Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Santiago and Zacatecas

For one person, living is cheaper in Zacatecas: $738 a month against $1,190 in Santiago, rent and utilities included – about $5,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

57

Cost of Living Index in Santiago
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Santiago Living Index
36

Cost of Living Index in Zacatecas
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Zacatecas Living Index

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Santiago

🇨🇱 Chile

$1,190

/mo nomad

Zacatecas

🇲🇽 Mexico

$738

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Santiago and in Zacatecas

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

A single person spends $1,190 per month in Santiago vs $738 in Zacatecas, rent included.

Santiago $1,190
Zacatecas $738

A couple spends around $1,892 per month in Santiago vs $1,170 in Zacatecas, rent included.

Santiago $1,892
Zacatecas $1,170

A family of three spends $2,595 per month in Santiago vs $1,602 in Zacatecas, rent included.

Santiago $2,595
Zacatecas $1,602

Santiago costs about 61% more than Zacatecas, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Santiago and Zacatecas are more affordable than the global median – Santiago 12% lower, Zacatecas 45% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.37 CLP 10.2K

$6.12 MX$113

69.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.7 CLP 50.9K

$31.70 MX$586

63.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.94 CLP 8,805

$7.50 MX$139

19.20%

Cappuccino

$3.26 CLP 3,211

$2.96 MX$54.7

10.14%

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

$1.67 CLP 1,640

$1.21 MX$22.31

38.02%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.23 CLP 1,212

$0.72 MX$13.31

70.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.98 CLP 3,914

$1.86 MX$34.45

113.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.54 CLP 4,465

$4.08 MX$75.4

11.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.28 CLP 1,263

$1.37 MX$25.41

-6.57%

White Bread (500g)

$1.85 CLP 1,817

$2.21 MX$40.91

-16.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.59 CLP 1,567

$1.54 MX$28.52

3.25%

Eggs

$4.10 CLP 4,031

$2.29 MX$42.31

79.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.41 CLP 11.2K

$7.32 MX$135

55.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.69 CLP 6,586

$6.12 MX$113

9.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.81 CLP 10.6K

$9.25 MX$171

16.86%

Apples (1kg)

$1.94 CLP 1,905

$1.75 MX$32.31

10.86%

Banana (1kg)

$1.52 CLP 1,497

$1.66 MX$30.63

-8.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.60 CLP 1,577

$2.02 MX$37.30

-20.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.69 CLP 1,668

$1.46 MX$27.05

15.75%

Potato (1kg)

$1.10 CLP 1,084

$2.00 MX$36.98

-45.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.52 CLP 1,500

$1.76 MX$32.50

-13.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 CLP 1,164

$1.52 MX$28.04

-22.37%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 CLP 1,061

$0.84 MX$15.60

28.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.07 CLP 4,995

$4.29 MX$79.4

18.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.95 CLP 5,858

$10.67 MX$197

-44.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.49 CLP 1,470

$1.67 MX$30.90

-10.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 CLP 2,342

$3.38 MX$62.5

-29.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.83 CLP 821

$0.53 MX$9.88

56.60%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.14 CLP 39.5K

$16.52 MX$305

142.98%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.40 CLP 393

$2.21 MX$40.77

-81.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.91 CLP 897

$1.08 MX$19.91

-15.74%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.63 CLP 11.5K

$12.28 MX$227

-5.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.51 CLP 1,486

$1.45 MX$26.79

4.14%

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

$17.6K CLP 17.3M

$21.1K MX$390.6K

-16.85%

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

$22.0K CLP 21.6M

$24.5K MX$452.6K

-10.23%

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

$151 CLP 149.0K

$23.16 MX$428

553.76%

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

$12.34 CLP 12.1K

$8.38 MX$155

47.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.73 CLP 18.4K

$25.17 MX$465

-25.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.71 CLP 33.2K

$25.02 MX$462

34.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.80 CLP 11.6K

$8.17 MX$151

44.43%

Cinema Ticket

$7.45 CLP 7,334

$4.39 MX$81.1

69.70%

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

$430 CLP 423.7K

$256 MX$4,736

67.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.8K CLP 10.6M

$3,234 MX$59.8K

233.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.65 CLP 48.9K

$45.26 MX$836

9.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.94 CLP 28.5K

$40.19 MX$743

-27.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$65.7 CLP 64.6K

$91.6 MX$1,692

-28.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.7 CLP 79.4K

$43.08 MX$796

87.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$559 CLP 550.4K

$242 MX$4,467

131.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$384 CLP 377.8K

$162 MX$2,994

136.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,004 CLP 988.4K

$383 MX$7,074

162.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$780 CLP 767.9K

$249 MX$4,606

212.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,640 CLP 2.6M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,546 CLP 2.5M

$571 MX$10.5K

345.97%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$804 CLP 791.0K

$407 MX$7,527

97.26%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.39

10.8

-50.09%

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

Last update for Santiago: October 11, 2026

Last update for Zacatecas: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Santiago

$384 32.3%

Zacatecas

$162 22% 57.8% $222

Groceries & Markets

Santiago

$236 19.8%

Zacatecas

$228 30.9% 3.5% $8.2

Eating Out

Santiago

$189 15.9%

Zacatecas

$132 17.9% 30.2% $57

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Santiago

$182 15.3%

Zacatecas

$57 7.7% 68.9% $126

Clothing & Footwear

Santiago

$101 8.5%

Zacatecas

$99 13.4% 2.2% $2.2

Sport & Entertainment

Santiago

$49 4.1%

Zacatecas

$34 4.6% 30.5% $15

Getting Around

Santiago

$48 4.1%

Zacatecas

$26 3.6% 45.8% $22

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $559 in Santiago versus $242 in Zacatecas. 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 97% 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 $32.00 in Zacatecas. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $236 vs $228 – making Zacatecas the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇨🇱 Santiago

🇲🇽 Zacatecas

🕒 Local time

06:56 6:56 AM

03:56 3:56 AM

3 h behind Santiago

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

6,139,087 Capital

138,444

💱 Currency

Chilean Peso CLP $

Mexican Peso MXN $

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 CLP = 10.16 USD

10,000 CLP = 9.04 EUR

100 MXN = 5.41 USD

100 MXN = 4.81 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

MXN, USD, EUR to CLP – Chilean Peso Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇨🇱 Chilean Peso ($)

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).

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 18.48 MXN (100 MXN = 5.41 USD). 1 EUR = 20.77 MXN (100 MXN = 4.81 EUR).

USD to CLP in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Santiago Zacatecas 7,110 km ≈ 9 h nonstop flight

From you

Santiago
Zacatecas

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 Zacatecas: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Santiago is pricier by about 61%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,785 per month in Santiago and $1,107 in Zacatecas. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Zacatecas, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 143% less in Zacatecas. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $430 per month in Santiago and $256 in Zacatecas. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Zacatecas, where all-in costs run around $738, than in Santiago at $1,190. In Zacatecas it covers expenses comfortably, while in Santiago it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Zacatecas – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Zacatecas. 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.