Cost of Living Comparison Between Santiago and Quellón Cost of Living Comparison Between Santiago and Quellón

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,288 per month in Santiago vs $1,089 in Quellón, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,020 per month in Santiago vs $1,626 in Quellón, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,752 per month in Santiago vs $2,162 in Quellón, rent included.

Santiago costs about 18% more than Quellón, driven mainly by Getting Around.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.72 CLP 9,983

$8.44 CLP 7,864

27.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$54.8 CLP 51.0K

$44.06 CLP 41.0K

24.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.16 CLP 7,601

$8.00 CLP 7,452

2.00%

Cappuccino

$3.16 CLP 2,941

$2.70 CLP 2,514

17.04%

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

$1.78 CLP 1,660

$1.36 CLP 1,266

30.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.25 CLP 1,162

$1.06 CLP 989

17.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.31 CLP 3,086

$3.17 CLP 2,953

4.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.24 CLP 3,946

$4.08 CLP 3,795

3.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.18 CLP 1,101

$1.20 CLP 1,113

-1.67%

White Bread (500g)

$1.53 CLP 1,429

$1.50 CLP 1,396

2.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.18 CLP 2,031

$1.92 CLP 1,791

13.54%

Eggs

$4.19 CLP 3,898

$3.46 CLP 3,222

21.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.65 CLP 9,913

$10.57 CLP 9,841

0.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.59 CLP 6,135

$6.64 CLP 6,183

-0.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.13 CLP 10.4K

$10.93 CLP 10.2K

1.83%

Apples (1kg)

$2.09 CLP 1,947

$1.82 CLP 1,696

14.84%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 CLP 1,440

$1.58 CLP 1,468

-1.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.07 CLP 1,923

$1.60 CLP 1,490

29.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.86 CLP 1,730

$1.50 CLP 1,394

24.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.95 CLP 1,820

$1.27 CLP 1,185

53.54%

Onion (1kg)

$1.63 CLP 1,514

$1.41 CLP 1,313

15.60%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.28 CLP 1,194

$1.23 CLP 1,141

4.07%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 CLP 1,160

$1.17 CLP 1,093

6.84%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.75 CLP 5,359

$5.51 CLP 5,132

4.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.50 CLP 6,051

$5.75 CLP 5,351

13.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.56 CLP 1,452

$1.60 CLP 1,492

-2.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 CLP 2,308

$2.28 CLP 2,124

8.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 CLP 788

$0.58 CLP 540

46.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$42.60 CLP 39.7K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.51 CLP 477

$0.51 CLP 473

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.45 CLP 1,351

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.30 CLP 10.5K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.39 CLP 1,290

$1.43 CLP 1,328

-2.80%

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

$19.5K CLP 18.2M

$19.8K CLP 18.4M

-1.22%

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

$22.6K CLP 21.0M

$21.7K CLP 20.2M

3.82%

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

$134 CLP 124.6K

$134 CLP 124.9K

-0.28%

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

$13.59 CLP 12.7K

$13.53 CLP 12.6K

0.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.02 CLP 20.5K

$22.00 CLP 20.5K

0.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.67 CLP 32.3K

$38.30 CLP 35.7K

-9.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.24 CLP 19.8K

$21.17 CLP 19.7K

0.33%

Cinema Ticket

$6.29 CLP 5,857

$5.51 CLP 5,130

14.16%

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

$436 CLP 406.4K

$439 CLP 408.4K

-0.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,744 CLP 8.1M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.3 CLP 51.5K

$50.3 CLP 46.8K

10.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.30 CLP 30.1K

$30.34 CLP 28.2K

6.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.3 CLP 71.9K

$62.7 CLP 58.4K

23.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.5 CLP 79.6K

$80.8 CLP 75.3K

5.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$515 CLP 479.3K

$478 CLP 444.8K

7.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$462 CLP 430.1K

$373 CLP 347.3K

23.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$989 CLP 920.7K

$901 CLP 839.1K

9.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$920 CLP 856.6K

$592 CLP 551.0K

55.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,871 CLP 2.7M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,757 CLP 2.6M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$803 CLP 747.6K

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: July 11, 2026

Last update for Quellón: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $515 in Santiago versus $478 in Quellón. 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 $55.0 in Santiago versus $44.00 in Quellón. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $243 vs $228 – making Quellón 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 Quellón: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Santiago costs about 18% more than Quellón, 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 $1,932 per month in Santiago and $1,633 in Quellón. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Quellón, 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 $1,288 in Santiago and $1,089 in Quellón. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $436 per month in Santiago and $439 in Quellón. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Quellón, where all-in costs run around $1,089, than in Santiago at $1,288. In Quellón it covers expenses comfortably, while in Santiago it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Quellón – 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 Quellón. 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.