Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Arica and Valdivia

For one person, living is cheaper in Arica: $110 a month against $998 in Valdivia, rent and utilities included – about $10,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

50

Cost of Living Index in Arica
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Arica Living Index
49

Cost of Living Index in Valdivia
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Valdivia Living Index

Jump to prices

Arica

🇨🇱 Chile

$110

/mo nomad

Valdivia

🇨🇱 Chile

$998

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Arica and in Valdivia

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 Valdivia actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $110 per month in Arica vs $998 in Valdivia, rent included.

Arica $110
Valdivia $998

A couple spends around $177 per month in Arica vs $1,526 in Valdivia, rent included.

Arica $177
Valdivia $1,526

A family of three spends $245 per month in Arica vs $2,054 in Valdivia, rent included.

Arica $245
Valdivia $2,054

Arica is about 89% cheaper than Valdivia, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Arica and Valdivia are more affordable than the global median – Arica 92% lower, Valdivia 26% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.14 CLP 6,046

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.96 CLP 45.2K

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.55 CLP 6,443

Cappuccino

$2.12 CLP 2,089

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

$1.96 CLP 1,933

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.22 CLP 1,197

$1.25 CLP 1,235

-2.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 CLP 3,421

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.48 CLP 3,428

Milk (1 liter)

$0.99 CLP 977

$1.18 CLP 1,157

-16.10%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 CLP 1,278

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.53 CLP 1,504

Eggs

$3.07 CLP 3,027

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.12 CLP 8,975

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.35 CLP 6,247

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.47 CLP 12.3K

Apples (1kg)

$2.09 CLP 2,054

Banana (1kg)

$1.90 CLP 1,874

Oranges (1kg)

$1.78 CLP 1,756

Tomato (1kg)

$1.77 CLP 1,742

Potato (1kg)

$2.27 CLP 2,235

Onion (1kg)

$1.57 CLP 1,542

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.48 CLP 1,457

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 CLP 1,117

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.12 CLP 5,038

Wine (Bottle)

$4.48 CLP 4,413

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.46 CLP 1,435

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.11 CLP 2,076

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.75 CLP 739

$0.61 CLP 597

22.95%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.98 CLP 968

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 CLP 1,413

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

$15.0K CLP 14.7M

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

$17.6K CLP 17.3M

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

$91.9 CLP 90.4K

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

$13.35 CLP 13.1K

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.03 CLP 30.5K

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.35 CLP 39.7K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.71 CLP 23.3K

Cinema Ticket

$4.64 CLP 4,572

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

$247 CLP 243.4K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,067 CLP 3.0M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$40.50 CLP 39.9K

$51.2 CLP 50.4K

-20.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$20.06 CLP 19.7K

$17.74 CLP 17.5K

13.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$52.7 CLP 51.8K

$49.59 CLP 48.8K

6.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.8 CLP 90.3K

$75.9 CLP 74.7K

20.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$571 CLP 562.4K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$363 CLP 357.1K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$982 CLP 966.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$559 CLP 550.1K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,469 CLP 4.4M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$501 CLP 493.0K

$625 CLP 615.2K

-19.86%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.5

11.11%

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

Last update for Arica: October 17, 2026

Last update for Valdivia: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Clothing & Footwear

Arica

$92 83.8%

Valdivia

$88 8.8% 5.1% $4.7

Groceries & Markets

Arica

$9.9 * 9%

Valdivia

$227 22.8% 2193% $218

Eating Out

Arica

$4.9 * 4.4%

Valdivia

$131 13.2% 2605% $127

Getting Around

Arica

$3 * 2.7%

Valdivia

$3.4 * 0.3% 13.7% $0.4

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Arica

- * 0%

Valdivia

$136 13.7%

Sport & Entertainment

Arica

- * 0%

Valdivia

$50 5%

Accommodation & Living

Arica

- * 0%

Valdivia

$363 36.3%

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

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 25% higher in Valdivia, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

Good to know

🇨🇱 Arica

🇨🇱 Valdivia

🕒 Local time

09:31 9:31 AM

Same time as Arica

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

202,131

150,048

💱 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 Valdivia 2,390 km ≈ 3 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Arica
Valdivia

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 Valdivia: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $110 in Arica, $998 in Valdivia – roughly 807% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $165 per month in Arica and $1,498 in Valdivia. 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 $998 in Valdivia. That's a gap of about 807%.

Groceries cost about 2193% more in Valdivia, 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 Valdivia at $998. In Arica it covers expenses comfortably, while in Valdivia 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, Valdivia makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.