Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Antofagasta and La Serena

For one person, living is cheaper in Antofagasta: $888 a month against $1,092 in La Serena, rent and utilities included – about $2,400 less a year. The total is higher in La Serena despite lower rent and utilities.

43

Cost of Living Index in Antofagasta
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Antofagasta Living Index
54

Cost of Living Index in La Serena
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La Serena Living Index

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Antofagasta

🇨🇱 Chile

$888

/mo nomad

La Serena

🇨🇱 Chile

$1,092

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Antofagasta and in La Serena

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Antofagasta and in La Serena actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $888 in Antofagasta versus $1,092 in La Serena.

Antofagasta $888
La Serena $1,092

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,416 in Antofagasta versus $1,818 in La Serena.

Antofagasta $1,416
La Serena $1,818

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,944 in Antofagasta versus $2,544 in La Serena.

Antofagasta $1,944
La Serena $2,544

Living in Antofagasta costs roughly 19% less than in La Serena, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both cities sit below the global median: Antofagasta 34% lower, La Serena 19% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.05 CLP 6,935

$7.48 CLP 7,364

-5.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.93 CLP 35.4K

$47.67 CLP 46.9K

-24.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.29 CLP 7,179

$8.07 CLP 7,941

-9.67%

Cappuccino

$2.57 CLP 2,528

$2.78 CLP 2,734

-7.55%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.28 CLP 1,264

$1.05 CLP 1,032

21.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 CLP 862

$0.68 CLP 665

29.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.51 CLP 1,488

$1.99 CLP 1,955

-24.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.79 CLP 1,765

$3.72 CLP 3,662

-51.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.07 CLP 1,054

$1.18 CLP 1,161

-9.32%

White Bread (500g)

$1.86 CLP 1,834

$2.40 CLP 2,364

-22.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.22 CLP 1,199

$1.47 CLP 1,452

-17.01%

Eggs

$2.59 CLP 2,553

$3.73 CLP 3,669

-30.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.02 CLP 8,878

$12.53 CLP 12.3K

-28.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.31 CLP 3,260

$5.75 CLP 5,660

-42.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.72 CLP 7,599

$12.48 CLP 12.3K

-38.14%

Apples (1kg)

$2.03 CLP 1,996

$1.88 CLP 1,851

7.98%

Banana (1kg)

$2.26 CLP 2,223

$1.69 CLP 1,665

33.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.85 CLP 2,809

$1.27 CLP 1,248

124.41%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.10 CLP 1,081

$1.47 CLP 1,443

-25.17%

Potato (1kg)

$0.88 CLP 864

$1.15 CLP 1,130

-23.48%

Onion (1kg)

$0.78 CLP 772

$1.21 CLP 1,188

-35.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.30 CLP 1,283

$1.07 CLP 1,052

21.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 CLP 1,102

$0.88 CLP 864

27.27%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.29 CLP 5,209

$5.26 CLP 5,176

0.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.13 CLP 5,048

$5.25 CLP 5,167

-2.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.35 CLP 1,328

$0.95 CLP 930

42.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.01 CLP 992

$2.05 CLP 2,017

-50.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.62 CLP 613

$1.00 CLP 988

-38.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.05 CLP 34.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.63 CLP 2,584

$0.75 CLP 742

250.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.06 CLP 2,031

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.12 CLP 11.9K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 CLP 1,318

$1.42 CLP 1,396

-5.63%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$19.6K CLP 19.3M

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$17.5K CLP 17.2M

$12.4K CLP 12.2M

41.31%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$46.23 CLP 45.5K

$88.2 CLP 86.8K

-47.58%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$9.82 CLP 9,669

$10.93 CLP 10.8K

-10.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$12.54 CLP 12.3K

$21.18 CLP 20.9K

-40.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.34 CLP 40.7K

$83.7 CLP 82.3K

-50.58%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.15 CLP 24.8K

$20.08 CLP 19.8K

25.25%

Cinema Ticket

$5.17 CLP 5,086

$7.94 CLP 7,819

-34.89%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$255 CLP 250.6K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,160 CLP 3.1M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$39.01 CLP 38.4K

$43.29 CLP 42.6K

-9.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$15.18 CLP 14.9K

$61.0 CLP 60.0K

-75.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$58.3 CLP 57.4K

$91.5 CLP 90.0K

-36.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$67.7 CLP 66.6K

$103 CLP 101.0K

-34.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$437 CLP 430.0K

$430 CLP 423.4K

1.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$359 CLP 352.9K

$313 CLP 308.4K

14.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$811 CLP 798.7K

$920 CLP 905.3K

-11.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$659 CLP 648.9K

$723 CLP 711.7K

-8.81%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,996 CLP 2.0M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,339 CLP 1.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$711 CLP 700.2K

$719 CLP 707.6K

-1.04%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.5

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Antofagasta: October 12, 2026

Last update for La Serena: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Antofagasta

$359 40.4%

La Serena

$313 28.7% 12.6% $45

Groceries & Markets

Antofagasta

$194 21.8%

La Serena

$232 21.3% 19.9% $39

Eating Out

Antofagasta

$129 14.5%

La Serena

$142 13% 9.9% $13

Clothing & Footwear

Antofagasta

$81 9.1%

La Serena

$134 12.3% 65.6% $53

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Antofagasta

$69 7.7%

La Serena

$120 11% 75.4% $52

Sport & Entertainment

Antofagasta

$52 5.8%

La Serena

$100 9.1% 92.6% $48

Getting Around

Antofagasta

$5.1 * 0.6%

La Serena

$50 4.6% 879% $45

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $437 in Antofagasta and $430 in La Serena. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

La Serena pays 1% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $36.00 in Antofagasta vs $48.00 in La Serena for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $194 vs $232 per month, with Antofagasta cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇨🇱 Antofagasta

🇨🇱 La Serena

🕒 Local time

16:36 4:36 PM

Same time as Antofagasta

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

348,517

195,382

💱 Currency

Chilean Peso CLP $

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 CLP = 10.16 USD

10,000 CLP = 9.04 EUR

10,000 CLP = 10.16 USD

10,000 CLP = 9.04 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Antofagasta La Serena 700 km ≈ 1 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Antofagasta
La Serena

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Antofagasta vs La Serena: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Antofagasta wins on cost – living expenses run 23% lower than in La Serena. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Antofagasta the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 1% lower in La Serena. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $437 in Antofagasta versus $430 in La Serena. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $888 per month in Antofagasta versus $1,092 in La Serena – a 23% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Supermarket bills run roughly 20% higher in La Serena. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $888 in Antofagasta versus $1,092 in La Serena, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Antofagasta but tight or insufficient in La Serena. The gap between the two cities makes Antofagasta the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Antofagasta gentler on the wallet – expenses run 23% less than in La Serena. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.