A senator in Chile receives a gross salary (dieta) of 8,291,039 pesos a month since March 11, 2026, according to the transparency section of the [Senate](https://www.senado.cl/transparencia/dietas). The amount is set by the Commission for Setting Remunerations, an autonomous body; lawmakers do not decide it themselves. On top of the salary, each senator has allowances to hire staff and advisers and to cover office costs, which are not pay and must be accounted for.
How much a senator earns a month
| Item | Amount | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Senator's salary since March 11, 2026 | 8,291,039 pesos gross | Senate, transparency |
| Deputy's salary reported by the Chamber | 8,239,091 pesos gross | Chamber of Deputies |
| Previous salary cited by the press | 7,348,983 pesos gross | Press |
| Monthly support-staff allowance for committees, per senator | 1,905,911 pesos | Senate, since January 2026 |
The Constitution says senators and deputies receive the same salary, equal to a cabinet minister's pay. The figures published by the Senate and the Chamber are not identical: the Senate's is about 52,000 pesos higher. We found no official explanation for the gap, which may reflect the cut-off date or adjustments applied at different times. Take-home pay is lower and varies from senator to senator depending on health and pension deductions.
Who sets senators' pay
Since the 2020 reform, the salary has been set by the Commission for Setting the Remunerations of the posts listed in Article 38 bis of the Constitution. The same commission sets the pay of the president, ministers and other officials. According to the Senate, the current amount was published in the Official Gazette on September 13, 2024. Between reviews, the amount is adjusted for inflation.
A BioBioChile report in September 2026 said the salary rose by about one million pesos this year due to the CPI-linked adjustment.
What a senator's allowances are
The salary is the pay. Allowances are public funds for doing the job and have rules on use, oversight and transparency. Their amounts and criteria are set by the Council on Parliamentary Allowances. The current rules are in that council's Resolution No. 12 of 2026.
| Allowance | What it is for |
|---|---|
| Support staff | Hiring advisers, secretaries and office staff |
| External advisory services | Commissioning studies and reports from outside professionals or centres |
| Operating expenses | Renting offices in the region, travel, supplies, publicising parliamentary work and other running costs |
| Committee funds | Each committee receives the staff, advisory and operating amounts multiplied by the number of senators in it |
The resolution allows balances from advisory and operating budgets to be carried over between months, except in December, and up to 15% to be reallocated between some items. Reports commissioned from outside advisers must be published unless the senator invokes a confidentiality ground under the Transparency Law.
The Council on Parliamentary Allowances was left without members on March 11, 2026, when its five members' terms ended. On September 22 the Senate approved a new slate, which still needs the Chamber's approval, according to La Tercera.
Senator and deputy: the differences
| Aspect | Senator | Deputy |
|---|---|---|
| Salary | The same under the Constitution | The same under the Constitution |
| How many | 50 | 155 |
| Term | 8 years | 4 years |
| Represents | A constituency (a region) | A district |
| Outside advisers for committees | Yes | No (Senate only) |
Details on the Chamber's pay are in how much a deputy earns in Chile.
How a senator's pay compares with other posts
| Post | Gross monthly amount |
|---|---|
| President of the Republic | About 11.3 million pesos (BioBioChile) |
| Secretary General of the Senate | About 19.8 million pesos (BioBioChile) |
| Senator | 8,291,039 pesos |
| Deputy | 8,239,091 pesos |
The same BioBioChile report, citing El Mercurio, counted 165 Congress employees with gross salaries of at least 8 million pesos a month, 71 of them in the Senate. For other posts, see how much the president of Chile earns and how much a mayor earns.
Where to check what each senator spends
The Senate publishes salaries, support staff and the use of allowances in its transparency section. The Chamber does the same at camara.cl.
How much the salary adds up to in a year and a term
| Period | Cumulative gross salary | Assumption |
|---|---|---|
| One month | 8,291,039 pesos | Current amount |
| One year | About 99.5 million pesos | 12 months, no adjustments |
| One 8-year term | About 796 million pesos | 96 months, no adjustments |
This is our own, indicative calculation: the salary is adjusted for inflation, so the real total over a term is higher. It does not include allowances, which are not pay.
The Council on Parliamentary Allowances
This council decides how much money each lawmaker receives for staff, advisers and operating costs, and how it can be used. It has five members. The slate approved by the Senate in September includes Roberto Zahler, María Graciela Brantt, Rafael Prohens, Jaime Quintana and Matías Acevedo. Each member receives about 4 million pesos a month and the chair more than 5.2 million. A group of senators proposed abolishing it, arguing that it now deals mainly with minor queries and CPI adjustments.
How many minimum wages a senator earns
With a minimum wage of 553,553 pesos in 2026, a senator's salary is about 15 times the minimum. The minimum wage's history is in the minimum wage in Chile since 1990. The comparison is between gross amounts.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a senator earn in Chile in 2026?
8,291,039 pesos gross a month since March 11, 2026, according to the Senate.
Does a senator earn more than a deputy?
No. The Constitution sets the same salary for both. The figures published by each chamber differ slightly.
Are allowances part of the salary?
No. They are funds for doing the job and must be accounted for.
Who sets senators' pay?
The Commission for Setting Remunerations, an autonomous body.
How many senators does Chile have?
50, elected for eight years.
