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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $623 in Calama versus $1,137 in La Serena.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,267 in Calama versus $1,903 in La Serena.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,912 in Calama versus $2,668 in La Serena.

Living in Calama costs roughly 45% less than in La Serena, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Calama 55% lower, La Serena 18% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.43 CLP 6,990

$7.79 CLP 7,333

-4.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.77 CLP 31.8K

$51.1 CLP 48.1K

-33.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.50 CLP 8,004

Cappuccino

$2.12 CLP 1,994

$2.91 CLP 2,739

-27.15%

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

$0.92 CLP 869

$1.14 CLP 1,076

-19.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 CLP 880

$0.72 CLP 680

30.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.23 CLP 3,038

$2.20 CLP 2,071

46.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.30 CLP 4,987

$3.92 CLP 3,685

35.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.19 CLP 1,123

$1.28 CLP 1,202

-7.03%

White Bread (500g)

$0.85 CLP 796

$2.53 CLP 2,382

-66.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.72 CLP 2,561

$1.58 CLP 1,489

72.15%

Eggs

$5.01 CLP 4,714

$4.01 CLP 3,770

24.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.51 CLP 8,955

$12.66 CLP 11.9K

-24.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.57 CLP 6,187

$6.17 CLP 5,811

6.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.87 CLP 7,406

$13.13 CLP 12.4K

-40.06%

Apples (1kg)

$1.25 CLP 1,173

$1.87 CLP 1,760

-33.16%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 CLP 1,024

$1.77 CLP 1,666

-38.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 CLP 1,525

$1.32 CLP 1,246

22.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.17 CLP 1,101

$1.51 CLP 1,423

-22.52%

Potato (1kg)

$0.99 CLP 934

$1.19 CLP 1,122

-16.81%

Onion (1kg)

$1.04 CLP 982

$1.31 CLP 1,237

-20.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 CLP 998

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.92 CLP 863

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.34 CLP 5,024

$5.23 CLP 4,920

2.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.38 CLP 4,120

$5.46 CLP 5,141

-19.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 CLP 1,026

$1.04 CLP 977

4.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.29 CLP 1,215

$2.12 CLP 1,993

-39.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.94 CLP 887

$1.05 CLP 993

-10.48%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$37.05 CLP 34.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.76 CLP 720

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.49 CLP 1,399

$2.20 CLP 2,069

-32.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.63 CLP 11.9K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.57 CLP 1,480

$1.47 CLP 1,382

6.80%

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

$21.0K CLP 19.8M

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

$12.6K CLP 11.9M

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

$42.85 CLP 40.3K

$90.6 CLP 85.3K

-52.72%

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

$11.59 CLP 10.9K

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.75 CLP 12.9K

$22.49 CLP 21.2K

-38.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.1 CLP 50.0K

$89.2 CLP 83.9K

-40.44%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.07 CLP 19.8K

$21.60 CLP 20.3K

-2.45%

Cinema Ticket

$4.87 CLP 4,588

$8.34 CLP 7,853

-41.61%

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

$320 CLP 301.5K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$38.10 CLP 35.9K

$44.97 CLP 42.3K

-15.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.59 CLP 27.9K

$64.7 CLP 60.9K

-54.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$47.34 CLP 44.5K

$98.1 CLP 92.3K

-51.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$64.4 CLP 60.6K

$107 CLP 101.0K

-39.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$353 CLP 332.5K

$447 CLP 420.8K

-20.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$108 CLP 101.9K

$332 CLP 312.6K

-67.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$844 CLP 794.3K

$953 CLP 896.6K

-11.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$639 CLP 601.4K

$731 CLP 687.7K

-12.55%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,487 CLP 1.4M

$2,116 CLP 2.0M

-29.73%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,299 CLP 1.2M

$1,363 CLP 1.3M

-4.66%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,164 CLP 1.1M

$736 CLP 692.4K

58.19%

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 Calama: September 8, 2026

Last update for La Serena: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $353 in Calama and $447 in La Serena. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Calama pays 58% 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 $51.0 in La Serena for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $183 vs $243 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 La Serena: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Calama wins on cost – living expenses run 82% lower than in La Serena. 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 58% 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 $447 in La Serena. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $623 per month in Calama versus $1,137 in La Serena – a 82% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Supermarket bills run roughly 33% higher in La Serena. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $623 in Calama versus $1,137 in La Serena, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Calama but tight or insufficient in La Serena. 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 82% less than in La Serena. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.