Cost of Living Comparison Between Calama and Concepcion Cost of Living Comparison Between Calama and Concepcion

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,091 in Calama versus $1,053 in Concepcion.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,592 in Calama versus $1,621 in Concepcion.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,094 in Calama versus $2,188 in Concepcion.

Living in Calama is roughly 4% more expensive than Concepcion, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Calama 19% lower, Concepcion 21% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.90 CLP 7,014

$7.61 CLP 6,758

3.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.27 CLP 29.5K

$44.94 CLP 39.9K

-25.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.03 CLP 7,127

$8.62 CLP 7,652

-6.84%

Cappuccino

$2.14 CLP 1,897

$2.61 CLP 2,320

-18.01%

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

$0.94 CLP 833

$1.43 CLP 1,268

-34.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.96 CLP 850

$1.10 CLP 978

-12.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.25 CLP 2,885

$3.94 CLP 3,493

-17.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.05 CLP 3,599

$3.91 CLP 3,468

3.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 CLP 1,042

$1.32 CLP 1,169

-11.36%

White Bread (500g)

$1.58 CLP 1,400

$1.49 CLP 1,322

6.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.92 CLP 1,701

$1.53 CLP 1,358

25.49%

Eggs

$3.57 CLP 3,172

$3.82 CLP 3,392

-6.54%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.62 CLP 9,424

$11.56 CLP 10.3K

-8.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.78 CLP 6,017

$6.79 CLP 6,030

-0.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.08 CLP 9,833

$12.01 CLP 10.7K

-7.74%

Apples (1kg)

$1.89 CLP 1,680

$1.58 CLP 1,406

19.62%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 CLP 1,340

$1.34 CLP 1,192

12.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.60 CLP 1,422

$1.54 CLP 1,363

3.90%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.49 CLP 1,324

$1.53 CLP 1,357

-2.61%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 CLP 1,140

$1.13 CLP 1,004

13.27%

Onion (1kg)

$1.40 CLP 1,240

$1.35 CLP 1,202

3.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.21 CLP 1,072

$1.12 CLP 997

8.04%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 CLP 1,056

$1.21 CLP 1,074

-1.65%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.34 CLP 4,742

$5.53 CLP 4,907

-3.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.19 CLP 5,497

$5.38 CLP 4,774

15.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.55 CLP 1,379

$1.05 CLP 932

47.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.21 CLP 1,965

$1.81 CLP 1,609

22.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.62 CLP 546

$0.61 CLP 542

1.64%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.11 CLP 30.3K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.47 CLP 420

$1.26 CLP 1,116

-62.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.52 CLP 1,345

$2.27 CLP 2,019

-33.04%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.08 CLP 11.6K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.57 CLP 1,397

$1.37 CLP 1,217

14.60%

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

$19.7K CLP 17.5M

$20.4K CLP 18.1M

-3.68%

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

$21.8K CLP 19.4M

$25.2K CLP 22.3M

-13.27%

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

$132 CLP 116.9K

$104 CLP 92.7K

26.11%

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

$13.64 CLP 12.1K

$12.85 CLP 11.4K

6.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.20 CLP 19.7K

$27.54 CLP 24.4K

-19.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.42 CLP 34.1K

$27.94 CLP 24.8K

37.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.96 CLP 18.6K

$10.81 CLP 9,598

93.89%

Cinema Ticket

$5.76 CLP 5,113

$5.89 CLP 5,231

-2.21%

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

$433 CLP 383.9K

$342 CLP 303.6K

26.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,579 CLP 4.1M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.5 CLP 44.8K

$44.62 CLP 39.6K

13.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.42 CLP 27.0K

$27.82 CLP 24.7K

9.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$61.2 CLP 54.3K

$60.2 CLP 53.5K

1.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.1 CLP 73.7K

$69.1 CLP 61.3K

20.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$356 CLP 316.0K

$466 CLP 413.9K

-23.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$369 CLP 327.1K

$360 CLP 319.2K

2.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$861 CLP 764.2K

$934 CLP 829.3K

-7.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$604 CLP 535.7K

$592 CLP 525.2K

1.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,542 CLP 1.4M

$2,294 CLP 2.0M

-32.79%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,365 CLP 1.2M

$1,989 CLP 1.8M

-31.36%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,240 CLP 1.1M

$582 CLP 516.7K

112.98%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.18

5.3

-2.26%

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

Last update for Calama: June 1, 2026

Last update for Concepcion: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $356 in Calama and $466 in Concepcion. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Calama pays 113% 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: $33.00 in Calama vs $45.00 in Concepcion. Groceries flip the comparison at $231 vs $229, with Concepcion cheaper for home cooking.

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

Calama vs Concepcion: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Concepcion wins on cost – living expenses run 4% lower than in Calama. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Concepcion the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Calama pays 113% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $356 in Calama versus $466 in Concepcion. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 1% higher in Calama. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,091 per month in Calama versus $1,053 in Concepcion – a 4% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,053 in Concepcion versus $1,091 in Calama, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Concepcion but tight or insufficient in Calama. The gap between the two cities makes Concepcion 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 Concepcion gentler on the wallet – expenses run 4% less than in Calama. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.