From its capital at the foot of the Andes mountains to the colourful city of Valparaiso, via the Atacama Desert, Chile’s unique landscapes will win you over. But before you move there, there is one question you need to ask yourself: how much will it cost to live in Chile? Here is a detailed overview of the cost of living in Chile – this unique South American country!
Overview of the average cost of living in Chile
On average, the cost of living in Chile is €1,000 per month for a single person. A family of four needs a budget of €2,850 per month. These budgets include several items of expenditure, including shopping (32.8%), rent (19.5%), leisure (19%) and transport (11%).
| Services | Average price in Chile |
|---|---|
| Average monthly salary | €640 |
| Price of renting a flat in the city centre | €420 |
| Purchase price of a town centre flat per m2 | Between €1,500 and €3,000 |
| Petrol (1 L) | €1.28 |
| Telephone charges | €11/month |
| Restaurant meal for two people | 44 |
| Cinema | €4.95 per ticket |
Currency and exchange rates in Chile
Chile’s official currency is the Chilean peso, abbreviated ‘CLP’. Locals call 1,000 pesos a luca, so 2,000 pesos becomes dos lucas, and so on. Currently, 1,030.93 CLP is equivalent to 1 €, or 0.00097 € for 1 Chilean peso. (Index as of 6 December 2024).
Housing prices in Chile
The accommodation budget in Chile is the second largest item of expenditure after shopping. Here are the average rental prices in Santiago:
- 1-bedroom flat in the city centre: between 350,000 and 700,000 CLP (340 and 680 €)
- 1-bedroom flat on the outskirts: between CLP 300,000 and 600,000 (290 and 560 €)
- 3-bedroom flat in city centre: between CLP 600,000 and CLP 1,500,000 (580 and 1,450 €)
- 3-bedroom flat on the outskirts: between CLP 500,000 and CLP 1,250,000 (485 and 1,210 €)
If you want to invest and become a homeowner, expect to pay an average of CLP 2,610,800 (2,540 €) per m2 in the city centre.
Shopping budget for Chile
Groceries account for an average of 30% of your monthly expenditure in Chile. To give you an idea of how much you will need to budget, here are the current average prices of some staple foods in Chile:
| Grocery items | Average price in Chile (in Euro) |
|---|---|
| Milk (1 L) | 1.13 |
| Water (1,5 L) | 1.17 |
| Bread (500 g) | 1.40 |
| Rice (1 kg) | 1.85 |
| 12 Eggs | 3.70 |
| Local cheese (1 kg) | 10.30 |
| Chicken fillet (1 kg) | 5.90 |
| Meat (1 kg) | 10.70 |
| Apples (1 kg) | 1.95 |
| Bananas (1 kg) | 1.40 |
| Tomatoes (1 kg) | 1.70 |
| Potatoes (1 kg) | 1.60 |
| Onions (1 kg) | 1.35 |
| Local beer (500 ml) | 1.35 |
| Imported beer (330 ml) | 2.15 |
Transport prices in Chile
In Santiago, the capital, the Red Movilidad (formerly Transantiago) public transport system includes the metro, buses and Tren Nos (rail service). One ticket allows you to use up to two modes of transport. Here are the current fares:
| Mode of transport | Fares |
|---|---|
| Metro | 690 – 850 CLP (0,67 – 0,82 €) |
| Bus + metro | 750 – 850 CLP (0,73 – 0,82 €) |
| Tren Nos + metro | 690 – 850 CLP (0,67 – 0,82 €) |
The road network in the capital, as elsewhere in the country, is well developed.
This means you can travel around freely, filling up at CLP 1,317 (1.28 €) per litre of petrol.
Healthcare costs in Chile
| Medical services | Average price in Chile |
|---|---|
| Consultation with a general practitioner | 30 000 to 70 000 CLP (30 to 70 EUR) |
| Consultation with a specialist | 100 000 CLP (100 EUR) |
| Consultation with a dentist | 15 500 to 25 700 (15 to 25 EUR) |
| Hospitalisation (24 h) | 100 000 CLP (100 EUR) |
| Childbirth in a private clinic | Starting from 3 900 000 CLP (3 750 EUR) |
Chile’s healthcare system is based on high-quality infrastructures and ranks among the best in South America. Many expatriates choose to take out private international health insurance. This offers a number of advantages, including:
- Rapid access to care, with reduced waiting times
- Assistance in your native language, so you can communicate more freely
- Cover for treatment both in Chile and abroad.
Education budget for Chile
If you are a parent, you can enrol your child in a private nursery school at an average cost of CLP 380,000 (370 €) per month. For a private international primary school in Chile, expect to pay an average of CLP 6,780,000 (6,600 €) per year.
If you want to offer your child a multilingual education, you can opt for French- or English-speaking schools, such as:
- The Lycée Français Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, at CLP 712,000 (690 €) per month per child.
- The prestigious Collège Saint-Ignace de Santiago, with a monthly fee of 876,000 CLP (850 €) per child.
Telecommunication services in Chile
Here is the monthly budget for telecommunication services in Chile:
- Telephone package (calls + 10 GB of data): 7,000 to 22,000 CLP (6.80 to 20 €)
- Internet subscription (60 mbps and more, unlimited data): 15,000 to 30,000 CLP (14.50 to 30 €)
Prices for activities in Chile
One thing is for sure: living in Chile is synonymous with activities and leisure. The country’s unique natural sites mingle with port cities like Valparaiso and the nightlife of metropolises like Santiago.
Here are the prices for some must-do activities in Chile:
- Visit the La Sebastiana museum in Valparaiso: CLP 8,000 (7.75 €).
- Take a hike in Torres del Paine Natural Park: CLP 9,000 (9.70 €) for adults and CLP 5,000 (4.85 €) for under-18s.
- Visit San Pedro in the Atacama Desert: approximately CLP 66,000 (65 €) per day per person (food, hotel and transport included).
- Visit Easter Island: entrance costs CLP 54,000 (52 €) per person.
- Go to the cinema: CLP 6,000 (5.80 €) per ticket.
- Take out a gym membership: CLP 32,800 (32 €).
Cost of living in Chile compared with Western Europe
The cost of living in Chile is 40% lower than many West European countries, e.g. France. While a single person needs a monthly budget of €1,000 to live in Chile, this figure rises to €1,630 in France. The main difference lies in the cost of rent and shopping.
For example, the rent for a one-bedroom flat in France costs an average of 600 to 800 € a month. In Chile, you can expect to pay between 350 and 420 €.
The price of staple foods between the two countries also varies enormously:
- Chicken (1 kg): 5.90 € in Chile, compared with 12.60 € in France
- Red meat (1 kg): 10.70 € in Chile, compared with 18.80 € in France
- Potatoes: 1.60 € in Chile, compared with 2 € in France
- Salad (1 piece): 1.15 € in Chile, compared with 1.40 € in France
- Apples: 1.80 € in Chile, compared with 2.80 € in France
Cost of living in Chile compared with neighbouring countries
Compared with Argentina
living in Chile costs on average 10% more than in Argentina. However, average Chilean salaries are higher (640 € compared with 520 €) and local purchasing power is 25% higher. For more information, see our detailed guide to the cost of living in Argentina.
Compared with Bolivia
Bolivia is considered one of the most affordable countries in Latin America. For example, living in Chile costs 25% more than in Bolivia, including rent. Here again, the average Chilean salary and purchasing power are higher. A family needs an average budget of 2,140 € to live in Bolivia, compared with 2,850 € in Chile.
Compared with Peru
Peru costs 17% less than Chile. This difference is mainly due to the fact that prices on the Peruvian property market are lower than on the Chilean market. The average income level in Peru is also lower than in Chile, which has an impact on the cost of living.