Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Arica and La Serena

For one person, living is cheaper in Arica: $110 a month against $1,099 in La Serena, rent and utilities included – about $11,900 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

50

Cost of Living Index in Arica
Learn more

Arica Living Index
53

Cost of Living Index in La Serena
Learn more

La Serena Living Index

Jump to prices

Arica

🇨🇱 Chile

$110

/mo nomad

La Serena

🇨🇱 Chile

$1,099

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Arica 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 Arica and in La Serena actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $110 per month in Arica vs $1,099 in La Serena, rent included.

Arica $110
La Serena $1,099

A couple spends around $177 per month in Arica vs $1,829 in La Serena, rent included.

Arica $177
La Serena $1,829

A family of three spends $245 per month in Arica vs $2,559 in La Serena, rent included.

Arica $245
La Serena $2,559

Arica is about 90% cheaper than La Serena, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Arica and La Serena are more affordable than the global median – Arica 92% lower, La Serena 19% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.80 CLP 7,678

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.89 CLP 47.1K

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.39 CLP 8,255

Cappuccino

$2.78 CLP 2,733

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

$1.05 CLP 1,037

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.22 CLP 1,197

$0.65 CLP 638

87.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.08 CLP 2,047

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.91 CLP 3,844

Milk (1 liter)

$0.99 CLP 977

$1.22 CLP 1,197

-18.85%

White Bread (500g)

$2.36 CLP 2,326

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.47 CLP 1,448

Eggs

$3.85 CLP 3,793

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.15 CLP 12.0K

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.89 CLP 5,801

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.43 CLP 12.2K

Apples (1kg)

$1.89 CLP 1,861

Banana (1kg)

$1.76 CLP 1,733

Oranges (1kg)

$1.28 CLP 1,257

Tomato (1kg)

$1.45 CLP 1,431

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 CLP 1,128

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 CLP 1,177

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 CLP 1,010

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.88 CLP 863

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.22 CLP 5,138

Wine (Bottle)

$5.18 CLP 5,100

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.94 CLP 929

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.02 CLP 1,992

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.75 CLP 739

$1.04 CLP 1,028

-27.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$36.03 CLP 35.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.71 CLP 697

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.07 CLP 2,041

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.19 CLP 12.0K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.42 CLP 1,394

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

$20.1K CLP 19.7M

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

$12.3K CLP 12.1M

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

$85.8 CLP 84.5K

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

$10.93 CLP 10.8K

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.68 CLP 20.4K

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$83.9 CLP 82.6K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.71 CLP 20.4K

Cinema Ticket

$8.04 CLP 7,912

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$40.50 CLP 39.9K

$43.49 CLP 42.8K

-6.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$20.06 CLP 19.7K

$61.1 CLP 60.1K

-67.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$52.7 CLP 51.8K

$92.3 CLP 90.9K

-42.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.8 CLP 90.3K

$105 CLP 103.7K

-12.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$424 CLP 417.6K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$316 CLP 311.1K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$899 CLP 884.5K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 CLP 711.7K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,068 CLP 2.0M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,319 CLP 1.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$501 CLP 493.0K

$698 CLP 687.3K

-28.27%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.5

-23.08%

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

Last update for Arica: October 17, 2026

Last update for La Serena: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Clothing & Footwear

Arica

$92 83.8%

La Serena

$136 12.4% 47.4% $44

Groceries & Markets

Arica

$9.9 * 9%

La Serena

$232 21.1% 2241% $222

Eating Out

Arica

$4.9 * 4.4%

La Serena

$146 13.3% 2902% $141

Getting Around

Arica

$3 * 2.7%

La Serena

$51 4.7% 1609% $48

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Arica

- * 0%

La Serena

$117 10.7%

Sport & Entertainment

Arica

- * 0%

La Serena

$100 9.1%

Accommodation & Living

Arica

- * 0%

La Serena

$316 28.8%

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

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 39% higher in La Serena, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

Good to know

🇨🇱 Arica

🇨🇱 La Serena

🕒 Local time

07:49 7:49 AM

Same time as Arica

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

202,131

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

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Arica La Serena 1,270 km ≈ 2 h nonstop flight

From you

Arica
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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $110 in Arica, $1,099 in La Serena – roughly 899% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $165 per month in Arica and $1,648 in La Serena. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $110 in Arica and $1,099 in La Serena. That's a gap of about 899%.

Groceries cost about 2241% more in La Serena, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Arica, where all-in costs run around $110, than in La Serena at $1,099. In Arica it covers expenses comfortably, while in La Serena it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Arica – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Arica. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, La Serena makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.