Santiago vs Weligama: cost of living for digital nomads

Santiago, Chile and Weligama, Sri Lanka, line by line from the catalogue: what a month costs, rent, food, coworking, safety and internet. Every figure links back to its source on the city page.

The short version

  • Weligama is about 42% cheaper than Santiago for a month of nomad living ($1,050 vs $1,800).
  • Rent is the biggest gap: $400 in Weligama against $850 in Santiago.
  • Both score 8/10 on safety.
  • Internet is faster in Santiago: 200 Mbps typical against 40 Mbps.
  • Santiago is mediterranean; Weligama is tropical.

Santiago wins 1 of the measured lines; Weligama wins 5.

LineSantiagoWeligama
Monthly total (USD)$1,800$1,050
Rent$850$400
Food$460$300
Transport$50$50
Coworking$140$90
Safety (out of 10)8/108/10
Internet (Mbps)20040
Climatemediterraneantropical
City sizemetrosmall
Settinginlandcoast
Nomad score (out of 10)7/108/10

Weligama

Sri Lankan surf-and-nomad town on the south coast — cheap, laid-back, warm year-round.

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Costs are typical monthly figures for one person in USD, from the sources named on each city page; safety and internet are the catalogue's own ratings. Check the city pages for the dates each was last verified.