeledon, rent and utilities included – about $1,700 less a year. The total is higher in Perez Zeledon despite lower rent and utilities.

57

Cost of Living Index in Santiago
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Santiago Living Index
64

Cost of Living Index in Perez Zeledon
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Perez Zeledon Living Index

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Santiago

🇨🇱 Chile

$1,183

/mo nomad

Perez Zeledon

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,328

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Santiago and in Perez Zeledon

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

A single person spends $1,183 per month in Santiago vs $1,328 in Perez Zeledon, rent included.

Santiago $1,183
Perez Zeledon $1,328

A couple spends around $1,882 per month in Santiago vs $2,371 in Perez Zeledon, rent included.

Santiago $1,882
Perez Zeledon $2,371

A family of three spends $2,581 per month in Santiago vs $3,414 in Perez Zeledon, rent included.

Santiago $2,581
Perez Zeledon $3,414

Santiago is about 11% cheaper than Perez Zeledon, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Santiago and Perez Zeledon are more affordable than the global median – Santiago 13% lower, Perez Zeledon 2% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.15 CLP 9,995

$9.34 ₡4,188

8.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.9 CLP 51.1K

$36.62 ₡16.4K

41.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.56 CLP 8,423

$8.23 ₡3,689

4.01%

Cappuccino

$3.15 CLP 3,101

$2.70 ₡1,210

16.67%

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

$1.71 CLP 1,685

$1.96 ₡880

-12.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.28 CLP 1,255

$1.71 ₡766

-25.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.18 CLP 4,118

$1.79 ₡804

133.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 CLP 4,390

$3.08 ₡1,380

44.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.29 CLP 1,269

$1.64 ₡735

-21.34%

White Bread (500g)

$1.76 CLP 1,737

$3.03 ₡1,357

-41.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.66 CLP 1,630

$2.47 ₡1,109

-32.79%

Eggs

$4.21 CLP 4,140

$2.48 ₡1,113

69.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.08 CLP 10.9K

$10.62 ₡4,763

4.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.75 CLP 6,641

$10.36 ₡4,646

-34.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.76 CLP 10.6K

$13.82 ₡6,196

-22.14%

Apples (1kg)

$1.96 CLP 1,927

$4.99 ₡2,238

-60.72%

Banana (1kg)

$1.54 CLP 1,518

$1.08 ₡483

42.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.58 CLP 1,560

$4.85 ₡2,174

-67.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.74 CLP 1,713

$3.96 ₡1,777

-56.06%

Potato (1kg)

$1.09 CLP 1,075

$3.86 ₡1,730

-71.76%

Onion (1kg)

$1.53 CLP 1,509

$3.78 ₡1,693

-59.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 CLP 1,163

$0.46 ₡205

156.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 CLP 1,060

$3.21 ₡1,441

-66.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.18 CLP 5,101

$5.76 ₡2,582

-10.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.17 CLP 6,070

$19.78 ₡8,870

-68.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.53 CLP 1,511

$2.77 ₡1,240

-44.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.36 CLP 2,325

$3.50 ₡1,572

-32.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 CLP 824

$0.77 ₡344

9.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.44 CLP 40.8K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.42 CLP 416

$2.51 ₡1,125

-83.27%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.88 CLP 869

$1.61 ₡720

-45.34%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.49 CLP 11.3K

$8.81 ₡3,952

30.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 CLP 1,462

$1.54 ₡689

-3.25%

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

$17.2K CLP 17.0M

$22.3K ₡10.0M

-22.71%

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

$25.6K CLP 25.2M

$34.8K ₡15.6M

-26.35%

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

$149 CLP 146.3K

$92.9 ₡41.7K

59.97%

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

$12.11 CLP 11.9K

$23.91 ₡10.7K

-49.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.13 CLP 18.8K

$58.7 ₡26.3K

-67.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.30 CLP 32.8K

$72.4 ₡32.5K

-54.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.51 CLP 11.3K

Cinema Ticket

$7.32 CLP 7,208

$7.46 ₡3,346

-1.88%

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

$436 CLP 429.2K

$508 ₡227.7K

-14.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.0K CLP 10.8M

$16.9K ₡7.6M

-35.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.17 CLP 48.4K

$72.9 ₡32.7K

-32.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.11 CLP 28.7K

$56.8 ₡25.5K

-48.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$65.5 CLP 64.5K

$129 ₡58.0K

-49.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.1 CLP 78.9K

$130 ₡58.1K

-38.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$554 CLP 545.8K

$401 ₡180.0K

38.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$383 CLP 376.6K

$333 ₡149.4K

14.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,002 CLP 986.5K

$1,898 ₡851.1K

-47.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$775 CLP 762.5K

$1,258 ₡564.0K

-38.41%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,708 CLP 2.7M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,613 CLP 2.6M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$778 CLP 766.3K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.39

8.62

-37.47%

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

Last update for Santiago: October 17, 2026

Last update for Perez Zeledon: October 20, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Santiago

$383 32.3%

Perez Zeledon

$333 25.1% 12.9% $49

Groceries & Markets

Santiago

$236 20%

Perez Zeledon

$382 28.8% 61.9% $146

Eating Out

Santiago

$186 15.8%

Perez Zeledon

$162 12.2% 13.4% $25

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Santiago

$180 15.2%

Perez Zeledon

$176 13.2% 2.4% $4.3

Clothing & Footwear

Santiago

$101 8.5%

Perez Zeledon

$175 13.2% 73.6% $74

Getting Around

Santiago

$50 4.2%

Perez Zeledon

$14 * 1% 72.6% $36

Sport & Entertainment

Santiago

$48 4.1%

Perez Zeledon

$87 6.6% 82.1% $39

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 $401 in Perez Zeledon. 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 $52.0 in Santiago versus $37.00 in Perez Zeledon. Groceries tell a different story – $236 in Santiago vs $382 in Perez Zeledon – so Santiago wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇨🇱 Santiago

🇨🇷 Perez Zeledon

🕒 Local time

19:44 7:44 PM

16:44 4:44 PM

3 h behind Santiago

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

6,139,087 Capital

135,000

💱 Currency

Chilean Peso CLP $

Costa Rican Colón CRC ₡

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 CLP = 10.16 USD

10,000 CLP = 9.04 EUR

1,000 CRC = 2.23 USD

1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

CRC, USD, EUR to CLP – Chilean Peso Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇨🇱 Chilean Peso ($)

Chilean Peso exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 984 CLP (1,000 CLP = 1.02 USD). 1 EUR = 1,107 CLP (10,000 CLP = 9.04 EUR).

Costa Rican Colón exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 448 CRC (1,000 CRC = 2.23 USD). 1 EUR = 504 CRC (1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR).

USD to CLP in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Santiago Perez Zeledon 4,940 km ≈ 7 h nonstop flight

From you

Santiago
Perez Zeledon

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 Perez Zeledon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Perez Zeledon is pricier by about 12%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,775 per month in Santiago and $1,992 in Perez Zeledon. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,183 in Santiago and $1,328 in Perez Zeledon. That's a gap of about 12%.

Kindergarten costs $436 per month in Santiago and $508 in Perez Zeledon. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Santiago, where all-in costs run around $1,183, than in Perez Zeledon at $1,328. In Santiago it covers expenses comfortably, while in Perez Zeledon it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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.

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