Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Santiago and Trujillo

For one person, living is cheaper in Trujillo: $867 a month against $1,190 in Santiago, rent and utilities included – about $3,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Santiago
🇨🇱 Chile
$1,190
/mo nomad
Trujillo
🇵🇪 Peru
$867
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Santiago and in Trujillo

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

A single person spends $1,190 per month in Santiago vs $867 in Trujillo, rent included.

  • Santiago $1,190
  • Trujillo $867

A couple spends around $1,892 per month in Santiago vs $1,340 in Trujillo, rent included.

  • Santiago $1,892
  • Trujillo $1,340

A family of three spends $2,595 per month in Santiago vs $1,814 in Trujillo, rent included.

  • Santiago $2,595
  • Trujillo $1,814

Santiago costs about 37% more than Trujillo, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Santiago and Trujillo are more affordable than the global median – Santiago 12% lower, Trujillo 36% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Santiago
Trujillo
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$10.37 CLP 10.2K
$3.50 PEN 12.01
196.29%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$51.7 CLP 50.9K
$23.64 PEN 81.2
118.61%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.94 CLP 8,805
$7.01 PEN 24.07
27.53%
Cappuccino
$3.26 CLP 3,211
$3.25 PEN 11.17
0.31%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.67 CLP 1,640
$0.89 PEN 3.06
87.64%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.23 CLP 1,212
$0.62 PEN 2.12
98.39%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.98 CLP 3,914
$1.98 PEN 6.81
101.01%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.54 CLP 4,465
$3.46 PEN 11.89
31.21%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Santiago
Trujillo
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.28 CLP 1,263
$1.31 PEN 4.50
-2.29%
White Bread (500g)
$1.85 CLP 1,817
$2.06 PEN 7.08
-10.19%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.59 CLP 1,567
$1.14 PEN 3.92
39.47%
Eggs
$4.10 CLP 4,031
$3.98 PEN 13.68
3.02%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$11.41 CLP 11.2K
$7.81 PEN 26.82
46.09%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$6.69 CLP 6,586
$6.54 PEN 22.46
2.29%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.81 CLP 10.6K
$9.20 PEN 31.61
17.50%
Apples (1kg)
$1.94 CLP 1,905
$1.67 PEN 5.74
16.17%
Banana (1kg)
$1.52 CLP 1,497
$0.61 PEN 2.08
149.18%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.60 CLP 1,577
$0.60 PEN 2.06
166.67%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.69 CLP 1,668
$0.89 PEN 3.07
89.89%
Potato (1kg)
$1.10 CLP 1,084
$1.00 PEN 3.42
10.00%
Onion (1kg)
$1.52 CLP 1,500
$1.14 PEN 3.90
33.33%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.18 CLP 1,164
$1.24 PEN 4.24
-4.84%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.08 CLP 1,061
$1.14 PEN 3.93
-5.26%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.07 CLP 4,995
$4.22 PEN 14.49
20.14%
Wine (Bottle)
$5.95 CLP 5,858
$5.72 PEN 19.66
4.02%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.49 CLP 1,470
$1.71 PEN 5.88
-12.87%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.38 CLP 2,342
$1.63 PEN 5.61
46.01%
🚌 Getting Around
Santiago
Trujillo
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.83 CLP 821
$0.57 PEN 1.94
45.61%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$40.14 CLP 39.5K
$17.65 PEN 60.6
127.42%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.40 CLP 393
$2.53 PEN 8.68
-84.19%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.91 CLP 897
$2.21 PEN 7.58
-58.82%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$11.63 CLP 11.5K
$5.98 PEN 20.55
94.48%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.51 CLP 1,486
$1.70 PEN 5.84
-11.18%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$17.6K CLP 17.3M
$17.5K PEN 60.2K
0.31%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$22.0K CLP 21.6M
$27.8K PEN 95.3K
-20.81%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Santiago
Trujillo
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$151 CLP 149.0K
$97.9 PEN 336
54.64%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$12.34 CLP 12.1K
$12.84 PEN 44.08
-3.89%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.73 CLP 18.4K
$27.05 PEN 92.9
-30.76%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Santiago
Trujillo
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$33.71 CLP 33.2K
$39.49 PEN 136
-14.64%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$11.80 CLP 11.6K
$5.79 PEN 19.89
103.80%
Cinema Ticket
$7.45 CLP 7,334
$4.40 PEN 15.11
69.32%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Santiago
Trujillo
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$430 CLP 423.7K
$107 PEN 369
300.75%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$10.8K CLP 10.6M
$2,078 PEN 7,136
419.59%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Santiago
Trujillo
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$49.65 CLP 48.9K
$71.8 PEN 247
-30.87%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$28.94 CLP 28.5K
$14.35 PEN 49.28
101.67%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$65.7 CLP 64.6K
$46.03 PEN 158
42.67%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$80.7 CLP 79.4K
$43.97 PEN 151
83.49%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Santiago
Trujillo
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$559 CLP 550.4K
$384 PEN 1,319
45.52%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$384 CLP 377.8K
$253 PEN 869
51.74%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,004 CLP 988.4K
$744 PEN 2,555
34.98%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$780 CLP 767.9K
$512 PEN 1,758
52.38%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,640 CLP 2.6M
$1,177 PEN 4,043
124.21%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,546 CLP 2.5M
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Santiago
Trujillo
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$804 CLP 791.0K
$548 PEN 1,884
46.50%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.39
11.7
-53.93%

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

Last update for Santiago: October 11, 2026

Last update for Trujillo: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Santiago
$384
Trujillo
$253 34.1% $131
Groceries & Markets
Santiago
$236
Trujillo
$204 13.5% $32
Eating Out
Santiago
$189
Trujillo
$111 41.5% $79
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Santiago
$182
Trujillo
$138 24.5% $45
Clothing & Footwear
Santiago
$101
Trujillo
$79 21.7% $22
Sport & Entertainment
Santiago
$49
Trujillo
$48 0.7% $0.3
Getting Around
Santiago
$48
Trujillo
$33 30.9% $15

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $559 in Santiago versus $384 in Trujillo. 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 46% higher in Santiago, 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 $24.00 in Trujillo. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $236 vs $204 – making Trujillo the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇨🇱 Santiago
🇵🇪 Trujillo
🕒 Local time
10:28 10:28 AM
08:28 8:28 AM
2 h behind Santiago
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
6,139,087 Capital
314,939
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

PEN, 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).

Peruvian Sol exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 3.43 PEN (1 PEN = 0.291 USD). 1 EUR = 3.86 PEN (1 PEN = 0.259 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Santiago Trujillo 2,940 km ≈ 4 h 15 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Santiago
  • Trujillo

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 Trujillo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Trujillo cheaper than Santiago?
Yes – Santiago is pricier by about 37%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,785 per month in Santiago and $1,300 in Trujillo. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Trujillo, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
Public transport costs about 127% less in Trujillo. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Kindergarten costs $430 per month in Santiago and $107 in Trujillo. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Santiago or in Trujillo?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Trujillo, where all-in costs run around $867, than in Santiago at $1,190. In Trujillo it covers expenses comfortably, while in Santiago it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Santiago or Trujillo more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Trujillo – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Trujillo. 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.

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