Cost Of Living For a Student in Chile 2025

Average monthly spending for students in Chile

How much money does a student need in a month to survive in Chile?

Students in Chile spend around 1.3M CLP per month on average. Depending on the lifestyle, a student can survive with a monthly budget as low as 190,000 CLP or as high as 8.3M CLP. Location is a very important factor and has a huge influence on expenditure and budget.

How do students spend their money in Chile?

We asked thousands of students about their spending habits and expenditure break down.

Housing and accomodation expenditure for students

Students in Chile typically spend from 14% to 25% of their total monthly expenditure on housing with 19% being the average. The average monthly spend on housing is 300,000 CLP with expenditure ranging from 46,000 CLP to 2M CLP. This cost mainly goes for rent but it also includes other accommodation-related expenses.

Electricity, utilities, energy, water, internet, and mobile expenditure for students

Utility expenditure like electricity, water, and gas in Chile ranges from 4% to 10% of total expenses with 6% being the average for most students. The average monthly cost of utilities is 50,000 CLP with 7,700 CLP and 330,000 CLP being the upper and lower limits for a student of four.

Transport, fuel, and commute expenditure for students

Fuel consumption and cost of transport depend heavily on whether a student resides near school and work, but roughly speaking a student would expect to spend from 13,000 CLP to 580,000 CLP in a month on commuting with 88,000 CLP being the norm for most students. This means that money spent on transport constitutes about 5% of total spending on average but can go as low as 5% or as high as 11%.

Food, groceries, and basic shopping expenditure for students

The average outlay on groceries and basic houshold items for a typical student in a month in Chile is 250,000 CLP. The cost of groceries can range between 38,000 CLP to 1.7M CLP. Students spend on average about 22% on food and groceries with upper and lower bounds of 16% and 26% respectively.

Healthcare and medical services expenditure for students

Students in Chile allocate 5% to 11% of their total monthly expenditure to healthcare including health insurance and out-of-pocket medical expenses. The average spending on medical services and clinic visits is around 8%. The range of medical expenses range from 11,000 CLP to 500,000 CLP with 75,000 CLP being the norm for most students.

Leisure and shopping expenditure for students

This category mostly contains discretionary or non-essential expenses but also some non-discretionary spending like furniture for example. The monthly expenses range from 9,600 CLP to 420,000 CLP with 63,000 CLP being the average. Speaking of percentages, that equates to 2% to 7% of total expenses with an average of 3% for most students.

Education and schooling expenditure for students

Spending on education can vary drastically between different students. On average, education constitutes 19% of the monthly expenditure of students with 12% and 24% being the lower and upper bounds respectively. The average reported education cost is 240,000 CLP per month with 36,000 CLP being the minimum spent amount and 1.6M CLP being the maximum.

A typical and healthy budgeting structure

The 50/30/20 rule

Spending among different people can vary significantly based on factors such as their income, lifestyle, location, and personal preferences. A commonly used guideline for budgeting is the 50/30/20 rule, which suggests allocating your income into three main categories in the following percentages.

• 50% for needs and financial obligations

  This category includes essential expenses like housing, utilities, groceries, transportation, and healthcare.

• 30% for wants and discretionary spending

  This category covers discretionary spending on non-essential items, such as dining out, entertainment, travel, and other lifestyle choices.

• 20% for savings and emergency fund

  This is the percentage that must be allocated to savings, emergency funds, and retirement accounts.

About financial planning, money management, and household budgeting

Affordable living in Chile

Income and cost of living compatibility

We asked students one simple question and recorded their answers.

Is it affordable or economical to live in Chile?

Around 68% of surveyed students think that living in Chile is affordable with proper budgeting while 32% reported that it is just too expensive and not affordable even with frugality and thriftness.

Low-cost alternatives in Chile

People are always looking for ways to cut down expenses and reduce expenditures. The hallmark of any affordable place is the availability of discount stores, bargain deals, smart or secondhand shopping, refurbished items, and couponing. We asked students how easily cost-cutting is and the answers were distributed as follows:

Plenty of low-cost options59%

Few low-cost options41%

Based on the survey, 59% of the students living in Chile have no problem finding low-cost alternatives to support a frugal lifestyle while 41% think that thriftness is difficult due to scarcity in discount markets and secondhand outlets.

Emergency Funds For Students

An emergency fund is a financial safety net comprised of easily accessible savings set aside to cover unexpected expenses or financial emergencies, typically amounting to three to six months' worth of living expenses. We asked students of Chile whether they have an emergency fund and the answers were as follows.

Yes65%

No35%

Based on the survey, 35% of the students living in Chile said that they don't have an emergency fund while 65% said that they do.

Financial Literacy in Chile

Financial literacy is the knowledge of concepts and principles related to personal finance that allow individuals to make informed decisions regarding their money such as budgeting, saving, investing, borrowing, managing debt, financial risk management, and planning.

Financial Leteracy63%

We asked student guardians and parents in Chile whether they acquired any adequate personal financial training in their lives. Approximately 37% of the people who participated in the survey said that they are not well informed about the topics of budgeting, saving, etc., and just manage things based on their own experience, while 63% said that they know about the general principles of personal finance from sources other than their own experience.

Difficulty in Budgeting and Financial Planning

We wanted to understand whether students of Chile have problems or difficulties in managing their expenditures and savings so we asked people one simple question: do you struggle with your personal finances? 35% of the participants reported that they indeed struggle in creating budgets and in organizing their finances while 65% said that they have everything under control.

Struggles with finance35%

Easily manages finances65%

Housing costs, accommodation, and housing affordability in Chile

Rent Cost in Chile

Monthly Rent Prices

Studio apartment monthly rent cost

220,000 CLP

330,000 CLP

880,000 CLP

MINIMUM

AVERAGE

MAXIMUM

$220

$340

$900

1-bedroom apartment monthly rent cost

330,000 CLP

530,000 CLP

1.3M CLP

MINIMUM

AVERAGE

MAXIMUM

$340

$540

$1,300

2-bedroom apartment monthly rent cost

440,000 CLP

660,000 CLP

1.8M CLP

MINIMUM

AVERAGE

MAXIMUM

$450

$670

$1,800

3-bedroom apartment monthly rent cost

530,000 CLP

880,000 CLP

2.4M CLP

MINIMUM

AVERAGE

MAXIMUM

$540

$900

$2,400

Furnished apartment monthly rent cost

1.1M CLP

2.6M CLP

5.3M CLP

MINIMUM

AVERAGE

MAXIMUM

$1,100

$2,700

$5,400

Townhouse monthly rent cost

880,000 CLP

1.3M CLP

3.8M CLP

MINIMUM

AVERAGE

MAXIMUM

$900

$1,300

$3,800

House monthly rent cost

1.1M CLP

2.6M CLP

5.3M CLP

MINIMUM

AVERAGE

MAXIMUM

$1,100

$2,700

$5,400

Villa monthly rent cost

1.3M CLP

3.3M CLP

5.3M CLP

MINIMUM

AVERAGE

MAXIMUM

$1,300

$3,400

$5,400

The monthly rental cost of a studio apartment in Chile ranges between 220,000 CLP and 880,000 CLP, meanwhile the cost of monthly rental of a one-bedroom apartment can be anywhere from 330,000 CLP to 1.3M CLP. Two-bedroom rentals rate ranges between 440,000 CLP and 1.8M CLP per month. The monthly rental for a three-bedroom apartment ranges from 530,000 CLP to 2.4M CLP. The average rent of a townhouse in Chile is around 1.3M CLP while house rental costs can be as high as 2.6M CLP per month. Finally, if you want to rent a villa, expect to pay anywhere from 1.3M CLP to 5.3M CLP per month.

Apartment and house prices in Chile

Cost of buying a property

Studio apartment price

44M CLP

66M CLP

130M CLP

MINIMUM

AVERAGE

MAXIMUM

$45,000

$67,000

$130,000

1-bedroom apartment price

53M CLP

88M CLP

330M CLP

MINIMUM

AVERAGE

MAXIMUM

$54,000

$90,000

$340,000

2-bedroom apartment price

88M CLP

260M CLP

530M CLP

MINIMUM

AVERAGE

MAXIMUM

$90,000

$270,000

$540,000

3-bedroom apartment price

290M CLP

440M CLP

1,300M CLP

MINIMUM

AVERAGE

MAXIMUM

$300,000

$450,000

$1.3M

Townhouse price

380M CLP

880M CLP

3,300M CLP

MINIMUM

AVERAGE

MAXIMUM

$380,000

$900,000

$3.4M

House price

440M CLP

2,600M CLP

3,800M CLP

MINIMUM

AVERAGE

MAXIMUM

$450,000

$2.7M

$3.8M

Villa price

530M CLP

2,900M CLP

4,400M CLP

MINIMUM

AVERAGE

MAXIMUM

$540,000

$3M

$4.5M

The average price of a studio apartment in Chile can range from 44M CLP to 130M CLP depending on location. One bedroom cost can be anywhere from 53M CLP to 330M CLP. A villa can cost you 2,900M CLP on average with prices ranging from 530M CLP to 4,400M CLP.

House / apartment prices to income ratio

Property prices in Chile can be x105 to x203 multiples of the monthly income depending on the property and the income of the person. On average, property prices are approximately x105 multiples of the average monthly salary in Chile.

Rent to income ratio

The average rent-to-income ratio in Chile is around 30%. This means that people pay 30% of their income for rent. Those figures can range from 20% to 40% depending on the salary, location, and type of property.

Housing affordability index

The housing affordability index measures how affordable accommodation is in a particular place. This can measured in multiple ways, the most common being housing expenditure to total expenditure ratio and the rent to income ratio. The housing expenditure ratio is a figure reported by individuals on the percentage they allocate for housing. Rent to income ratio is calculated by dividing the average monthly rent by the average income. Because these values are both percentages, we can find their average and get the best of the two worlds.

Property Taxes

Real estate owners pay property taxes to local tax authorities, which are determined by the assessed value of their property. Typically, these taxes are paid once a year. Property tax funds contribute to community development, financing infrastructure improvements, public services, and local education initiatives.

Home Maintenance Costs

Home maintenance costs encompass various expenses associated with the upkeep and repair of a residence. These expenditures include regular tasks such as lawn care, pest control, and HVAC system servicing, as well as occasional repairs and renovations like fixing leaks, painting, or replacing appliances.

Urban vs. rural living costs

Urban living typically entails higher housing and transportation costs due to demand and limited space, while rural areas generally offer lower housing expenses but may have higher prices for goods and services. The differnce in rental rates between urban areas and rural areas can be as high as 300% in some cases.

Monthly costs and expenses of energy and basic utilities in Chile

Energy, electricity, water, gas, internet, and mobile cost in Chile

Utility Bill Cost / Electricity + Water + Gas / Student

7,700 CLP

50,000 CLP

330,000 CLP

MINIMUM

AVERAGE

MAXIMUM

$7.9

$51

$340

Internet and cable cost

13,000 CLP

26,000 CLP

35,000 CLP

MINIMUM

AVERAGE

MAXIMUM

$13

$27

$36

Mobile phone bill and charges

11,000 CLP

18,000 CLP

53,000 CLP

MINIMUM

AVERAGE

MAXIMUM

$11

$18

$54

The average monthly energy and water consumption of students is around 50,000 CLP. The cost of internet and WiFi ranges from 13,000 CLP to 35,000 CLP with 26,000 CLP being the average internet bill. Finally, the average monthly mobile charges is around 18,000 CLP but can range between 11,000 CLP and 53,000 CLP depending on consumption. Mobile charges include both calling minutes as well as data packages.

Energy / Utility expense to income ratio

The average utility-to-income ratio in Chile is around 6%. This means that people pay 6% of their income for energy, water, internet, and mobile charges. Those figures can range from 3% to 10% depending on salary and location.

Food Prices, Dining Expenses, and Grocery Costs in Chile

Prices and cost of goods and services in Chile

Dining out, food, and beverages costs. Price variations for common food items.

Fast food combo meal price

2,600 CLP

5,300 CLP

8,800 CLP

MINIMUM

AVERAGE

MAXIMUM

$2.7

$5.4

$9

The average price of a regular combo meal at a fast food outlet or chain like McDonald's, Pizzahut, or KFC in Chile is approximatly 5,300 CLP with meal cost ranging from 2,600 CLP to 8,800 CLP. The typical combo meal consists of a burger, french fries, and a drink.

Restaurant meal for one price

8,800 CLP

13,000 CLP

26,000 CLP

MINIMUM

AVERAGE

MAXIMUM

$9

$13

$27

If you are planning to have a nice meal at a mid-range restaurant, expect to pay anywhere between 8,800 CLP and 26,000 CLP with 13,000 CLP being the average price of a plate for one person at a regular restaurant in Chile.

Fine dining meal for one price

18,000 CLP

26,000 CLP

110,000 CLP

MINIMUM

AVERAGE

MAXIMUM

$18

$27

$110

The price range of a meal at fine-dining restaurant is 18,000 CLP to 110,000 CLP with the average cost being 26,000 CLP for one person. This is what you would expect to pay a top-tier diner in Chile.

Beverage prices, cappuccino, latte etc..

2,200 CLP

3,500 CLP

5,300 CLP

MINIMUM

AVERAGE

MAXIMUM

$2.2

$3.6

$5.4

The average price of a regular beverage like cappuccino or latte at Starbucks, Costa, or similar coffee shops and cafes in Chile is around 3,500 CLP. Price ranges between 2,200 CLP and 5,300 CLP depending on the type of beverage, the size, and optional add-ons.

Grocery and market costs

Large bottle of milk price

1,800 CLP

2,100 CLP

2,600 CLP

MINIMUM

AVERAGE

MAXIMUM

$1.8

$2.2

$2.7

The average price of a large bottle of milk in Chile is 2,100 CLP. The maximum what you would pay for milk is 2,600 CLP and the minimum being 1,800 CLP depending on the brand of milk and other properties.

12 eggs price

1,300 CLP

1,800 CLP

2,600 CLP

MINIMUM

AVERAGE

MAXIMUM

$1.3

$1.8

$2.7

A dozen eggs costs around 1,800 CLP on average with 1,300 CLP and 2,600 CLP being the lower and upper limits respectively.

Fresh whole chicken price

3,000 CLP

3,900 CLP

5,500 CLP

MINIMUM

AVERAGE

MAXIMUM

$3.1

$4

$5.6

The price range of a fresh whole chicken in Chile is between 3,000 CLP and 5,500 CLP depending on the size of the chicken and whether it is oraganic or not. The average price is approximatly 3,900 CLP.

Pack of beef price

3,500 CLP

5,300 CLP

11,000 CLP

MINIMUM

AVERAGE

MAXIMUM

$3.6

$5.4

$11

The price of a regular pack of beef or meat is around 5,300 CLP. A pack of beef contains around 1Kg or 1lb depending on packing.

Medium bag of rice price

1,400 CLP

1,900 CLP

2,700 CLP

MINIMUM

AVERAGE

MAXIMUM

$1.4

$2

$2.8

A bag of rice in Chile costs around 1,900 CLP on average with prices rangeing between 1,400 CLP and 2,700 CLP depending on the brand and quality.

Bag of tomatos price

530 CLP

700 CLP

1,300 CLP

MINIMUM

AVERAGE

MAXIMUM

$0.54

$0.72

$1.3

A bag of tomatoes costs anywhere from 530 CLP to 1,300 CLP. A bag of tomatoes denotes 1Kg or 1lb depending on location.

Bag of apples price

940 CLP

1,200 CLP

2,000 CLP

MINIMUM

AVERAGE

MAXIMUM

$0.96

$1.3

$2.1

A bag of apples costs 1,200 CLP on average. A bag of apples denotes 1Kg or 1lb depending on location.

Grocery and food expenditure to income ratio

The average grocery-to-income ratio in Chile is around 26%. This means that students spend 26% of their income on grocery and basic household items. The expenditure can range from 18% to 32% depending on salary and location.

Expenditure on food and grocery for students