Gas heater in Chile: cost in Chilean pesos, how long a gas cylinder lasts and which to choose

A portable gas heater running on liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) burns between 150 and 300 grams of gas per hour, depending on its power and flame setting. With a 15 kg cylinder at CLP 30,250 (the Lipigas price in the Santiago Metropolitan Region reported to Gas en Línea, the official platform of Chile's National Energy Commission, CNE), that means about CLP 300 to 600 per hour, and a 15 kg cylinder lasts 50 to 100 hours of use.

Cylinder prices vary widely by company and region: in Santiago, the same 15 kg cylinder ranges from CLP 27,950 to CLP 39,550 among the three large distributors, according to prices reported to Gas en Línea as of 21 October 2026. In this guide we calculate how much a gas heater costs per month in Chilean pesos, how long each cylinder size lasts and which type of heater makes sense.

A gas heater's consumption depends on its power, which the manufacturer states in kilowatts (kW) or kilocalories per hour. The physics is simple: LPG delivers about 13.1 kWh of energy per kilo (the IPCC default value), so each kW of power burns about 76 grams of gas per hour.

According to a consumption guide by Repsol, catalytic heaters burn on average 140 to 200 grams per hour, and blue-flame heaters can reach 300 grams per hour. With those ranges, this is the hourly cost at current 15 kg cylinder prices in the Santiago Metropolitan Region:

Energía Futura calculations. Price per kilo: 15 kg cylinder delivered to the home in the Santiago Metropolitan Region, according to Gas en Línea (Gasco CLP 27,950 and Abastible CLP 39,550, updated on 21 October 2026; Lipigas CLP 30,250, updated on 1 October 2026). Power calculated with 13.1 kWh per kilo of gas.

The table assumes constant power. In real use, most heaters have three settings and the highest is only used at first, so a catalytic heater in normal home use is usually closer to 150 to 200 grams per hour than to its maximum.

How long a cylinder lasts depends only on how many grams per hour the heater burns. These are the figures for the cylinder sizes sold in Chile:

Energía Futura calculations (kilos in the cylinder divided by hourly consumption). In practice it lasts a little less: with little gas left and cold weather, pressure drops before the cylinder is empty.

With 4 hours of use a day, a 15 kg cylinder lasts 12 to 25 days. The 5 kg cylinder is easier to move and is used with small heaters, but it runs out quickly: with 4 hours a day, barely one week.

Distributors must report their home delivery prices to Gas en Línea, the platform run by Chile's National Energy Commission (CNE). We reviewed the 4,209 prices published on the system on 24 October 2026. These are the prices of cylinders (standard gas, home delivery ordered by phone) in the Santiago Metropolitan Region:

Source: Gas en Línea (CNE), most frequent price of each company across the municipalities of the Santiago Metropolitan Region. Gasco and Abastible updated on 21 October 2026; Lipigas on 1 October. Prices from local distributors and discounts through agreements or apps can be lower.

Gas in small cylinders costs more per kilo: CLP 2,900 to 3,170 in the 5 kg size, against CLP 1,863 to 2,637 in the 15 kg size. And in Santiago the same 15 kg cylinder costs CLP 11,600 more from Abastible than from Gasco.

Outside the capital, the 15 kg cylinder is more expensive in the north and the south. The most frequent price of the three large companies ranges from CLP 31,250 to 42,000 in Arica y Parinacota, from CLP 31,400 to 42,050 in Antofagasta and from CLP 29,900 to 42,400 in Los Lagos, according to Gas en Línea data. The cheapest in the country is in Punta Arenas, where Gasco Magallanes reports CLP 24,350.

Discounts change the picture. For example, the agreement between BancoEstado and Lipigas takes CLP 3,000 off a 15 kg cylinder bought through the company's app, until 31 December 2026 and with a maximum of two purchases a month, according to REDIMIN.

With the price per kilo and the hours of use you get the monthly cost. This table assumes 30 days and the Lipigas 15 kg cylinder in the Santiago Metropolitan Region (CLP 2,017 per kilo):

Energía Futura calculations, rounded to the nearest hundred. With the Gasco cylinder the cost drops by about 8%; with the Abastible cylinder it rises by about 31%.

A catalytic heater at 200 grams per hour, on for 4 hours a day, burns 24 kilos a month: a little more than one and a half 15 kg cylinders, about CLP 48,400. That is similar to a kerosene heater with comparable use, as we showed in how much a kerosene heater costs.

Gas heaters compared with other heating options

To compare heaters you have to look at the cost of each kWh of heat. A flueless gas heater leaves almost all the heat of combustion inside the room, so a kWh of heat costs the same as a kWh of gas: CLP 142 with the Gasco cylinder, CLP 154 with Lipigas and CLP 201 with Abastible. With the 5 kg cylinder it rises to about CLP 240.

• Inverter split air conditioner or heat pump: about CLP 85 per kWh of heat, because it delivers around 3 kWh of heat per kWh of electricity.
• Pellet stove: CLP 81 to 95 per kWh of heat.
• Kerosene heater: about CLP 131 per kWh of heat.
• LPG heater (15 kg cylinder): CLP 142 to 201 per kWh of heat, depending on the company.
• Electric resistance heater: about CLP 255 per kWh of heat, with electricity at CLP 255.27 per kWh (CGE's BT1 residential rate since October 2026).

The pellet, kerosene and heat pump figures come from calculations published by Energía Futura in October 2026. The gas heater sits in the middle: more expensive than pellets and a heat pump, cheaper than a traditional electric heater. The electric options are compared in how much electric heaters cost to run.

Portable cylinder gas heaters come in three main types. All burn LPG, but they deliver heat differently:

• Catalytic: the gas reacts on a plate coated with a catalyst, with no visible flame. It gives a soft, even heat, with ratings of about 2 to 4 kW, and is the most common type in Chile. Some distributors sell a specific "catalytic" gas for these heaters; Gas en Línea lists it as a separate category, at prices similar to standard gas.
• Infrared or ceramic-panel: the flame heats ceramic panels that radiate heat. It quickly warms the people in front of it and usually has more power, up to about 4 kW, so it also burns more gas.
• Blue flame: heats the air by convection, much like a kerosene heater. It spreads heat well in large rooms, but can burn up to 300 grams per hour, according to Repsol.
• Outdoor gas heater ("mushroom" type): used on terraces and patios. It has high ratings of several kW and must not be used indoors.

For a room of about 15 to 20 square metres, a medium-power catalytic heater is usually enough. For a large or poorly insulated living room, an infrared or blue-flame heater warms faster, but burns more gas.

Portable gas heaters have no chimney: everything that comes out of combustion stays inside the home. Chile's Superintendency of Electricity and Fuels (SEC) stresses that ventilating spaces where gas appliances run is key, because combustion can produce carbon monoxide, a toxic, colourless and odourless gas, according to its recommendations for using gas at home.

• Always ventilate: leave a window ajar or a vent clear. A heater that burns badly, with a yellow flame or a smell, must be turned off and checked.
• Do not sleep with the heater on or use it in bathrooms or small rooms without ventilation.
• Humidity: burning one kilo of propane produces about 1.6 kilos of water as vapour, the cause of misted-up windows.
• Check the hose and regulator: they must be in good condition and tightly fitted. Leaks are detected with soapy water, never with a flame.
• Buy certified equipment: gas heaters must carry SEC certification, which can be checked with the QR code on the label.
• Carbon monoxide detector: it warns before the gas reaches dangerous levels.

A gas heater works best as back-up for a few hours a day; in homes with many hours of heating, an option that is cheaper per kWh can pay for itself in a few seasons, as we explained in how much it costs to heat with a pellet stove.

How long does a 15 kg gas cylinder last in a heater?

Between 50 and 100 hours, depending on the heater's consumption (150 to 300 grams per hour). With 4 hours of daily use, 12 to 25 days.

How long does a 5 kg cylinder last in a gas heater?

Between 17 and 33 hours. With 4 hours a day, from four days to just over a week.

How much does a gas heater cost per hour in Chile?

Between CLP 300 and 600 per hour with the Lipigas 15 kg cylinder in Santiago (CLP 30,250). With Gasco, slightly less; with Abastible, about 30% more.

Which is cheaper, a gas heater or an electric one?

The gas heater: a kWh of heat costs CLP 142 to 201 with a 15 kg cylinder, against about CLP 255 for an electric resistance heater. But an inverter split unit is cheaper than both, at about CLP 85.