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: $623 in Calama versus $1,072 in Concepcion.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,267 in Calama versus $1,685 in Concepcion.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,912 in Calama versus $2,299 in Concepcion.

Living in Calama costs roughly 42% less than in Concepcion, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Calama 55% lower, Concepcion 22% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.43 CLP 6,990

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.77 CLP 31.8K

$48.17 CLP 45.3K

-29.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.25 CLP 7,760

Cappuccino

$2.12 CLP 1,994

$2.85 CLP 2,682

-25.61%

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

$0.92 CLP 869

$1.49 CLP 1,403

-38.26%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 CLP 880

$1.10 CLP 1,031

-14.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.23 CLP 3,038

$3.96 CLP 3,729

-18.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.30 CLP 4,987

$3.92 CLP 3,689

35.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.19 CLP 1,123

$1.26 CLP 1,190

-5.56%

White Bread (500g)

$0.85 CLP 796

$1.53 CLP 1,439

-44.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.72 CLP 2,561

$1.58 CLP 1,490

72.15%

Eggs

$5.01 CLP 4,714

$3.77 CLP 3,545

32.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.51 CLP 8,955

$11.24 CLP 10.6K

-15.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.57 CLP 6,187

$7.17 CLP 6,749

-8.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.87 CLP 7,406

$12.21 CLP 11.5K

-35.54%

Apples (1kg)

$1.25 CLP 1,173

$1.51 CLP 1,420

-17.22%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 CLP 1,024

$1.36 CLP 1,278

-19.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 CLP 1,525

$1.56 CLP 1,466

3.85%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.17 CLP 1,101

$1.51 CLP 1,421

-22.52%

Potato (1kg)

$0.99 CLP 934

$1.10 CLP 1,031

-10.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.04 CLP 982

$1.37 CLP 1,287

-24.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.14 CLP 1,072

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.24 CLP 1,171

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.34 CLP 5,024

$5.39 CLP 5,072

-0.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.38 CLP 4,120

$5.18 CLP 4,879

-15.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 CLP 1,026

$1.02 CLP 960

6.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.29 CLP 1,215

$1.75 CLP 1,645

-26.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.94 CLP 887

$0.61 CLP 576

54.10%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$32.82 CLP 30.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.27 CLP 1,192

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.49 CLP 1,399

$2.28 CLP 2,142

-34.65%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.76 CLP 12.0K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.57 CLP 1,480

$1.40 CLP 1,318

12.14%

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

$21.2K CLP 20.0M

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

$25.1K CLP 23.7M

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

$42.85 CLP 40.3K

$109 CLP 102.3K

-60.58%

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

$13.53 CLP 12.7K

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.75 CLP 12.9K

$28.04 CLP 26.4K

-50.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.1 CLP 50.0K

$30.00 CLP 28.2K

77.07%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.07 CLP 19.8K

$10.63 CLP 10.0K

98.21%

Cinema Ticket

$4.87 CLP 4,588

$6.06 CLP 5,703

-19.64%

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

$320 CLP 301.5K

$333 CLP 313.0K

-3.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,497 CLP 4.2M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$38.10 CLP 35.9K

$47.19 CLP 44.4K

-19.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.59 CLP 27.9K

$23.41 CLP 22.0K

26.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$47.34 CLP 44.5K

$65.6 CLP 61.7K

-27.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$64.4 CLP 60.6K

$68.4 CLP 64.4K

-5.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$353 CLP 332.5K

$506 CLP 476.1K

-30.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$108 CLP 101.9K

$367 CLP 345.0K

-70.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$844 CLP 794.3K

$963 CLP 906.7K

-12.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$639 CLP 601.4K

$657 CLP 618.5K

-2.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,487 CLP 1.4M

$2,230 CLP 2.1M

-33.33%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,299 CLP 1.2M

$1,863 CLP 1.8M

-30.26%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,164 CLP 1.1M

$582 CLP 547.8K

99.96%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.3

-5.66%

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

Last update for Calama: September 8, 2026

Last update for Concepcion: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $353 in Calama and $506 in Concepcion. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Calama pays 100% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $34.00 in Calama vs $48.00 in Concepcion for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $183 vs $229 per month, with Calama 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

Calama vs Concepcion: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Calama wins on cost – living expenses run 72% lower than in Concepcion. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Calama the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 100% higher in Calama, 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: $353 in Calama versus $506 in Concepcion. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 25% higher in Concepcion. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $623 per month in Calama versus $1,072 in Concepcion – a 72% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $623 in Calama versus $1,072 in Concepcion, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Calama but tight or insufficient in Concepcion. The gap between the two cities makes Calama 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 Calama gentler on the wallet – expenses run 72% less than in Concepcion. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.