Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Sydney, NS and Santiago

For one person, living is cheaper in Santiago: $1,144 a month against $1,620 in Sydney, NS, rent and utilities included – about $5,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Sydney, NS, Canada
Santiago, Chile
Sydney, NS
🇨🇦 Canada
$1,620
/mo nomad
Santiago
🇨🇱 Chile
$1,144
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Sydney, NS and in Santiago

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Sydney, NS and in Santiago actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,620 per month in Sydney, NS vs $1,144 in Santiago, rent included.

  • Sydney, NS $1,620
  • Santiago $1,144

A couple spends around $2,580 per month in Sydney, NS vs $1,851 in Santiago, rent included.

  • Sydney, NS $2,580
  • Santiago $1,851

A family of three spends $3,539 per month in Sydney, NS vs $2,558 in Santiago, rent included.

  • Sydney, NS $3,539
  • Santiago $2,558

Sydney, NS costs about 42% more than Santiago, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in utilities.

Sydney, NS sits 20% above the global median, while Santiago is 15% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Sydney, NS
Santiago
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.58 CA$16.23
$10.15 CLP 9,923
14.09%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$63.3 CA$88.7
$51.7 CLP 50.5K
22.39%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.29 CA$10.22
$8.93 CLP 8,731
-18.37%
Cappuccino
$2.80 CA$3.92
$3.19 CLP 3,124
-12.23%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.23 CA$3.13
$1.66 CLP 1,622
34.34%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.09 CA$2.92
$1.27 CLP 1,240
64.57%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
-
$3.98 CLP 3,895
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$4.69 CLP 4,590
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Sydney, NS
Santiago
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.51 CA$3.52
$1.27 CLP 1,241
97.64%
White Bread (500g)
$2.57 CA$3.61
$1.85 CLP 1,813
38.92%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.48 CA$3.47
$1.66 CLP 1,623
49.40%
Eggs
$3.29 CA$4.61
$4.19 CLP 4,097
-21.48%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$6.61 CA$9.26
$11.13 CLP 10.9K
-40.61%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.45 CA$11.84
$6.96 CLP 6,809
21.41%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.02 CA$18.25
$10.68 CLP 10.4K
21.91%
Apples (1kg)
$7.36 CA$10.31
$2.00 CLP 1,958
268.00%
Banana (1kg)
$1.12 CA$1.57
$1.56 CLP 1,523
-28.21%
Oranges (1kg)
-
$1.63 CLP 1,597
-
Tomato (1kg)
$1.41 CA$1.98
$1.76 CLP 1,717
-19.89%
Potato (1kg)
$0.99 CA$1.38
$1.13 CLP 1,106
-12.39%
Onion (1kg)
$2.13 CA$2.99
$1.55 CLP 1,515
37.42%
Lettuce (1 head)
$6.28 CA$8.80
$1.26 CLP 1,235
398.41%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
-
$1.08 CLP 1,057
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$17.99 CA$25.22
$5.22 CLP 5,105
244.64%
Wine (Bottle)
-
$5.87 CLP 5,736
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
-
$1.48 CLP 1,451
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.17 CA$5.85
$2.36 CLP 2,309
76.69%
🚌 Getting Around
Sydney, NS
Santiago
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.09 CA$1.53
$0.81 CLP 791
34.57%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$48.78 CA$68.4
$41.61 CLP 40.7K
17.23%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.27 CA$5.98
$0.39 CLP 382
994.87%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
-
$0.87 CLP 847
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
-
$11.52 CLP 11.3K
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.16 CA$1.62
$1.50 CLP 1,468
-22.67%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.4K CA$37.0K
$16.7K CLP 16.4M
57.68%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$19.0K CA$26.6K
$25.5K CLP 24.9M
-25.42%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Sydney, NS
Santiago
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$88.8 CA$125
$148 CLP 144.8K
-40.04%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$36.35 CA$51.0
$12.00 CLP 11.7K
202.92%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$73.3 CA$103
$18.81 CLP 18.4K
289.58%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Sydney, NS
Santiago
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$49.08 CA$68.8
$32.43 CLP 31.7K
51.34%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$3.51 CA$4.91
$11.82 CLP 11.6K
-70.30%
Cinema Ticket
$7.02 CA$9.84
$7.80 CLP 7,625
-10.00%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Sydney, NS
Santiago
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$721 CA$1,011
$449 CLP 438.7K
60.71%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
-
$13.3K CLP 13.0M
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Sydney, NS
Santiago
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$70.1 CA$98.3
$50.7 CLP 49.6K
38.37%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$66.1 CA$92.6
$28.88 CLP 28.2K
128.70%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$99.3 CA$139
$65.5 CLP 64.1K
51.59%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$109 CA$153
$79.8 CLP 78.1K
36.59%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Sydney, NS
Santiago
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$913 CA$1,280
$522 CLP 510.6K
74.79%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$715 CA$1,002
$341 CLP 333.5K
109.46%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,789 CA$2,507
$1,036 CLP 1.0M
72.67%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,418 CA$1,987
$745 CLP 728.8K
90.20%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
-
$2,890 CLP 2.8M
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
-
$2,597 CLP 2.5M
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Sydney, NS
Santiago
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$2,553 CA$3,579
$826 CLP 807.9K
208.93%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.8
5.31
9.23%

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

Last update for Sydney, NS: November 1, 2026

Last update for Santiago: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Sydney, NS
$715
Santiago
$341 52.3% $373
Groceries & Markets
Sydney, NS
$266 *
Santiago
$238 10.6% $28
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Sydney, NS
$198
Santiago
$179 9.8% $19
Eating Out
Sydney, NS
$165 *
Santiago
$187 13.3% $22
Clothing & Footwear
Sydney, NS
$155
Santiago
$101 34.7% $54
Sport & Entertainment
Sydney, NS
$63
Santiago
$48 23.9% $15
Getting Around
Sydney, NS
$57 *
Santiago
$50 13.7% $7.8

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $913 in Sydney, NS versus $522 in Santiago. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries in Sydney, NS are about 3.1 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $63 in Sydney, NS versus $52 in Santiago. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $266 vs $238 – making Santiago the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇨🇦 Sydney, NS
🇨🇱 Santiago
🕒 Local time
10:08 10:08 AM
11:08 11:08 AM
1 h ahead of Sydney, NS
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
30,960
6,139,087 Capital
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

CLP, USD, EUR to CAD – Canadian Dollar Converter

Canadian Dollar exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 1.4 CAD (1 CAD = 0.713 USD). 1 EUR = 1.57 CAD (1 CAD = 0.635 EUR).

Chilean Peso exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 978 CLP (1,000 CLP = 1.02 USD). 1 EUR = 1,098 CLP (10,000 CLP = 9.11 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Sydney, NS Santiago 8,910 km ≈ 12 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Sydney, NS
  • Santiago

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
Sydney, NS vs Santiago: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Santiago cheaper than Sydney, NS?
Yes – Sydney, NS is pricier by about 42%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in utilities.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,430 per month in Sydney, NS and $1,716 in Santiago. 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 Santiago, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $522 there versus $913 in Sydney, NS.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
Public transport costs about 15% less in Santiago. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Kindergarten costs $721 per month in Sydney, NS and $449 in Santiago. 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 Sydney, NS or in Santiago?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Santiago, where all-in costs run around $1,144, than in Sydney, NS at $1,620. In Santiago it covers expenses comfortably, while in Sydney, NS it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Sydney, NS or Santiago more family-friendly?
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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Santiago. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Sydney, NS makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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