Cost of Living Comparison Between Antofagasta and La Serena Cost of Living Comparison Between Antofagasta and La Serena

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $944 in Antofagasta versus $1,048 in La Serena.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,493 in Antofagasta versus $1,754 in La Serena.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,042 in Antofagasta versus $2,459 in La Serena.

Living in Antofagasta costs roughly 10% less than in La Serena, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Antofagasta 30% lower, La Serena 22% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.67 CLP 6,859

$7.90 CLP 7,063

-2.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.56 CLP 33.6K

$51.5 CLP 46.1K

-27.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.03 CLP 7,185

$8.94 CLP 7,999

-10.18%

Cappuccino

$2.75 CLP 2,458

$2.96 CLP 2,651

-7.09%

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

$1.30 CLP 1,161

$1.12 CLP 1,000

16.07%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.90 CLP 805

$0.67 CLP 601

34.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.64 CLP 1,469

$2.13 CLP 1,908

-23.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.28 CLP 3,829

$4.10 CLP 3,672

4.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.12 CLP 1,001

$1.23 CLP 1,103

-8.94%

White Bread (500g)

$1.74 CLP 1,558

$2.48 CLP 2,220

-29.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 CLP 1,178

$1.53 CLP 1,369

-13.73%

Eggs

$3.01 CLP 2,690

$3.94 CLP 3,523

-23.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.98 CLP 8,933

$13.11 CLP 11.7K

-23.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.28 CLP 3,833

$5.96 CLP 5,332

-28.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.81 CLP 7,877

$13.27 CLP 11.9K

-33.61%

Apples (1kg)

$2.11 CLP 1,888

$1.99 CLP 1,778

6.03%

Banana (1kg)

$2.28 CLP 2,040

$1.85 CLP 1,655

23.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.45 CLP 2,193

$1.33 CLP 1,192

84.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.20 CLP 1,078

$1.48 CLP 1,328

-18.92%

Potato (1kg)

$0.95 CLP 854

$1.20 CLP 1,071

-20.83%

Onion (1kg)

$0.94 CLP 837

$1.31 CLP 1,169

-28.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.21 CLP 1,080

$1.13 CLP 1,011

7.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 CLP 1,041

$0.91 CLP 813

27.47%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.81 CLP 4,306

$5.33 CLP 4,770

-9.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.00 CLP 5,364

$5.50 CLP 4,918

9.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.53 CLP 1,370

$1.03 CLP 925

48.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.43 CLP 1,278

$2.25 CLP 2,014

-36.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.62 CLP 553

$1.10 CLP 988

-43.64%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$38.15 CLP 34.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.47 CLP 419

$0.76 CLP 683

-38.16%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.06 CLP 1,843

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.76 CLP 11.4K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.40 CLP 1,249

$1.50 CLP 1,343

-6.67%

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

$19.7K CLP 17.6M

$21.2K CLP 19.0M

-7.49%

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

$21.3K CLP 19.1M

$13.1K CLP 11.8M

62.14%

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

$47.75 CLP 42.7K

$92.8 CLP 83.0K

-48.55%

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

$10.47 CLP 9,367

$11.41 CLP 10.2K

-8.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.05 CLP 11.7K

$22.64 CLP 20.3K

-42.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.14 CLP 38.6K

$36.44 CLP 32.6K

18.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.57 CLP 19.3K

$21.62 CLP 19.3K

-0.23%

Cinema Ticket

$5.42 CLP 4,845

$8.85 CLP 7,914

-38.76%

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

$273 CLP 243.9K

$438 CLP 392.0K

-37.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,289 CLP 2.9M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$41.85 CLP 37.4K

$45.54 CLP 40.7K

-8.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$16.11 CLP 14.4K

$30.87 CLP 27.6K

-47.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$61.1 CLP 54.6K

$98.8 CLP 88.4K

-38.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.2 CLP 64.6K

$112 CLP 99.8K

-35.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$463 CLP 414.4K

$366 CLP 327.8K

26.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$370 CLP 331.1K

$285 CLP 255.4K

29.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$859 CLP 768.2K

$1,037 CLP 927.8K

-17.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$690 CLP 617.1K

$708 CLP 633.2K

-2.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,236 CLP 2.0M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,462 CLP 1.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$757 CLP 676.9K

$773 CLP 691.6K

-2.12%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.18

6.5

-20.31%

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

Last update for Antofagasta: May 30, 2026

Last update for La Serena: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $463 in Antofagasta and $366 in La Serena. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

La Serena pays 2% 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: $38.00 in Antofagasta vs $51.0 in La Serena for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $210 vs $244 per month, with Antofagasta cheaper across the board.

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 11% 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, La Serena earns 2% less. 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: $463 in Antofagasta versus $366 in La Serena. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $273 in Antofagasta versus $438 in La Serena. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Antofagasta – a meal for two runs $38.00 versus $51.0 in La Serena. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Either city works on $800 a month, though Antofagasta gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

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 11% less than in La Serena. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.